These rich, fudgy Cosmic Brownie Cookies are soft, chewy, and have everything you love about the classic nostalgic dessert: full of chocolate flavor, a silky chocolate ganache topping, and plenty of colorful sprinkles! These are made naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free.
But instead of reaching for the boxed brownies, we’re turning those flavors into a soft, chewy cookie that’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free.
Why You’ll Love These Cosmic Brownie Cookies
- Rich and fudgy: These aren’t your average chocolate cookies. They’re soft, chewy, and brownie-like in the center.
- Dietary friendly: Made without traditional wheat flour, they’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, however you can also use your dairy/sugar if you’d like!
- Easy to make: Made in one bowl, they couldn’t be more simple to make!
- Perfect for chocolate lovers: If you love fudgy brownies and chocolate cookies, these are for you.
- Better than Crumbl: Yeah, I said it 😉
Recipe video
Ingredients
- Almond flour: This creates a fluffy, chewy texture! Cashew flour can be used as a 1:1 substitute, however no other flours will work.
- Cocoa powder: This gives the cookies their deep chocolate flavor.
- Coconut sugar: Use the refined sugar-free sweetener called for in the recipe to naturally sweeten the cookies.
- Egg: Helps bind everything together and gives the cookies their soft, fudgy texture.
- Coconut oil: Adds richness and moisture to the cookies.
- Vanilla extract: A little vanilla balances the chocolate flavor.
- Baking soda: Helps give the cookies just the right amount of lift.
- Sea salt: Enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Dairy-free chocolate: Used to make the chocolate ganache topping.
- Coconut cream: Creates a smooth, glossy ganache.
- Sprinkles: The essential finishing touch! Use naturally colored sprinkles if you’d like to keep the ingredient list extra simple.
How to Make gluten-free Cosmic Brownie Cookies
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe/instructions!
1. Form the cookies & bake
Start by mixing your wet ingredients until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix until a soft chocolate cookie dough forms. You want the dough to be thick but scoopable. Scoop the dough onto a lined baking sheet, leaving enough room between each cookie for them to spread. Gently press down the tops slightly.
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes at 350F until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft but crinkled. Don’t overbake them! The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool, and keeping the centers slightly soft is what gives them that fudgy brownie-like texture.
2. Make the chocolate ganache
While the cookies cool, prepare the ganache by gently combining the chocolate and coconut oil in a heat-proof bowl. Heat in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until smooth. Then stir in the coconut cream. Let it cool slightly so it thickens enough to spread over the cookies. Spread a little chocolate ganache over each cooled cookie, then immediately add your colorful sprinkles.
3. Chill (the secret step!)
I’ve found that placing the cookies in the fridge for an hour or so creates an even fudgier texture while also allowing the chocolate ganache to get fudgy.
Are These Cosmic Brownie Cookies Healthy? How do they compare to Crumbl?
These cookies are a more ingredient-conscious take on Crumbl cookies. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, making them a great option if you’re looking for a chocolate cookie that fits those dietary preferences. That said, they’re still cookies! The goal isn’t to make dessert disappear — it’s to make a delicious treat with ingredients that work for you. I love recipes like this because you don’t have to choose between a fun dessert and ingredients you feel good about using.
Here’s a peak at Crumbl’s nutritional information:
Nutrition Breakdown (Per Whole Cookie Estimate)
- Calories: 780–840 kcal
- Total Fat: ~35g–45g
- Carbohydrates: ~100g–110g
- Sugars: ~70g–80g
- Protein: ~8g–10g
As you can see, Crumbl’s galaxy cookies contain 80g sugar PER COOKIE. Which is wild. I couldn’t find their exact ingredients list, but they are known for containing harmful food additives like BHT, artificial food dyes, and preservatives. Making them at home is a great way to take control over the ingredients going into your food while still enjoying a decadent treat!
Cosmic Brownie Cookie Variations
- Extra chocolatey: Add chocolate chips to the cookie dough.
- Mint chocolate: Add a tiny splash of peppermint extract to the ganache.
- Nut-free: Use a nut-free dairy-free chocolate and milk alternative.
- Mini Cosmic Brownies: Make smaller cookies for bite-sized treats.
- Naturally colorful: Use naturally colored sprinkles if you want to avoid artificial food dyes.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are Cosmic Brownie Cookies gluten-free? Yes! This recipe is made with gluten-free ingredients, making it a great gluten-free alternative to traditional Cosmic Brownies.
- Are Cosmic Brownie Cookies dairy-free? Yes. Use dairy-free butter or coconut oil and dairy-free chocolate to keep the entire recipe dairy-free.
- Are these Cosmic Brownie Cookies refined sugar-free? Yes, the cookie recipe is made without refined sugar. To make chocolate ganache, look for refined sugar-free chocolate chips. These are date-sweetened!
- Can I make these cookies without the ganache? You can, but the chocolate ganache is what gives these cookies their signature Cosmic Brownie-inspired topping. I highly recommend it!
How to Store Cosmic Brownie Cookies
I recommend storing these in an air-tight container in the fridge!
More healthy cookie recipes to try
- Cinnamon roll stuffed cookies
- Banana pudding stuffed cookies
- Caramel pecan cookies
- 6 Ingredient Snicker cookies
- Gluten-free Monster Cookies
- No-bake Samoa Cookies
- Homemade Tagalong cookies
- 3 Ingredient fudge stripe cookies
- Cinnamon Pecan sticky bun cookies
- Banana caramel cookies
- Frozen protein S’mores
Cosmic Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 egg, room temp
- 1/2 cup creamy almond butter or cashew butter *do not use peanut butter
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Ganache
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp coconut cream (solid part from the top of a can of coconut milk)
- natural sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients until a thick dough forms. Roll the dough into balls, or use a cookie scoop, and place on the cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie slightly.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. The tops should be crackly. Don't over-bake! remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- To make the ganache, add the chocolate and coconut oil to a heat proof bowl. Microwave for 30 second increments, stirring between each, until completely melted. Then stir in the coconut cream. It should start to thicken up. (I like to place mine in the fridge for 15 minutes to thicken it up even more, but this is optional).
- Add some ganache to each cookie, spreading it out. Then top with sprinkles.
- Place the cookies in the fridge for 30 minutes. This helps harden the ganache and the cookies become EVEN fudgier!! Don't skip! Store in the fridge in an air-tight container. You can leave them out at room-temp for 5-10 minutes prior to eating if you don't like a cold cookie.
