Flourless Small Batch Brownie Cookies

Name: Small Batch Brownie Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 3 ½ oz (100g) bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa); 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter; 1 large egg (at room temperature); ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp (75g) granulated sugar; 1 ½ tbsp (12g) corn starch; 2 tbsp (12g) cocoa powder; ⅛ tsp baking powder; ⅛ tsp salt; ⅓ cup (56g) dark chocolate chips

Updated: Jan 28, 2026 by christina.marsigliese · 145 Comments

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This is the best Small Batch Brownie Cookies recipe that makes 8 perfectly fudgy and deeply chocolate cookies. I make them almost weekly to satisfy my chocolate cravings and they ALWAYS hit the spot! They are SO GOOD, so moist and so soft. Prepare for a chocolate overload! These cookies are by far the FUDGIEST melt-in-your-mouth cookies you will ever come across. They are also flourless just because that's how this recipe is designed, but that also makes them gluten-free which means you can feed them to all of your friends even if they have an allergy to wheat. Have you ever had a molten chocolate cake or chocolate lava cake? This is like the equivalent to that in cookie form. If a small batch isn't enough, check out my full batch Brownie Cookies recipe, and maybe also try my Chocolate Lava Cookies too.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

Easy to make - these cookies are a cinch to make! They use just a handful of simple ingredients and you're just 30 minutes away from heaven!
Fudgy brownie cookies - the texture of these cookies is like pure fudge as they just melt in your mouth. If you love chocolate then you are in for a treat.
Insanely chocolatey - you might be surprised that the amount of butter is just 2 tbsp. That's not a typo - only 28 grams is all this recipe needs! These cookies are ALL about the chocolate.
Shiny crinkle crust - using the method I have below for this recipe guarantees that you will get the shiny crust.
Small batch recipe - this simple recipe makes just 8-10 cookies perfect for a small household or a single craving 😉

small batch brownie cookies on cooling rack

INGREDIENTS FOR SMALL BATCH BROWNIE COOKIES

Bittersweet chocolate - it's very important to use 70% dark chocolate for this recipe.
Corn starch - this recipe uses corn starch for an extra silky super fudgy texture and also makes them gluten-free. You can use an equal amount of flour if you prefer, but I urge you to try this recipe as written with corn starch.
Butter - since it's such a small amount of butter, you can use salted or unsalted in this recipe. There are no substitutions for it here - butter is important.
Cocoa powder - cocoa serves to not only add more chocolate flavor, but it contributes some structure to the cookies as well. I like to use my favorite Dutch process cocoa powder for its deep color, and natural alkalized cocoa works too.
Baking powder - just a small amount of baking powder gives a bit of puff to the batter so that the cookies develop the crackly appearance.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE FLOURLESS SMALL BATCH BROWNIE COOKIES

STEP 1). Melt chocolate. Combine chocolate and butter in a heat-safe bowl and melt in the microwave in short bursts with frequent stirring until completely melted, smooth and glossy.
STEP 2). Beat eggs with sugar. Place egg and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk for 1-2 minutes until pale and thick using a wire whisk.
STEP 3). Add melted chocolate. Mix in warm melted chocolate mixture until evenly blended.
STEP 4). Combine dry ingredients. Sift together corn starch, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and blend well. Stir it into the chocolate mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. The mixture will look like brownie batter instead of cookie dough.
STEP 5). Let stand or chill. Cover and refrigerate for 5-8 minutes until the dough is thick and fudge-like but not firm. It should be like thick hot fudge.
STEP 6). Portion. Scoop up about 1 ½ tablespoons of the fudgy batter onto prepared baking sheets. This recipe makes 8 cookies, but do not make less than 8 or there will be too much batter per cookie and they will spread too much. Be sure to leave plenty of space between each cookie.
STEP 7). Bake for 8-10 minutes until shiny and crackled on top and set around the edges. Transfer baking sheet to a cooling rack and let cookies cool completely on trays.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Corn starch - As I mentioned, they happen to be gluten-free because I use corn starch instead of all purpose flour. Corn starch gives these the silkiest texture - they're practically velvet.
Bittersweet chocolate - Use the best quality dark chocolate you can afford since this recipe needs 100g of it and it's pretty much all you'll taste. It's worth it. The high cocoa content of 70% provides the right amount of dry cocoa solids and cocoa butter to give these cookies the right structure and mouthfeel.
Mixing method - follow the instructions precisely to ensure you get the shiny crust and dissolve the sugar.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR SMALL BATCH BROWNIE COOKIES

Bring your egg to room temperature. This is very important to develop the shiny crust on the cookies because a cold egg will do a poor job of dissolving the sugar. You can do this by taking them out of the fridge 1 hour before baking, or submerge them in warm water for 10 minutes.
Beat egg with sugar until pale and thick. This will help the sugar dissolve to create a very moist texture and also provide structure since there is very little starch in this recipe. It will also create the crackly crust.
BUT, do not whip the egg and sugar too much. If you incorporate too much air, then the batter will stiffen up very quickly once you add the melted chocolate and it will be difficult to scoop. It will also make them more chewy instead of fudgy and the excess gas that it produces will aerate the batter and make a stiffer batter.
Use only ⅛ teaspoon baking powder. I know it seems like so little, but baking powder is powerful. If you use too much, then the cookies will be more chewy instead of fudgy and it will make a stiffer batter.
Let the batter rest. After you fold in the chocolate chips, cover the bowl and let the batter rest for about 10 minutes. It will thicken as the chocolate solidifies. If you live in a hot climate, then you can place it in the fridge, but for only 5-8 minutes. If it gets too cold then the cocoa butter in the chocolate will harden and the batter will become stiff and crumbly. You can still use it, but it will be more difficult to work with. See my FAQ section below for more tips.

RECIPE FAQ

How to get the shiny crust on small batch brownie cookies?

The secret to getting the shiny crust for this small batch brownie cookie recipe is in the method of beating the eggs with the sugar until the sugar is well dissolved. This is important. If the sugar is not dissolved then the crust will be dull and grainy. In order to make sure the sugar dissolves well, make sure your egg is at room temperature. If you take it straight from the fridge it will be too cold, so in this case I like to submerge it in warm water for 5-10 minutes until it warms up.

Can I use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar?

I often do use packed light brown sugar instead of granulated sugar for this recipe it works well, giving it a slightly more caramel-like taste. It changes the way the shiny crust develops slightly and it is more difficult to dissolve brown sugar in the egg, but the results are similar.

Can I use semisweet chocolate instead of bittersweet chocolate?

No. This recipe absolutely requires bittersweet chocolate with minimum 70% cocoa solids. Semisweet chocolate has too much sugar and will make these cookies spread too much.

Why did my cookies spread too much?

If your flourless brownie cookies spread out too thin, then it could be a couple of things:
1). The chocolate is too sweet. Make sure to use chocolate with minimum 70% cocoa solids for the best results. If you use semi-sweet chocolate with 50% cocoa solids, then it will have 20% more sugar content and the cookies will spread too much.
2). Not enough corn starch or cocoa. Make sure to weigh your ingredients to get accurate quantities. If they are still spreading too much, try adding 1 tablespoon more cocoa in the next batch.
3). Too much liquid. Make sure to use a standard large egg. If you use an extra large egg, then it will add almost 1 tablespoon extra water to the batter!

What happens if my batter is too stiff?

If the batter cools too much (like if you leave it in the fridge too long), the cocoa butter in the chocolate will harden and cause the batter to stiffen up. It will also become crumbly from all the air incorporated into the batter from the gases released from the baking powder. It may also be too stiff if you've whipped too much air into the eggs and sugar. If this is the case, you can still make these cookies and they will bake up just fine, however the batter will be more difficult to work with. I would recommend scooping it with a lightly wetted spoon and roll it into balls with damp hands. Also, if the batter is stiff, the crust on the cookies will be more dull rather than shiny, but that won't change the taste.

What is the best egg substitute in cookies?

This recipe works best with eggs and I have tested with a flax egg (ground flax seeds + water) and the results are not the same as it provides viscosity yet lacks the structure=building properties of egg protein.

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Small Batch Brownie Cookies

Christina Marsigliese

THE MOST incredible fudgy chocolate cookies that are (dare Isay...) BETTER than brownies! They are also gluten-free!

4.93 from 41 votes

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Servings 8 cookies

Ingredients

3 ½ oz (100g) bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa) chopped
2 tablespoon (28g) unsalted butter
1 large egg at room temperature
⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp (75g) granulated sugar
1 ½ tablespoon (12g) corn starch
2 tablespoon (12g) cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup (56g) dark chocolate chips optional

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F. NOTE: you will lower the temperature to 350°F when you start baking. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Combine chocolate and butter in a heat-safe bowl and melt in the microwave in short bursts with frequent stirring until completely melted, smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool just slightly.
Place egg and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk vigorously for a minute or two until pale and thick. It doesn't need to be extremely aerated - you just want to dissolve most of the sugar into the egg and give it a bit of body. Add the warm chocolate mixture and stir it in until evenly blended.
Combine corn starch, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt a small bowl and whisk to combine evenly. Sift your cocoa powder if it is lumpy. Add it to the chocolate mixture and fold it in until evenly combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and set it aside for 10-15 minutes to thicken slightly. If it is hot in your kitchen, then refrigerate for just 5-8 minute until the dough is thick and fudgy but not firm. It should still be spoonable and glossy.
Scoop up about 1 ½ tablespoons of the fudgy batter using this cookie scoop (it's the perfect size!) onto prepared baking sheets spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Place into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 350. Bake for 8-10 minutes until shiny and crackled on top and set around the edges but still a bit soft in the middle. They will continue to set as they cool. Transfer baking sheet to a cooling rack and let cookies cool completely on trays. since they are still delicate while warm.