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brownie cookies

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownie Cookies

September 3, 2021 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

My favorite fudgy brownie cookies elevated with a simple peanut butter swirl. If you’re a fan of peanut butter + chocolate then these Peanut Butter Brownie Swirl Cookies are exactly what you need to bake!

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownie Cookies

Calling all chocolate peanut butter lovers!! These Peanut Butter Swirl Brownie Cookies are dreamy little cookies perfect for snacking at home or taking to your next get-together. They’re deliciously fudgy when slightly under-baked and have perfect swirls of natural peanut butter on top. I love how simple this recipe is. The peanut butter flavor is just enough without overwhelming the chocolate brownie cookie. These cookies are so good.

Since these are brownie cookies, the dough will come together just like a homemade brownie batter; that’s because it is brownie batter (with a bit of extra flour + leavening)! To make sure your cookies turn out just like mine, I have a few important tips…

  • Use room temperature eggs for proper “fluffing”
  • Don’t allow the chocolate mixture to cool too much (more than 5 min) or the cookie dough will be stiffer than we want it to be
  • Sift the cocoa powder and flour to avoid any unwanted lumps in the dough
  • Let the dough sit at room temperature for at least 30 min to allow it to stiffen (so you can scoop it!)
  • Take your time when swirling the peanut butter, making “C” an “S” shapes with a small utensil (like a chopstick), being careful not to over-swirl
  • Pull the cookies out of the oven when the centers look slightly wet – this way they’re nice and fudgy! Over-baking will produce cakey cookies

How to Get the Perfect Swirl

Once you’ve mixed up your cookie dough and let it sit for 30 minutes, it’s time to scoop your cookies and swirl them with peanut butter! The best kind of peanut butter to use is a room temperature runny peanut butter. I like to use a “natural” PB with only peanuts. I get it all stirred/mixed and use it while it’s still very runny (not refrigerated!). You’ll scoop your cookies onto your prepared baking sheet. Then, you’ll use a 1/2 teaspoon to spoon the peanut butter around the top of each dough “ball” (this dough is looser than traditional cookie dough).

After each dough ball has peanut butter spooned on top, you’ll take a chopstick (or similar item) and swirl the peanut butter into the tops of the cookies. I like to make “C” and “S” shapes with the smaller end of a chopstick. It’s important not to swirl too much as you want the peanut butter to have some small pools. After you’ve swirled the PB, you can gently re-shape the cookie dough if necessary – I like to take a spoon and just push the edges a bit until the dough balls are more round.

More Brownie Cookies!

Brownie Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting

Rocky Road Brownie Cookies

Olive Oil Brownie Cookies

Peppermint Brownie Sandwich Cookies

Yield: 24 Cookies

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownie Cookies

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownie Cookies

My favorite fudgy brownie cookies elevated with a simple peanut butter swirl! These delightful cookies are perfect for weekend snacking or taking along to your next get-together.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 3/4 cup (171g) unrefined cane sugar (or 3/4 cup/175g white granulated sugar)
  • 1 cup (190g) chocolate chips (dairy-free if needed)
  • 1/3 cup (74g) plant-based butter (see Note 1)
  • 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules or espresso powder (optional - see Note 2)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup (20g) Dutched cocoa powder (see Note 3)
  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp (114g) all-purpose flour
  • ~1/4 cup (64g) runny, natural peanut butter (see Note 4)

Instructions

  1. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
  2. Add the room temp eggs and sugar to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light in color and looks foamy and thick. This can take a few minutes (usually no longer than 5).
  3. Meanwhile, add the chocolate chips and butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the instant coffee or espresso powder; set aside and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  4. Return to the sugar/egg mixture to see if it's thick and foamy. Once it's ready, stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Fold the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the sugar and egg mix until totally combined. Stir in the salt and baking powder. Finally, sift in the cocoa powder and flour. Gently stir until all is combined.
  6. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes - this thickens the batter so you can easily scoop it with a cookie scoop.
  7. Prepare your baking sheet(s) with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 350°F.
  8. Scoop cookies, 8 per baking sheet, using a 1.5 Tbsp scoop.
  9. Using a 1/2 teaspoon, spoon the runny peanut butter over the cookie dough "balls". Take the small end of a chopstick (or similar item) and gently swirl, making "C" and "S" shapes, the peanut butter into the dough. Be careful not to over-swirl as we like to have some thicker pools of peanut butter.
  10. Bake cookies at 350°F for 5-6 minutes or until the centers look slightly wet. You want to avoid over-baking these as that will lead to cakey cookies. It's better to take these out when they're slightly under-baked. If your cookies are slightly lop-sided you can immediately use the back of a spoon to gently press in the edges for neater, more circular cookies.
  11. Allow the cookies to cool on your baking sheet for 2 minutes before gently removing to a cooling rack. Repeat steps 8-10 until all cookies are baked.
  12. Store cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature. Covering these cookies with foil, plastic wrap, or parchment paper may lead to the peanut butter topping transferring - avoid this by storing in a single layer.

Notes

  1. Butter: you can use tub or stick plant-based butter. Regular butter, or your favorite oil, will also work in these cookies. I don't, however, recommend coconut oil.
  2. Instant coffee: this deepens the chocolate flavor but is totally optional - don't fret if you don't have any on hand!
  3. Dutched cocoa: this has a deeper flavor and darker color than regular cocoa powder. The easiest to find in the US is Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa.
  4. Peanut butter: I only recommend using a room temperature, runny peanut butter. It's thin and easy to drizzle/swirl. The kind I use has only peanuts on the ingredient list.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies

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Filed Under: Bars, Brownies, Cookies, Dairy-free Tagged With: brownie cookies, brownie swirl cookies, chocolate peanut butter cookies, dairy free brownie cookies, fudgy chocolate cookies, peanut butter brownie cookies, peanut butter chocolate cookies, swirled brownie cookies, swirled cookies

Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies

May 26, 2021 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

The ultimate chocolate cookie enrobed in your favorite chocolate sprinkles! These Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies are made with melted chocolate for an extra fudgy, brownie-like cookie.

Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies

I’m not usually one to claim that any of my recipes are “the best” because, let’s be real, taste is subjective. But these chocolate cookies are honestly so good. They’re everything you want in a chocolate cookie. They’re fudgy (and gooey straight from the oven), sweet, and full of chocolate flavor. The sprinkles are really just a fun, added bonus 😉

I took the chocolate dough from my Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies and swapped a few of the ingredients to get these dark chocolate cookies. There’s butter (plant-based if you’re dairy-free), Dutched cocoa powder, and melted chocolate. Is there any way these cookies couldn’t be good?! If you’re hesitant about the sprinkles, I get it. And adding them is totally optional. You could even roll half of the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar or keep them plain for some variety. However you choose to adorn these fudgy gems, I know you will love them.

What You’ll Need to Make Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies

  • Chocolate chips are melted to create a sort of brownie-like cookie. This results in a cookie that is fudgy and so moist! You can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, just make sure they’re milk-free if need be.
  • Plant-based butter (or regular butter) adds moisture.
  • Granulated sugar sweetens these cookies. Feel free to use your favorite granulated sugar (white, unrefined, raw, coconut sugar, etc). I sometimes like to use a mix of 1/2 unrefined sugar + 1/2 coconut sugar. Plain ol’ white sugar works just as well!
  • Vanilla extract adds flavor.
  • Eggs bind the ingredients together. I haven’t tested this exact recipe with any egg alternatives. But I do like to use the Bob’s Red Mill GF/V Egg Replacer in other cookie recipes.
  • All-purpose flour – bleached or unbleached.
  • Dutched cocoa powder is darker in color and richer in flavor than traditional, natural cocoa powder. Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder is an affordable, easy-to-find option.
  • Baking soda helps the cookies rise and spread properly.
  • Salt balances sweetness and develops flavor.
  • Sprinkles! I like to use chocolate jimmies sprinkles (like the ones pictured), but you can use whatever sprinkles you’d like. These cookies are also delicious without the sprinkles!
Yield: 13 Cookies

Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies

Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies

The ultimate chocolate cookie enrobed in your favorite chocolate sprinkles! Made with melted chocolate and Dutched cocoa for an extra fudgy, brownie-like cookie.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (170g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup (78g) plant-based butter (or regular butter)
  • 3/4 cup (175g) unrefined/raw cane sugar (see Note 1)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs (106g)
  • 1 cup (130g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (50g) Dutch-process cocoa powder (like Hershey's Special Dark)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup (150g) chocolate jimmies sprinkles

Instructions

  1. In small, microwavable bowl, add the chocolate chips and butter. Microwave in 15-30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is melted and smooth; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Stir in the melted chocolate. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and use a large spoon to gently mix it all together. Your dough will resemble brownie batter.
  3. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
  4. Preheat your oven to 350°F for 10 minutes and prepare a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper. Add the chocolate sprinkles to a small bowl.
  5. Scoop dough balls, six at a time, 3 Tbsp in size. Roll all of the dough balls smooth (I wash my hands after this step). Roll each ball in the chocolate sprinkles and place on the baking sheet. I usually avoid adding sprinkles to the bottoms of the dough balls (see photo above).
  6. Bake cookies at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should begin to spread and crack. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before gently transferring to a cooling rack.
  7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all cookies are baked. Enjoy warm for a gooey cookie. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  1. If using regular white sugar, you'll need 150 grams. For coconut sugar, 135 grams. In cup measurements, they are all the same - 3/4 cup.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see!

Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred

Filed Under: Cookies, Dairy-free Tagged With: best chocolate cookies, brownie cookies, chocolate cookies, chocolate sprinkle cookies

Peppermint Brownie Sandwich Cookies (dairy-free)

December 22, 2020 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Mini Brownie Cookies sandwiched together with a cool peppermint frosting. These fudgy and festive cookies are rolled in crushed candy cane for extra minty flavor and that delicious candy crunch!

Peppermint Brownie Sandwich Cookies

It’s official. You all love brownie cookies…and brownie sandwich cookies. Two of my most popular recipes here on the blog are brownie cookies! I don’t blame you. There’s something exciting about a cookie made with brownie batter. A brownie in cookie form? Yes, please!

These Peppermint Brownie Sandwich Cookies are just like my other well-loved brownie cookie recipe, except I swapped the peanut butter frosting for a simple peppermint buttercream (a rendition I was hoping some of you would try when I first posted them to Instagram!). These cookies are everything you want in a holiday cookie: indulgent, tantalizing, and familiar (who doesn’t love a chocolate + peppermint combo in December?). Bake these up this week – or really, any week this Winter – and take them to whatever small gathering you’ll be at. I promise you that whoever you’re with will be delighted by these cookies!

Some of the Ingredients + Substitutes:

  • Chocolate chips work wonders in my brownie recipes – they produce the best, crackly top (for my recipes!). So of course I use them for these cookies. I haven’t tried these cookies with baking chocolate or chocolate bars, but I know that only chocolate chips work in the original brownie recipe I based these cookies off of. In other words, just use the chocolate chips 😉
  • Olive oil is the go-to oil in our house. If you prefer something more neutral, avocado oil would be a great substitute. Vegetable oil or light olive oil will work as well.
  • Eggs whip up to add height to these cookies. As of now, I don’t have any egg replacers for you – sorry! 🙁
  • Sugar helps create that classic crackly brownie top. I like to use unrefined cane sugar to help balance the richness of the Dutched cocoa powder. You can use coconut sugar (which tastes less sweet) or regular white granulated sugar.
  • Dutch-process cocoa powder is richer in flavor and darker in color than regular, natural cocoa powder. You can use regular cocoa powder if it’s all you have on hand, but your cookies won’t be as rich or chocolatey.
  • Peppermint extract is added to the frosting to get that perfect (and light) minty flavor. Two things to note: do NOT use mint extract, and if you’d like your cookies to be even more pepperminty, you can use it in place of the vanilla extract in the cookies.
  • Plant-based butter and milk are what I use in the frosting since they’re dairy-free. Feel free to use regular butter and whatever milk you’d like!
  • Powdered sugar is necessary for the frosting. Don’t even try to make this a healthy cookie. Real talk. Just use the powdered sugar and enjoy your cookies!
Yield: ~18 Sandwich Cookies

Peppermint Brownie Sandwich Cookies

Peppermint Brownie Sandwich Cookies

Mini brownie cookies sandwiched together with a cool peppermint frosting! These fudgy gems are rolled in crushed candy cane for a delicious, festive crunch - perfect for the holidays!

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Additional Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

Brownie Cookies

  • 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 3/4 cup granulated cane sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla (or peppermint) extract
  • 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (like Hershey's Special Dark)
  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Peppermint Frosting

  • 1/4 cup plant-based butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tsp plant-based milk
  • 3 candy canes, crushed (for rolling)

Instructions

Make the Cookies

  1. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and olive oil. Heat in 15 second intervals, stirring each time, until chips are melted and smooth; set aside.
  2. In a stand (or hand) mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the eggs and sugar. Whisk on medium-high until thick, fluffy, and light in color, about 3-5 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Add the melted chocolate mixture and gently mix with a large spoon until everything is combined.
  3. Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix with a large spoon until totally combined - your dough will be very sticky, like a thick brownie batter.
  4. Allow the dough to sit, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. This allows the batter to stiffen up enough for you to scoop and roll the dough balls.
  5. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop cookies, 12 at a time, 1 Tbsp in size (.6oz) onto one of the baking sheets. Roll each dough ball smooth and evenly space them on the baking sheet.
  6. Bake the cookies at 350°F for 5-6 minutes or until the centers no longer look wet. Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before carefully transferring to a cooling rack.
  7. While the cookies bake, prepare the next batch of dough balls on the second baking sheet. Continue until all cookies are baked, being sure to only use a cooled baking sheet each time.


Make the Frosting + Assemble

  1. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and peppermint extract. Beat in the powdered sugar. Finally, beat in the milk 1 tsp at a time until the frosting comes together. You want it to be smooth enough to pipe but thick enough to hold its shape.
  2. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip (I used a Wilton 1A tip). Assemble the cookies by piping an even layer of frosting onto one cookie and then sandwiching it with another.
  3. Immediately roll the edge of the cookie in crushed candy cane. Continue until all cookies are sandwiched.
  4. Store cookies on their side (like how macarons are stored) in an airtight container at room temperature.
© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred

Filed Under: Brownies, Cookies, Dairy-free Tagged With: brownie cookies, holiday cookies, peppermint brownie cookies, peppermint cookies, sandwich cookies

Rocky Road Brownie Cookies (dairy-free)

September 15, 2020 by Rachael Ng 1 Comment

We’re taking our chocolate cookies up a notch by making them with brownie batter and then loading ’em up with peanuts and marshmallow! These chewy Rocky Road Brownie Cookies are the perfect mix of salty and sweet!

Rocky Road Brownie Cookies

I’ll be honest, I was never really drawn to rocky road ice cream – I know, I know. I like my chocolate ice cream sans nuts. But brownie cookies with salty peanuts and melty marshmallow? Now that I can get on board with. Plus, chocolate and peanuts (i.e. peanut butter) is one of my all-time favorite combinations!

Now the original rocky road ice cream flavor consisted of chopped walnuts and marshmallow pieces, and then later on, the walnuts were replaced with toasted almonds. For these cookies, I tested hazelnuts and peanuts, and peanuts were the clear winner. Of course you can use any nut that you’d like! I actually think walnuts would be a delicious throwback to the original rocky road ice cream flavor. But if you’re a lover of the current rocky road tradition, then toasted almonds will definitely satisfy the familiar taste you’re looking for.

How to Stuff the Cookies

This cookie dough is a little different than a traditional cookie dough. You’re basically making a thick brownie batter, so you’ll need to let the dough sit uncovered at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to scooping the dough balls. This allows the dough to stiffen enough to scoop and hold its shape.

Each cookie will be comprised of 3 Tbsp of dough, and you’ll bake six per baking sheet. Since the dough is less stiff, I found it easiest to scoop half of each dough ball (using a 1 1/2 Tbsp scoop) onto my baking sheet, top those with half of a large marshmallow, and then scoop another 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough right on top of each mallow. Then you can pick up each dough ball and seal the sides using the warmth of your hands, molding and shaping each one. You’ll have big, 3 tablespoon-sized dough balls stuffed with marshmallows and ready to bake!

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Chocolate chips are key to getting that crackly brownie top. Don’t use chopped chocolate!
  • Vegetable oil, any kind you’d like. I recommend avocado oil or light olive oil.
  • Instant coffee granules are optional but add depth to the chocolate flavor.
  • Eggs bind the cookies and I don’t recommend any substitutes.
  • Granulated sugar: white, brown, raw, or coconut sugar. I like to use raw cane sugar or 50:50 cane and coconut.
  • Vanilla extract, or any kind of extract! Mint or orange would be delicious.
  • Dutch process cocoa powder is darker in color and deeper in flavor, but you can also use natural cocoa powder.
  • All-purpose flour also binds the cookies. You’ll want to fluff the flour up and then spoon it into your measuring cups and level it with a knife.
  • Baking powder keeps the cookies from spreading too much.
  • Salt helps balance out the sweetness. If you’re using unsalted nuts, you can add an extra 1/2 tsp.
  • Cocktail peanuts are salty and fried in oil (and totally delicious!). Feel free to use any kind of peanut or other nut.
  • Large marshmallows are cut in half and stuffed in the dough balls. It’s important to use standard, non-vegan marshmallows for proper melt and spread.
Yield: 13 Cookies

Rocky Road Brownie Cookies

Rocky Road Brownie Cookies

Chewy brownie cookies stuffed with salted peanuts and marshmallow! Your favorite rocky road flavors wrapped up in a delicious and fun cookie!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
  • 1 tsp instant coffee granules (optional)
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 3/4 cup coconut or cane sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup cocktail peanuts
  • 7 large marshmallows, halved

Instructions

  1. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small, microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate chips along with the vegetable oil and instant coffee. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until chips are melted and chocolate is smooth; set aside.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the eggs and sugar. Whisk on medium-high until thick, fluffy, and light in color, around 3-5 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
  3. Fold the melted chocolate into the egg/sugar mixture until totally combined; set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until combined and uniform in color. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until everything is combined. Stir in the peanuts.
  5. The dough will be like a very sticky, thick brownie batter. Allow it to sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 30 minutes. This allows the batter to stiffen up a bit so you can roll the dough balls - in other words, don't skip this step!
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. To stuff the dough balls with the marshmallow, I found it easiest to use a 1.5 Tbsp cookie scoop to scoop one dough ball, place half of a large marshmallow on top of the dough ball, and then scoop another 1.5 Tbsp dough ball on top (see photo). Each cookie will be comprised of 3 Tbsp of dough. Then you can seal the cookie dough around the mallow and shape the dough balls.
  7. Scoop the cookies six at a time on one baking sheet, sealing and shaping the dough balls, flattening them a bit before baking. I also found it helpful to remove any peanuts from the outer edge of the dough balls and press them into the tops - this allows the cookies to spread in an even circular shape.
  8. Bake the cookies at 350°F for 9-10 minutes or just until the marshmallow begins to peak out of the cookies. Let cookies set on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
  9. Continue scooping and baking cookies until all the dough is baked, alternating between the two baking sheets so that your cookies are always scooped onto a room temperature sheet.
  10. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  • I only recommend using standard marshmallows for this recipe. I've found that "healthier" or vegan marshmallows don't melt/spread properly
  • You can use any kind of nuts for this recipe - chop larger nuts into smaller pieces

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

13

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 185Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 168mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g

calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies

Did you make this recipe?

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Filed Under: Cookies, Dairy-free Tagged With: brownie cookies, dairy free cookies, rocky road brownie cookies, rocky road cookies

Brownie Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting (dairy-free)

May 15, 2020 by Rachael Ng 4 Comments

These mini Brownie Sandwich Cookies make for a delicious and indulgent cookie treat! A sweet peanut butter frosting is sandwiched between two chewy brownie cookies. Serve them fresh or pack them up in the refrigerator to snack on cold – yes, they’re delicious cold! Whatever you do, you will love these!

Brownie Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting

Okay, you guys have been killing it with my Olive Oil Brownie Cookies – they’re hands down my most popular recipe over on Instagram and here on the blog! And I’ve loved seeing so many of your results from baking those cookies. So I decided to take the beloved brownie cookie up a notch by A) making them smaller and B) sandwiching them with an easy peanut butter frosting.

You guys. These cookies are so good. Eat them fresh while the frosting is nice and soft or pop them in your refrigerator to pop out and eat cold (my favorite way to eat them!). These cookies are so soft and chewy that even when cold, you can bite right into what tastes like brownie batter with a hint of sweet peanut butter. I couldn’t ask for a better chocolate snack, could you?

How to make Brownie Sandwich Cookies

These cookies are made just like my original Weeknight Brownies but with more flour to make the batter thick enough for cookies. The key to getting a consistent cookie across all of the batches is to allow the batter to sit at room temperature for around 30 minutes. This dries the batter out a bit, stiffening it up enough to scoop like regular cookie dough.

For the mini cookies, I found it easier to scoop the dough balls onto my parchment-lined baking sheet and then use my fingers to shape them while they’re on the sheet. Once all of the cookies are baked and cooled, you’ll whip up a simple buttercream frosting with plant-based butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and a little “milk”.

You can use a piping bag or ziploc bag fitted with a large, circular piping tip (or a star shape for a fancier look!) to pipe the frosting onto half of the cookies. Sandwich the cookies together and you’ve got a decadent little, peanut butter brownie treat! Yum!

Some of the ingredients + substitutions for this recipe:

Chocolate chips help give these cookies that crinkly, brownie-like top. I like to use a semi-sweet chocolate chip, but you can use dark or milk chocolate.

Vegetable oil adds tons of moisture to these cookies. I used olive oil in my cookies but avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or any kind of melted butter will work, too.

Instant Coffee (or espresso powder!) adds depth to the chocolate flavor. It’s totally optional, so don’t fret if you don’t have any. 

Sugar sweetens these cookies, and I’ve successfully used coconut sugar, white granulated sugar, raw sugar, and brown sugar.

Dutch process cocoa powder adds a deeper chocolate flavor and color than regular, natural cocoa powder. You can use regular cocoa powder, but I recommend grabbing a box of the Dutched cocoa – it’s so good in many chocolate desserts!

Natural peanut butter is used to flavor the buttercream frosting. I’ve only used the natural kind (the only ingredient being peanuts) for this specific recipe. If you want to use a no-stir peanut butter with added oil, sugar, etc, you may need more or less milk or powdered sugar.

Yield: 15 Sandwich Cookies

Brownie Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting

Brownie Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting

Mini brownie cookies sandwiched together with an easy peanut butter frosting! These chewy, little cookies are delicious as-is or pop them in the refrigerator for a cold chocolatey snack.

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

Brownie Cookies

  • 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
  • 1 tsp instant coffee granules (optional)
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 3/4 cup sugar (coconut or cane)
  •  1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Peanut Butter Frosting

  • 3 Tbsp plant-based butter, softened
  • 3 Tbsp natural peanut butter, room temp
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2-4 tsp plant-based milk

Instructions

Make the cookies:

  1. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
  2. In a small, microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate chips along with the oil and instant coffee. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until chips are melted and smooth; set aside.
  3. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the eggs and sugar. Whisk on medium-high until thick, fluffy, and light in color, about 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until combined and uniform in color; set aside.
  5. Once the egg/sugar mixture has fluffed up and thickened, whisk in the vanilla. Then add the melted chocolate mixture and gently fold it into the egg/sugar mixture until totally combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  6. The dough will be like a very sticky, thick brownie batter. Allow it to sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 30 minutes. This allows the batter to stiffen up a bit so you can scoop the dough balls.
  7. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop cookies, eight at a time, 1 Tbsp in size onto one baking sheet. Gently shape and smooth each dough ball (optional). The dough balls should spread/flatten a bit once they're scooped. If not, go ahead and use your fingers to gently flatten the tops of the dough balls.
  8. Bake the cookies at 350°F for 5-7 minutes or until the centers no longer look wet. Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before carefully transferring to a cooling rack.
  9. Meanwhile (or while the cookies are baking), use the room temperature baking sheet to prepare another batch of dough for the oven. Continue until all cookies are baked. Allow your cookies to cool completely before making the frosting.

Make the frosting + assemble:

  1. In a medium bowl beat together the butter and peanut butter. Beat in the vanilla and powdered sugar. Finally, beat in the milk 1 tsp at a time until the frosting comes together and is thin enough to pipe but thick enough to hold its shape.
  2. Add the frosting to a piping bag or large ziploc bag fitted with a large, circular piping tip. Pipe the frosting onto half of the cookies, holding the bag upright in the middle of the cookie and applying a steady pressure until the frosting nearly reaches the edge.
  3. Sandwich the frosted cookies and plain cookies together, pressing gently until the frosting reaches the cookies' edges.
  4. Enjoy right away or store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat them chilled like I do!

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  • KitchenAid Hand Mixer
    KitchenAid Hand Mixer
  • Baking Sheets Set
    Baking Sheets Set
  • KitchenAid Stand Mixer
    KitchenAid Stand Mixer

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

15

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 227Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 136mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 24gProtein: 3g

calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies

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Tag @sugaredandstirred on Instagram and hashtag #sugaredandstirred

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: brownie cookies, chocolate cookies, chocolate peanut butter cookies, peanut butter frosting, sandwich cookies

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Meet Rachael

Hi! I’m Rachael, a home baker who creates dairy-free, indulgent treats. As a sweets lover and former candy addict, I believe we shouldn’t have to give up everything we love in pursuit of wellness. That’s why I create delicious and approachable desserts that you can enjoy, in moderation, no matter your goals! Because, let’s face it, sometimes you just need a giant slice of frosted cake, sans guilt! Read More…

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