The Best Brownie Cut Recipe

I’m sharing my Chocolate Christmas Cookies, a roll out brownie inspired dough that lets you cut festive shapes and dress them up or keep them simple.

I never thought a cookie could taste exactly like a brownie but these Best Brownie Cut Out Cookies do. Rich unsweetened cocoa powder and a touch of eggs give them that fudgy soft center that makes you do a double take.

They show up on the table looking like Chocolate Christmas Cookies but bite like a Soft Chocolate Cookie, and theyre wild for decorating or just eating straight. Sometimes I try to make them fancy, other times I make them plain, and people always ask for the recipe before Ive had a chance to hide the tray.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: Provides structure and carbs, makes brownies cakier if you use too much, not much fiber.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Gives deep chocolate flavor, low fat, adds antioxidants, a bit bitter not sweet.
• Unsalted butter: Adds richness and tenderness, mostly fat and calories, helps those fudgy edges form.
• Sugars (granulated and brown): Sweetens and helps caramelize, brown adds molasses notes, both feed structure and browning.
• Semisweet chocolate: Melts into glossy pockets, contributes cocoa solids and sugar, ups chocolate intensity.
• Eggs: Binders that add protein and lift, make brownies less crumbly and more cohesive.
• Vanilla extract: Tiny flavor booster, rounds bitterness and makes the chocolate taste fuller, simple but magic.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
• 6 ounces (170 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream optional
• powdered sugar or frosting for decorating optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt so it’s evenly mixed.

2. Melt 6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate gently in 20 second bursts in the microwave stirring between each burst, or melt over a double boiler; let it cool a little so it’s warm not hot.

3. In your mixer or with a hand mixer cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until lighter in color and slightly fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Beat the slightly cooled melted chocolate into the butter mixture until combined, then add 2 large eggs one at a time, beating after each, and stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Scrape the bowl so everything gets mixed, but don’t overbeat.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing just until incorporated. If the dough seems too stiff or crumbly add 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until it holds together but is still soft.

6. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic or parchment and chill in the fridge at least 1 hour until firm enough to roll. You can chill longer or overnight for easier rolling and better flavor.

7. Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch thickness; if it sticks dust the parchment lightly with cocoa powder or flour. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and transfer the cut cookies on the parchment to your baking sheets leaving about 1 inch between them.

8. Bake 8 to 10 minutes for soft, brownie-like centers or 10 to 12 minutes if you like them a bit more set. Watch them carefully, the edges should just set but centers still look slightly soft. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. When completely cool dust with powdered sugar or decorate with frosting if you want. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze baked cookies or the dough for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Rimmed baking sheets and parchment paper
3. Large mixing bowl plus a medium bowl for the dry mix
4. Whisk and measuring cups and spoons (or a kitchen scale for the grams)
5. Electric mixer or hand mixer
6. Microwave-safe bowl or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan for melting chocolate
7. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for scraping and stirring
8. Rolling pin, extra parchment (or a little cocoa for dusting) and cookie cutters
9. Wire cooling rack and plastic wrap for chilling or storing dough and cookies, dont skip the rack

FAQ

The Best Brownie Cut Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour → 1:1 gluten free all purpose blend (with xanthan gum). Use the same weight (281 g). Texture may be a bit more crumbly but it works great for fudgy brownies.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder → Dutch process cocoa, swap 1:1 by weight but omit the baking soda (Dutch has no acidity to activate it). Brownies will taste smoother and less tangy.
• Unsalted butter → Neutral oil (vegetable, canola or light olive), use about 3/4 cup oil for 1 cup butter. Gives a fudgier, chewier result; if you want dairy free, melted coconut oil can be used 1:1 by volume.
• Eggs → Flax “eggs” for a vegan option: 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 2.5 tablespoons water per egg, let sit 5 minutes. For 2 eggs use 2 tbsp flax + 5 tbsp water. Brownies turn out dense but delicious.

Pro Tips

1. Chill the dough longer than you think, seriously, overnight if you can. It firms up so cutting is cleaner, the flavors deepen, and you get less spread while baking, but dont forget to let it warm a few minutes before rolling so it doesnt crack.

2. Melt the chocolate slowly and only add it when its warm not hot, otherwise the butter can go greasy or the eggs can cook. If it seizes, a splash of warm cream will usually bring it back, and a pinch of instant espresso powder will make the chocolate taste way more intense without tasting like coffee.

3. Measure cocoa and flour by spooning into the cup and leveling, dont pack those ingredients or the cookies will turn out dry and dense. The cornstarch included helps keep them tender so dont skip it, and if your dough seems crumbly add milk a tablespoon at a time until it just holds.

4. Watch the bake time closely, edges should be set and centers still a bit soft for that brownie like chew; cookies carryover cook on the sheet so remove early if you want softer centers. Use a cookie scoop for even sizes, bake on the middle rack and cool five minutes on the sheet before moving to a rack so they dont break.