Brownie Sundae Cookies – Crumbl Copycat!
Bake Brownie Sundae Cookies Crumbl style at home with this easy copycat recipe! We will kick things off with a huge chewy gooey brownie cookie (made from a mix–so easy!) and then top it off with a creamy vanilla mousse, hot fudge sauce, sprinkles, and a cherry on top! These cookies are a showstopper dessert!
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If you are digging this recipe, you should also try my Crumbl Style Strawberry Pretzel Pie Cookies.
Crumbl’s Brownie Sundae Cookie has been through a few revisions and this copycat recipe mimics the older edition most closely! The current edition places the toppings on a large brick of brownie, but I went for the cookie-style brownie instead!
After baking up the giant chewy cookies. I then topped my copycat recipe with a creamy vanilla mousse, warm fudge drizzle, sprinkles, and of course, a cherry on top! My recipe makes 8 large Crumbl-size cookies.
What You Will Love About This Recipe
- Brownie Mix: I used an elevated brownie mix to make the cookies for this recipe. Starting with a mix makes it extra easy!
- Best Vanilla Mousse: Crumbl’s mousse tastes kindof like vanilla ice cream–but not cold! My version has that same effect, but maybe it’s even better?!
- An Easy Showstopper: Plate these up for a party (maybe with a few other copycats?) and you’ll have some showstopping cookies!
Keys to Success
Don’t miss these tips before you begin baking!
- Buy the right size brownie mix. This recipe has been tested with an 18.4 ounce box. Larger or smaller boxes will not be the correct ratio to work with the other ingredients. I used a Pillsbury mix. The 18.3 ounce boxed mix from Aldi should also work since it’s very very close in size. I will be testing it, so I’ll update when I do!
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Just like a pan of brownies, these cookies will be ooey and gooey when they are done. It’s tempting to think they need more baking time, but you’ll end up with hard cookies if you overbake!
- Let the cookies cool before decorating. If you want the mousse to stay intact and avoid melting, then be sure the cookies are completely cool before you add it on top!
- Bake a tester cookie. Try baking just one cookie to start to figure out the perfect timing for removing the cookie from the oven. The cookies will still be really gooey when they are done, but they harden as they cool. I suggest cooling the cookie for at least 15 minutes if you are making a tester cookie.
My Favorite Cookie Scoops
I love the color-coded Vollrath scoops and I use the 1/3 cup one for this recipe! The color-coded handles mean I always know which size I am grabbing, which makes baking faster and easier.
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Recipes by a Real Person in a Real Kitchen
In the age of AI-generated content, I like to share how I’ve created and tested my recipes.
This recipe was tested several times as I worked to get just the right chocolate cookie. When I realized I should just start with a brownie mix instead of trying to create it from scratch, I finally got the results I was looking for!
Big giant cookies with a gooey brownie center–so good!
The vanilla mousse is a repeat from my Skillet Cookies and I love making it. It’s so easy and tastes like a fluffy not-cold vanilla ice cream.
The decorating was my favorite part! It was quick to do and I think the cookies look so over-the-top delicious!
~Ellen
More Crumbl Copycat Ideas
I have a lot of fun re-creating Crumbl recipes because they are so decadent! The cookies are already bakery-size and quite indulgent, but with the added toppings and decorations they really become something special.
If you like these recipes too, then don’t miss my S’mores Cookies (on my first blog, Bellewood Cottage!), Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunk Cookies, and Key Lime Pie Cookies.
Ingredients in Brownie Sundae Cookies
A few notes on some of the ingredients used in the cookies:
Dark Chocolate Bar – I kept things affordable for this recipe and grabbed a dark chocolate Choceur bar from Aldi. Use a similar bar of dark chocolate. I think this would also work with chocolate chips (dark or semi-sweet), but I didn’t test it, so let me know if you do!
Vegetable Oil – You can also use canola.
Brownie Mix – It’s very important to buy the right size brownie mix. You need a 18.3 ounce or 18.4 ounce box. Larger or smaller boxes will not be the correct ratio to work with the other ingredients. I used a Pillsbury mix to test.
Eggs – The eggs need to be at room temp (or close to) for this recipe. I take them out of the fridge thirty minutes prior to baking and that works fine for me!
Vanilla extract – use your favorite!
Heavy cream – Heavy cream is used as the base for the vanilla mousse. Purchase “heavy cream” or “heavy whipping cream”. Avoid “whipping cream” which is too low-fat.
Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix – be sure to grab an Instant pudding mix–we’ll go with vanilla here. You just need a few tablespoons.
Powdered Sugar – If you don’t have it, you can sub in granulated.
Fudge Sauce: You can use anything you like, but I suggest using a sauce that requires heating to become pour-able (like Smucker’s in the glass jar or Mrs. Richardson’s). The thicker sauces won’t slide off the cookie.
Sprinkles and Cherries: Use your favorite sprinkles and maraschino cherries (optional of course, but so cute!)
Substitutions
Vanilla Pudding Mix: If you don’t have vanilla pudding mix, you could also use any instant pudding mix that sounds good! White chocolate, chocolate, and cheesecake would all work well.
You can also use a scoop of real ice cream if you aren’t super particular about making the recipe taste just like Crumbl’s. Just remember you to only top the cookies right before eating if you are using ice cream as it will melt quickly!
Fudge Sauce: No fudge sauce on hand? Try the recipe for the ganache drizzle that I used for my Skillet Cookies! It’s very easy to make and tastes great.
How to Make Brownie Sundae Cookies
Here’s a summary of how this recipe is made.
Find the complete ingredients list and full instructions within the printable recipe card below!
Brownie Cookies:
To make the brownie cookies: microwave the chocolate and oil, stirring periodically until melted and smooth. Cool. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. Note: Whisking the eggs in for a little while helps achieve the pretty crackles on top of the cookies!
Add the brownie mix and use a spatula to fold it in until dough is thick and smooth.
Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup or scoop to divide up the dough. Shape scoops into disks and arrange on a lined baking sheet with 3” between each cookie.
Bake for 15-17 minutes at 350°F until the cookies are puffed and crackled on the edges. Note: the cookies will appear to be quite gooey still, but they harden up as they cool. Don’t be tempted to overbake!
Vanilla Mousse:
Whisk together all ingredients gently for 1-2 minutes until the pudding mix is dissolved. Now, use a hand mixer on low speed with the whisk attachment to whip the mixture until it is thickened to soft or medium peaks. It will go fast so be careful not to overmix. Store in fridge until cookies are cool enough to frost.
Decorating:
Scoop 3 tablespoons (I use a cookie scoop for this) of vanilla mousse per cookie and place in the center of the cooled cookies.
Drizzle with hot fudge sauce (slightly warmed so that you can drizzle it!) using a spoon or piping bag. Top with plenty of sprinkles and a cherry on top!
How to Store or Make Ahead
Keep components separate until ready to eat for best results. If you have a large enough container you can also save decorated cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you know you will be traveling with cookies, you can flatten & swirl the scoop of vanilla mousse so it’s flatter and fits into packing containers more easily. Note that decorated cookies cannot be stacked.
How to Freeze
I don’t suggest freezing this recipe necessarily, but sometimes leftovers happen! If you need to freeze cookies that are already decorated, you can, but be warned that the mousse will get a little squished and they won’t look as neatly decorated. Keep in the freezer in freezer-safe packaging for up to 1-2 months.
To freeze decorated cookies I usually opt to flash freeze. You can do this by arranging cookies on a cookie sheet and freezing until solid. Once frozen solid, wrap each cookie in plastic wrap, package in freezer bags or containers and store in the freezer for 1-2 months.
FAQS for Cookies
Sometimes things just don’t turn out the way we hope! If your cookies aren’t perfect, read through these troubleshooting tips to figure out what went wrong.
You have to be really careful not to overbake these! Have you ever noticed that a pan of brownies is a lot more gooey as you get into the middle?
When we use brownie batter/dough for cookies we have a lot less room for overbaking. This is because of the smaller scale of a cookie versus a large pan of brownies.
Bake a tester cookie first and know that it will appear pretty gooey (the “toothpick trick” won’t work for these), but it will set up nicely after cooling. 15 minutes seemed about right for my batches. Less than that and I would be concerned about raw batter. Double check using an instant-read thermometer if desired!
Yep! If you want to make cookies that are closer to Crumbl’s new “mini cookies”, then use a 3-tablespoon scoop and bake the smaller cookies for around 10 minutes. Bake a tester cookie to get the timing right. Adjust toppings as appropriate for the smaller cookies. They’ll be so cute!
Prevent cookies from sticking by using parchment paper. Some bakers use silicone baking mats, but there have been several good comparisons that show cookies turning out much differently when cooked on silicone. I stick with parchment in my kitchen!
Note: If you consistently have difficulties when baking, I suggest starting with the following: purchase a food scale and use it for all recipes, have your oven tested/calibrated, and switch to parchment instead of silicone to line baking sheets.
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Thanks so much for trying one of my recipes!
Brownie Sundae Cookies (crumbl Copycat Recipe!)
Ingredients
Brownie Cookies
- 4 ounces dark chocolate bar (I’ve only tested this recipe with bar chocolate, not chips)
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 box brownie mix (mix must be 18.3-18.4 ounces)
- 2 large eggs (eggs must be room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Mousse
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix (about 1 ounce)
- 1 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings:
- 3 tablespoons thick fudge sauce (see notes)
- sprinkles
- maraschino cherries
Instructions
Brownie Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate and oil in 20-second intervals, stirring in between until melted and smooth. Let cool 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk briskly for 90 seconds. This helps achieve the pretty crackles on top of the cookies!
- Add the brownie mix and use a spatula to fold it in until dough is thick and smooth.
- Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup or scoop to scoop eight dough balls. Shape each scoop with your hands into a large thick disk (about 1” high). Allow 3” between each scoop to prevent the cookies from fusing during baking. I was able to fit six cookies on one baking sheet.Check notes for information on how and why to bake a test cookie!
- Bake one sheet at a time for 15-17 minutes until the cookies are puffed and crackled on the edges. Note: the cookies will appear to be quite gooey, but they harden up as they cool. If you keep baking, they will be too hard once cool.An instant-read thermometer can be helpful. So long as the cookies measure at least 165°F, you can pull them from the oven and let them cool. Allow cookies to cool completely before topping.
Vanilla Mousse:
- Whisk together the heavy cream, pudding mix, sugar, and vanilla extract gently for 1-2 minutes until the pudding mix is dissolved. Then use a hand mixer on low speed with the whisk attachment to whip the mixture until it is thickened to soft or medium peaks. Don't over-whip! Store in fridge until cookies are cool enough to frost.
Decorating:
- Scoop 3 tablespoons (I use a cookie scoop for this) of vanilla mousse per cookie and place in the center of the cooled cookies. Drizzle with hot fudge sauce (slightly warmed so that you can drizzle it!) using a spoon or piping bag. Top with plenty of sprinkles and a cherry on top!
