Thick & Chewy Cottage Cheese Brownie Cookies
This brownie cookies recipe was inspired by my Chocolate Chunk Cottage Cheese Cookies and Cottage Cheese Protein Brownies. Both treats have been hugely popular on the site (and in my home). So, I knew I wanted to make a variation of the recipes that combined them together!
And after several tests plus sharing them with a group of friends, I can honestly say the recipe is perfect! These are made with better-for-you ingredients and every bite tastes like the perfect cross between a gooey brownie and a thick bakery-style cookie. You’d never guess there’s cottage cheese hidden inside!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bakery Style – The soft, fudgy texture is truly irresistible, and every bite is bursting with chocolate to satisfy even the biggest sweet tooth.
- Great for Sharing – This recipe makes 12 giant cookies or 16 smaller cookies and can easily be doubled or even tripled, making it perfect for parties, holidays, and gifting.
- SO Easy – There are no fancy ingredients or complicated steps. You don’t even need an electric mixer! Just melt the chocolate and butter, whisk the ingredients, portion, bake, and enjoy!
- Protein-Forward – Made with 5 grams of protein and less butter and refined sugar than your typical brownie cookies, these are a slightly lightened-up dessert that has all the indulgent flavor you want in a treat.
RELATED: Cookie Dough Cottage Cheese Bites
Ingredients
- Bittersweet Chocolate – Melted and mixed into the cookie dough, this elevates the chocolate flavor and contributes to the fudgy brownie texture. Trust me, it’s so worth it to use high-quality chocolate for the best results!
- Unsalted Butter – This adds flavor and helps keep the cookies moist.
- Cottage Cheese – I recommend using whole milk cottage cheese for the best taste and texture. Both large and small curd options work. And if you aren’t feeling the cottage cheese, you can always sub this with sour cream or more butter!
- Vanilla
- Maple Syrup – This adds sweetness, reducing the amount of refined sugar needed, and helps keep the cookies moist.
- Egg – This adds a little extra protein and acts as a binder, helping the cookies hold their shape.
- Dark Brown Sugar – This adds sweetness, moisture, and a subtle molasses flavor that gives the cookies lots of depth.
- Flour – I use all-purpose flour for the base of the dough. Substitute 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour if you need to keep your brownie cookies gluten-free.
- Cocoa Powder – I prefer Dutch-processed cocoa for a smoother chocolate flavor. However, natural cocoa also works if you prefer a more intense chocolate taste. Make sure whichever cocoa you choose is unsweetened!
- Leaveners – Baking powder and baking soda help give the cookies a nice lift, creating the soft, chewy texture we want.
- Dark Chocolate Chunks – You can never have too much chocolate, right?! I prefer dark chocolate for this recipe, but milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or even white chocolate chips or chunks taste great.
- Flaky Salt
How to Make this Brownie Cookies Recipe
This is one of the easiest desserts ever! All you need is a microwave-safe bowl, a blender, a large mixing bowl, a large cookie scoop, two baking sheets, and a wire rack. Here’s how to make Brownie Cookies:
- Melt the chocolate – Chop the bittersweet chocolate into pieces, and melt it with the butter in 30-40 second intervals in the microwave. Make sure to stir frequently to prevent the chocolate from seizing or burning!
- Blend the wet ingredients – Combine the cottage cheese, vanilla, maple syrup, and egg in a blender.
- Combine ingredients – Pour the wet ingredients into a bowl, and whisk in the brown sugar, followed by the melted chocolate. Then, add the dry ingredients, and stir just until combined before folding in the chocolate chunks.
- Chill the dough – Transfer the bowl to the fridge. This allows the dough to rehydrate, preventing the cookies from spreading and creating a softer, chewier texture.
- Bake – Portion the cookie dough, and place each scoop on two parchment paper-lined baking sheets. I use a cookie scoop for equal scoops! Then, bake one sheet at a time just until the batter is set.
- Cool – Top the brownie cookies with flaky salt while hot, and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Tips
- Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth. This removes the curds so the dough remains smooth without any noticeable cottage cheese chunks.
- Chill the dough if possible. Even 10-20 minutes of chilling helps the cookies bake up thicker, fudgier, and chewier. I’ve tested the recipe without chilling, and it really does make a big difference!
- Slightly underbake the cookies. The centers should still look a little soft when you remove them from the oven. They’ll continue setting as they cool.
- Top with extra chocolate chunks before baking.
- Shape the cookies while warm. Use a round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass to gently swirl around the cookies right after baking for perfectly round bakery-style cookies.
- Add flaky sea salt on top. SO worth it!
- Make these smaller for a lower calorie version. These cookies are pretty larger, so you can always make smaller ones instead!
You’ll Also Love: Cottage Cheese Muffins
Variations
Add Espresso Powder. Mix 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder into the dough to intensify the chocolate flavor and create a mocha-inspired cookie.
Use Milk Chocolate or Semi-Sweet Chocolate. Swap the dark chocolate chunks for milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate if you prefer a sweeter cookie.
Add Nuts. Fold chopped walnuts or pecans into the cookie dough for extra crunch and a nutty taste.
Add Peanut Butter. Swirl peanut butter into the dough before baking, or drizzle it over the cooled cookies for a classic flavor combination.
Try Different Mix-Ins. Add toffee bits, crushed pretzels, mini marshmallows, or shredded coconut for fun flavor variations.
How to Store
Once cool, you can transfer brownie cookies to an airtight container or sealable bag. They’ll stay fresh at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
You can also freeze leftover cookies for up to 3 months! Place a sheet of parchment paper between each cookie to prevent them from clumping together. Then, thaw them in the fridge or at room temperature.
Serve the cookies cold or at room temperature. Or, warm them in 10-15 second intervals if you prefer a warm, gooey consistency.
Healthy Cookie Recipes to Try
- Vegan Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies
- Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten-Free Monster Cookies
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Protein Cookies
Do you have a sweet tooth like I do? Here are 20+ healthy cookie recipes!
More Ways to Use Cottage Cheese
- Cottage Cheese Bagels
- Lemon Blueberry Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Protein Pancakes with Greek Yogurt
- Cottage Cheese Pancake Bars
- Cinnamon Roll Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Cottage Cheese Breakfast Rounds
Looking for more? Here are 35+ cottage cheese recipes!
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Cottage Cheese Brownie Cookies
Video
Equipment
- 1 Blender
- 2 Baking Sheets
Ingredients
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
- 1/2 cup 4% cottage cheese
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chunks (or chips)
- Flaky salt on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Chop the bittersweet chocolate and melt with the butter in the microwave for about 30-40 seconds, stirring often. Set aside.
- Blend the cottage cheese, vanilla, maple syrup, and egg.
- Pour into a large bowl and whisk in the brown sugar.
- Add the melted chocolate and mix in.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder on top. Lightly stir the dry ingredients together, then mix into the liquid ingredients just until combined.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chunks.
- Refrigerate the dough for 10-20 minutes.
- Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 12 minutes.
- Repeat with a second baking sheet.
- Immediately top the warm cookies with flaky salt, then let cool on a cooling rack and enjoy!
Notes
- Chilling the dough really helps! You can skip it in a time crunch, but I would recommend doing it at least for a little bit if possible.
- Use a round cookie cutter to shape the cookies right when they come out of the oven! Lightly pull up the edges for that perfect cookie shape and texture. This step is optional but so worth it!
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