How To Transform Boxed Brownie Mix Into Rich, Fudgy Cookies

There's a lot to love about boxed brownie mix. The mix itself can be customized with so many different additions, including chocolate chips, nuts, and even jam. But, you can also repurpose it for other things — like a batch of brownie-cookie hybrids. 

And no, we're not talking about the brookie (which is one of the hybrid bakes everyone needs to try). Rather, these are brownies that are made in the shape of a cookie. Cooking the brownies like this, instead of in a thick, traditional bar style maximizes the crispiness. It's basically heaven on earth for corner-piece people (you know who you are).

The idea behind this hack is to take a basic, dry brownie mix and add some extra ingredients to alter its texture before shaping and baking it. These additions include things like flour, eggs, baking powder, and vegetable oil. Like all good cookie recipes, be sure to let your batter chill in the fridge for a little bit so that the flavors ripen before you scoop it and bake it. In no time, you'll be rewarded with crispy, satisfying brownie cookies that will totally change the way you think about this store-bought baking mix. 

There will be some finessing needed on your end to ensure that these brownie cookies come out positively perfect. For one, you'll need to make sure to read the label to determine if any leavening agents are required. If your mix already has baking powder in it, you won't need to add any more when you whip up your recipe. But, if yours skips out on these leaveners, be sure to make adjustments to your recipe as needed. You also may not need to add the exact same amount of flour as your recipe calls for. So, be sure to add it in small increments so you can get your batter to the perfect scoopable texture — without making it too stodgy. 

There are tons of different ways that you can put your own creative spin on these cookies, too. For one, you can add a handful of chocolate chips to give them that characteristic molten brownie texture. Or, you can add a sprinkle of sea salt to the top of the cookies to balance out the chocolate flavors. However, perhaps the greatest upgrade would be to smother a layer of whipped cream icing in the middle of two cookies to make a crunchy version of a whoopie pie.