Rich, indulgent, fudgy chocolate brownie cookies made naturally gluten-free. Studded with nuts and chocolate chips, they’re a fabulous Pesach treat.
Do you have Pesach recipes that come back year after year? This is one of mine!
Chocolate Brownie cookies – ‘brookies’
I first made these brownie cookies a few years ago. I was looking for a cookie recipe that didn’t need any matza meal or potato flour, and came across the technique for making these intensely chocolatey cookies using only cocoa. They were an instant hit!
I’ve heard them called ‘brookies’ – a contraction of brownie + cookie, but we like to give them their full title! Chocolate brownie cookies is the name they go by in our house.
Brownie cookies – ingredients
You won’t need any flour to make this brownie cookie recipe, so it’s naturally gluten free. There are no weird ingredients, just things that you likely have in your pantry anyway – even at Passover! To make a batch of these yummy brownie cookies you will need:
- Butter or margarine
- Brown sugar
- White sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla – use vanilla extract, vanilla sugar or seeds from a vanilla pod, or just leave it out!
- Salt – optional, but I think it highlights the chocolate flavour
- Cocoa powder
- Pecan nuts – or your choice of nuts, or dried fruit, or leave them out altogether
- Chocolate chips
Pesach ingredient substitutions
Readers have let me know that they have successfully made these brownie cookies using oil rather than butter or margarine. Substitute ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon oil in place of the ½ cup of butter or margarine. (I have not tried this myself.)
If you don’t have brown sugar for Passover, and would like to make these cookies using only white sugar, you can! However, brown sugar has a low pH and reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to help the cookies to rise and spread. If you substitute the brown sugar for white sugar, add 1-2 teaspoon of honey to the mixture. Alternatively a dash of lemon juice or vinegar will work but may affect the flavour.
No nuts!
Although I like to add some chopped pecans or walnuts to these fudgy brownie cookies, you can definitely leave them out if you need a nut-free treat for Pesach. Just add a few more chocolate chips for some extra indulgence and you’re all set. You could also substitute raisins, dried cranberries, or anything else that you’d like to stumble across in a chocolate brownie cookie!
Dairy, or dairy-free cookies
These brownie cookies are incredible made with butter (what isn’t?!). But they’re probably 97% as good if made with margarine, which of course renders them dairy-free and parve.
They make a wonderful prepare-ahead Pesach dessert when served with some fruit or a scoop of ice-cream. Or both! Yum!
No special equipment required
The other great thing about these brownie cookies is that you can make them easily using only a bowl and a spoon. No electric whisk, stand mixer, blender, or other fancy equipment required. Which is great if you’re working with a pared down kitchen for Passover.
Brownie cookies – too chocolatey?!
I should probably say that these brownie cookies did receive some criticism. DH thought they were “too chocolatey”. Seriously?! Is it possible for something to be too chocolatey? I’m not worrying about it.
If you’re concerned that they might be too dark, rich and fudge, a few white chocolate chips or chopped nuts will lessen the overall chocolaty-ness. Is that a word?
I’ll be making these this year, and they’ll be back again next year too!
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate brownie cookies
Ingredients
- 125 g margarine or butter (see note if you would rather use oil)
- 85 g brown sugar (no brown sugar? See notes)
- 25 g white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- Pinch salt
- 115 g cocoa powder
- 75 g chocolate chips
- 50 g chopped pecans (optional – see notes)
- 12 whole pecans to decorate (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick liner.
- 125 g (½ cup) margarine or butter, 85 g (½ cup) brown sugar, 25 g (⅓ cup) white sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla essenceCream the margarine (or butter) with the brown and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, Pinch salt, 115 g (1 cup) cocoa powder, 75 g (½ cup) chocolate chips, 50 g (½ cup) chopped pecansAdd the bicarbonate of soda, salt, and cocoa powder and mix to combine, then mix in the chocolate chips & chopped pecans if using.
- 12 whole pecans to decorate (optional)Dollop spoonfuls onto the lined tray, decorate with pecans if using, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10 mins. Allow to cool on the tray before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
More delicious Pesach recipes for cakes and bakes
If you loved these brownie cookies, but still need more delicious Pesach treats, how about:
- fabulous flourless chocolate chip cookies
- delicious Duke of Cambridge matza cake
- gorgeous lemon, almond (and lavender) cake
You can browse all my Pesach recipes here.
Many of the ingredients in these delicious cookies do not require special Pesach certification! You can see a full list of items that don’t need a Pesach hechsher here.
My Pesach recipe ebook, containing 40 simple and delicious meat-free recipes for everything from breakfasts and lunches to mains, sides, desserts and cakes, is available as an instant download! Just click here
Suzanne Wong
I just made these. They are so fudgy and delicious. My daughter loves brownies and always asking me to make them fudgy. She said these were really good. Thank you.
Helen
Thanks Suzanne! I’m so glad to hear that your family enjoyed these cookies 😍
Marlene
These were easy and delicious! I made them (w/o nuts) to send to my grandkids for Pesach; my daughter loved them, too! Definitely a keeper.
Helen
So glad you enjoyed them Marlene!
Cindy
I would love to be able to bake these a week before the sedar. Can I freeze them? Or,can I freeze the portioned dough?
Helen
Hi Cindy. I haven’t tried freezing them but I can’t see why it wouldn’t be OK. Just make sure they are well wrapped and in an air-tight container. You may need to ‘freshen them up’ for a few minutes in the oven when you defrost them. Chag Pesach Sameach!
Michelle
So fudgy and chocolatey! I can’t believe there’s no flour
Helen
Thanks Michelle, so glad you enjoyed them!
Dannii
I promised my daughter that we would bake cookies this weekend, so I am going to give these a try. They look deliciously fudgey.
Helen
Thanks Dannii – I hope you both enjoy them!
Gina
Wow, so fudgy! These are the perfect dessert when you need to satisfy a chocolate craving.
Helen
Thanks Gina. We love the fudgy texture too!
Tayler
We made these with dinner last night and OMG were they delicious! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Helen
So glad you enjoyed them Taylor! That’s great to hear 🙂
Natalie
They look fab! Yum, so fudgy and full of chocolate flavor. I have to make them asap. Thanks for the recipe.
Helen
Thanks Natalie! Yes, they’re super chocolatey – I hope you enjoy them.
Natalie
Can you use baking soda for Passover? I think not.
Helen
Hi Natalie. I have Gefen baking soda and baking powder, both with a KLP hechsher, and I think other brands are also available. Check your local kosher shops or online and you will be able to find it. All the best, Helen.
elana
a litle salty for me but not bad. I used oil and ground walnuts (around a cup)
elana
it was my mistake, I put 1/2 ts of salt instead of a pinch
Miriam
Can one use oil instead of margarine or butter?
Helen
Hi Miriam. I haven’t tried the recipe with oil so I can’t say for certain if it would work. I imagine the dough would be softer so you might need to chill it for a while to firm up before scooping and baking. If you try it, please do come back and let us know how they turned out! Have a great Pesach, Helen x.
elana
I used oil and it came out okay. 1/2 cup = 1/4 cup + 2tbsp oil
Heidy M.
These cookies look delightful and I love that they do not contain flour! The children loved them and made me promise to make a double batch when I make them again!
Helen
Thanks Heidy. I’m glad they were such a hit!
kim
Love this recipe! It was so easy and delicious! Will definitely be making it again!
Helen
Thanks Kim – glad you enjoyed them.
Jen
So perfect that these easily adapt to different dietary needs. I’m always up for a fudgy cookie!
Helen
Thanks Jen. Who isn’t?! (not me!)
Kushigalu
Thanks for sharing these brownie cookies recipe. So rich and Fudgy. Can’t wait to try
Helen
Thanks Kushigalu! They really are rich and delicious.
Bry
These were even tastier than they looked, and they looked delicious! Really easy to make using ingredients I already had in the pantry. Thanks for sharing!
Helen
Thanks Bry. It’s a great recipe to have as a standby 🙂