Brownie Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies
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If you’re asked to choose between cookie dough or brownie batter, choose neither; bake my Brownie Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies and grin!
All images and text ©Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average, LLC
LOADED QUESTION! So many easy desserts begin with a basic box of brownie mix. Aside from brownies and cookies, think bars, individual chocolate truffles, cakes, and trifles. I keep a basic box of brownie mix on hand along with a package of instant pudding mix for these easy cookies. They take 15 minutes, and I can easily transport them to share at cookouts, birthday parties, holiday events, and my book club meetings.
Brownie Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies
Grab a large bowl for mixing and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. You’re about to embark on one heck of a great recipe and an easy recipe at that!
How to describe these…um, chocolate chip cookie brownies? No, no…fudgy nutty chocolate chippy brownie cookies?
I think you have a pretty good idea where I’m going with these, but in case you don’t, allow me to state it plainly. Cookies made from brownie mix, made all the better because I add chocolate chips…and pecans…oh my gosh!
These are my December secret weapon when I need to bulk up Christmas cookie gift tins. Nobody, and I mean to say NOBODY will ever holler at you for bulking up a cookie tin with these ‘brownie lovers chocolate cookies.’
They may not look special, but they are perfect for when you need to ‘bring a dessert,’ require a unique and homemade birthday gift, make a fabulous treat for after school, and as I mentioned a moment ago, make a nice addition to those holiday gift tins.
Do You Have What’s Needed to Bake Up Some Brownie Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies? Check the List!
- a box of store-bought brownie mix
- unsalted butter
- large eggs
- store-bought vanilla flavored instant pudding
- room temperature tap water
- chocolate morsels
- pecans
optional add-ins
- white chocolate chips
- peanut butter chips
- butterscotch chips
- confectioners’ sugar for dusting
- flakey sea salt
How This Recipe Came About…
Do not for one minute think that the cookie brownie recipe CRAZE passed me by. Noooooo! I was all over that with my box of brownie mix and my little old hand mixer JUST like YOU.
What sets these apart from other recipes? These are just a ‘lil more brownie than cookie, just the way I like ’em.
The baking time is super quick at only 10 minutes, an extra minute or two if you want them firmer. And if I am honest, all of these simple ingredients come together to make THE BEST COOKIES in just about 15 minutes.
THAT is why I keep both a boxed brownie mix as well as instant vanilla pudding on hand at all times. I never know when I’ll be invited to that gathering that is somebody’s birthday, a cookout, holiday party, or a neighborhood potluck.
Almost nobody can resist a sweet treat, especially when it involves a chocolate fudgy center and gooey chewy edges…I’m digressing but I CAN’T HELP IT PEOPLE!
What Brand of Brownie Mix Should I Use?
I’m not sure what the best thing about these cookies actually is, the fact that I am not required to bust out the brown sugar or the jug of vegetable oil, or that this brownie mix cookies recipe yields 28 fabulous cookies from just one box of classic brownie mix.
Use the brand of brownie mix which resonates with you. Remember what I always tell you; when there are few ingredients in a recipe, the quality of those ingredients matter. Always get the best you can afford or have access to.
For me, I am a steadfast Ghirardelli brownie mix gal or a Duncan Hines fudge brownies gal. Which reminds me that the next time I hit my local big box store, I need to grab that Ghirardelli; there I can purchase it in triplicate at a better price.
What’s The Best Way to Store These Brownie Mix Cookies?
I get a little ridiculous here, but I cannot recite the merits of metal cookie tins enough. They are an airtight container that keeps cookies EXACTLY the way they were at the moment you popped them in there…and for like weeks.
That means giving any cookie the correct amount of time required for it to cool completely on a wire rack. Placing a ‘still warm’ cookie into a tin full of cookies will result in damp and stale cookies.
Pro tip: Forget the plastic wrap, let ’em cool, and invest in a cookie tin.
What Kind of Equipment Do I Need to Make These?
A bowl, an electric mixer, measuring cups and spoons, cookie sheet(s), a cooling rack, and a cookie scoop. Oh, and I like to use a rubber spatula for seriously scraping out the last little bit from the bowl, so nothing is wasted here.
You know…we wouldn’t want waste in a brownie cookies recipe, would we? Noooo…
The size cookie scoop you use will determine mostly how many cookies you’ll get from this bake. I go with a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon) so I will yield between 26 and 28 cookies.
Using a big cookie scoop (anything over 2 tablespoons) will result in larger cookies, just fewer of them. If you do opt for biggie cookies, adjust the bake time appropriately and pull them from the oven right when you see their edges are set.
Once pulled from the oven, the cookies are going to stay on the prepared baking sheets for another 2 to 3 minutes before you’ll transfer to a wire rack. This trick ensures chocolatey rich cookies with the texture of fudgy brownies.
What Else Should I Add Besides Chocolate Chips?
I guess this depends on your eaters. You can go to town as far as add-ins with things like peanut butter candies or chips, butterscotch chips, toffee bits, instant espresso powder for a coffee-esque flavor, or even white chocolate mini morsels.
I add nuts. Pecans to be precise. I begin with pecan halves and give them a once over rough chop so there are some big chunks in my final bake.
If I’m taking these to a gathering where some folks might have nut aversions, I steer clear of all add-ins except for the chocolate chips and either dust the top of the cookies (once completely cooled) with flakey sea salt or confectioners’ sugar. That way, nobody misses out on the best part of a meal which is dessert of course!
How To Make Brownie Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies?
Prepare the Cookie Sheets
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two or more cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpats and set aside.
There is some degree of spreading with these cookies, so plan on placing them 1 1/2 to 2-inches apart on your baking sheets. I go a step further and place my balls of dough six to a cookie sheet, so I get a more perfectly round cookie.
Assemble the Cookie Dough
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to combine a stick of VERY SOFT butter with half a box of brownie mix. Beat this mixture until well combined.
Next add 2 eggs and a few tablespoons of water that you’ve allowed to come to room temperature. Beat again.
Lastly, incorporate the remaining brownie mix from the box and an entire package of instant pudding mix. Beat until combined before folding in the chocolate morsels and chopped pecans if using.
Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Since I go with a small cookie scoop, I get anywhere from 26 to 28 cookies and my bake time is between 10 and 12 minutes.
If you use a bigger cookie scoop, you will want to adjust that bake time. I’d begin checking for doneness at 12 minutes and go to 14 if it’s required. You’ll know by how well done the edges are getting.
Cooling and Storing/Transporting the Cookies
Once you pull the cookies sheets from your oven, allow the cookies to sit tight for 2 to 3 minutes more on the hot sheets. This gives them the extra umph to set up in the middles as the sheets slowly cool down.
Use a metal spatula with a thin edge to lift the cookies from the sheets and over to a cooling rack. Sit on your hands if you feel the urge to taste before they’ve morphed into total chocolate lover’s brownie perfection.
To store the cookies properly and also transport them without breakage, opt for an airtight container with a lid. I go metal cookie tin all the way.
Place a square of parchment in the tin and use your hands to fit the parchment up the sides. Place the cookies flat in the bottom.
You may only be able to lay three or four cookies flat and that’s okay. Continue by stacking cookies over the voids from the previous layer until you’ve filled your tin.
If You Like This Recipe…
…you might also like:
- No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Chocolate Ginger Molasses Tea Cookies
- Pork Rind and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brownie Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 18.3-ounce box brownie mix divided
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1 3.4-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 tablespoons water at room temperature
- ½ cup pecans rough chopped
- 1 cup chocolate morsels
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped; optional add-in
- white chocolate morsels optional add-in
- peanut butter morsels or peanut butter candy; optional add-in
- butterscotch morsels optional add-in
- toffee bits optional add-in
- confectioners' sugar for dusting; optional
- flakey sea salt for dusting; optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two or more cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpats and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to combine a stick of VERY SOFT butter with half a box of brownie mix. Beat this mixture until well combined.
- Next, add 2 eggs and a few tablespoons of water that you've allowed to come to room temperature. Beat again. Lastly, incorporate the remaining brownie mix from the box and an entire package of instant pudding. Beat until combined before folding in the chocolate morsels. If using chopped pecans or other add-ins, stir them in now.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set.
- Pull the cookies sheets from your oven and allow cookies to cool for 2 to 3 minutes directly on the cookie sheets. Use a metal spatula with a thin edge to lift the cookies from the sheets and over to a cooling rack.
Notes
The nutrition value can vary depending on what product(s) you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.
Please note that table salt and iodized salt are NOT substitutions for Kosher salt. Do not deviate unless otherwise specified.
I don’t see where it says when to use the sea salt . I read the instructions and somehow I’m missing when you put on the sea salt . I noticed it says for dusting but I don’t see if before you bake or after they are baked or after they are cooled completely.
Lynda, you made the recipe correctly. The flaky sea salt is for dusting after the cookies have cooled slightly (so the salt adheres) IF you desire a sweet and salty flavor profile. They, just like the other optional ingredients, are just that – strictly optional 😊 How did your cookies turn out? Jenny
Wowzer!! Great. Grandkids loved them AND even at 81 with arthritis in hands could make these. Helped not having to get out lots of ingredients.
Dot! I never considered this angle! Thank you for taking a minute past ‘cookie baking’ to drop back here and let me read this sweet compliment from you! I hope the grandkids saved you some 🙂 Jenny
Me again! I mentioned that I had come across the brownie and pudding mixes. The trouble is that I just looked at the packages again and the pudding mix is the type you are supposed to cook! Do you think I can use it? Or probably not?
Barbara! So, I DID experiment with ‘cook and serve’ as a substitution for instant. While the cookies turned out, they were a good bit chewier. By itself, that may not be an issue. The flavor is where I found fault. The pudding mix seemed to be fighting for first position with the brownie batter. I felt the lot was less chocolate and more bitter…? It’s should’ve been the opposite. I hope this information helps? If you use the cook and serve, the cookies WILL turn out, just not as intended. If you experiment and feel otherwise, PLEASE jump back here and let me/us know. I may consider placing a caveat in the recipe card based on your review. 😊 Jenny
Thank you for answering so quickly!! Something that I enjoy about your website, you answer questions quickly!! I will try it out, unfortunately, it will be a couple of weeks out, at least, because I am still trying to get my kitchen in order. Putting everything back in a new arrangement is very challenging!
Barbara, thank you for acknowledging that. I do try. Either here in the thread or via direct email.
Now about that new kitchen of yours…I AM ENVIOUS. 😊 Jenny
I will! Got to thinking these would be great for our church bazaar in September! I like that you basically use kosher salt and your comments about not substituting it with table salt. Since I only use kosher salt, I frequently come across recipes that just state “salt,” so I use whatever amount of salt is stated. Seems to work fine. Is there a difference in regular salt and kosher, as to the amount you should use?
Barbara, great question! They are different. Kosher salt, made only from sodium chloride, has large coarse grains and is additive-free. Table salt has iodine added. Kosher salt is lighter than table salt, so it shouldn’t be directly substituted in recipes. So, if comparing Kosher salt to table salt (iodized salt), the rule is 1:2 table salt to Kosher salt; use half the amount of table salt as you would kosher salt.
Thanks for the info. I realized I should have said that I cut back on the salt and your stated amount is about what I use. The main reason we are not big salt users for some reason.
Ahhh! I have cut us back as well for health reasons. And switching to Kosher and sea salt (Malden) has helped.
I wonder if this would work with a gluten free brownie mix. Unfortunately, that’s what I have to go with. Thank you.
Alene, it does work with gluten-free brownie mix! In fact, I have had four readers ask, try, and report back that the cookies are wonderful. Give them a go and circle back to let me know your thoughts – think chocolatey and chewy and delish! 🙂 Jenny
Look foward to making these. Just replaced our kitchen and came across a box of the Ghirardelli Brownie Mix and pudding mix, when I was moving stuff out of the old one. I would prefer making cookies.
Barbara, honestly, these two-bite cookies are addictive! I make them for all seasons and load ’em up with goodies (pecans, Reese’s Pieces, colorful nonpareils for holidays, etc) before I stick them on our counter or gift them. This recipe is a good reason to have a box of good brownie mix in the pantry. I’d love to know your thoughts once you’ve made them 🙂 Jenny
Forgot to say – THESE ARE AMAZING WITH CRUSHED HEATH BARS!!!