Black Bottom Brownie Cookies

From the kitchen of Carly

Fudgy brownie cookies with a crispy sugar-crusted top and chewy center. The dark chocolate base gets tempered over a double boiler, then folded together with whipped eggs for that signature dense crumb and glossy finish.

Black Bottom Brownie Cookies

Black bottom brownie cookies are the chocolate lover's move. A fudgy brownie dough gets topped with a tangy cream cheese filling studded with bittersweet chocolate, then baked until the edges are set and the centers stay soft. The contrast between the dense chocolate base and the sweet-tart cream cheese layer is what makes these cookies stand out from the usual brownie tray.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1 cupplus 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 3/4 cupplus 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 10 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2cold large eggs
  • 1/2 cupall-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
  • 1Flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Combine the sugar, cocoa, butter, and kosher salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Set it over a medium pot of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir occasionally for about 15 minutes, until the butter has melted and the mixture is hot enough that you pull your finger out quickly after testing it. It may look gritty at this point, which is fine. Pull the bowl off the heat and let it cool until warm but not hot, about 5 minutes.

  2. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon, then crack in the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one until the mixture looks thick and glossy. Add the flour and stir to combine, then beat hard with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula for about 1 minute, until the batter is shiny and completely uniform.

  3. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.

  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and kosher salt until evenly combined.

  5. Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Pour in the sugar mixture and keep beating until well combined. Fold in the chopped chocolate. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and freeze until very firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.

  6. Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Pull the dough out and let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.

  7. Dip a spoon in hot water and scoop 20 portions of dough, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, rolling each one into a smooth ball between your palms. Press your thumb into the center of each ball to make a well, then spoon about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese filling into each indent. Flatten the edges of the dough out to roughly a 3-inch circle with the filling sitting in the middle, as if you were shaping a dumpling. Fold the dough up and over the filling to enclose it completely, pinching the seam to seal. Space the balls at least 3 inches apart on the prepared sheets, then for best results, freeze them for 10 minutes before baking.

  8. Bake the cookies with the pans rotating halfway through, until the edges are set and firm, 12 to 14 minutes. The centers may look slightly shiny and wet, which is normal. Scatter flaky sea salt over the cookies while they are still warm, then leave them on the baking sheets until firm. Move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

  9. Baked cookies keep for up to 2 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Assembled unbaked cookies can be made up to 2 months ahead: freeze them on baking sheets first, then transfer to freezer bags and keep frozen until ready to bake.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Cold dough straight from the freezer will be stiff enough to handle without spreading. Let it sit at room temperature for just 5-10 minutes so you can scoop and shape it without tearing.
  • Use hot water on your spoon when scooping the dough balls. It prevents sticking and helps you move faster.
  • Make sure your cream cheese filling is very firm before assembly. If it's too soft, it will sink into the warm brownie dough instead of holding its shape during baking.

Variations

  • Skip the cream cheese and pipe melted white chocolate onto the brownie dough instead for a simpler, sweeter cookie.
  • Swap the bittersweet chocolate in the filling for dark chocolate chunks or even crushed freeze-dried berries mixed into the cream cheese for tartness.
  • Press a single square of dark chocolate into the center indent instead of the cream cheese mixture for a purely fudgy cookie.

Make ahead and storage

Keep these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to a week. Freezing is fine too, up to 2 months, and they thaw quickly at room temperature.