Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Brown sugar cookie + rich chocolate fudge filling = heaven.
Texture: Crazy soft, tender, and fluffy with that slightly gooey, fudgy filling.
Ease: Super easy!
Appearance: You don’t get the full effect of these babies until you take a bite and I just love that surprise!
Pros: Fun and scrumptious cookie, really all you could ask for!
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Definitely.
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These Fudge Filled Cookies look like a standard buttery sugar cookie – but they’re filled with a fun surprise of chocolate fudge!
Taking a bite into something when it is totally NOT what you expected can go one of two ways…
It’s either a horribly upsetting realization, or it’s an incredibly delightful surprise you wish you could experience again, because you know nothing will compare to that first bite.
These Fudge-Filled Cookies definitely fall under the delightful surprise category.
There are some surprises that are more mild, like biting into a chocolate chip cookie only to discover it’s actually a raisin cookie. Your reaction will probably depend on how much you like or hate raisins (because no one loves raisins, right?).
I think everyone loves a surprise fudge filling inside an already flavorful and ridiculously soft cookie. What’s not to love?!
And if something like a fudge filling upsets you, then you’re definitely on the wrong site. And I don’t think we can be friends. KIDDING.
Kind of…
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Fudge Filled Cookies
How to Make Soft Cookies
The best way to ensure soft cookies is to measure your flour correctly. I recommend using a digital kitchen scale. Too much flour will create dry, hard cookies that crumble. If you don’t have a scale, use the spoon and level method.
Brown Sugar
I recommend sticking with brown sugar, if possible, for a flavorful and soft cookie. Out of brown sugar? Learn how to make your own brown sugar here!
Whatever you do, don’t reduce the sugar. Sugar actually plays a big part in a cookie’s texture, doing so much beyond sweetening. Learn more about sugar’s role in baking here.
Cream Cheese
Don’t skip or substitute the cream cheese, as this helps to create a super soft cookie with a hint of tanginess, to perfectly balance out the sweetness of the cookie.
Butter Temperature
Avoid greasy cookies that spread too much by ensuring your butter is at a cool room temperature – about 67°F is perfect. Learn more about butter temperature in baking here.
Don’t Overbake
Bake these cookies until they just look dry on top, but are still pale at the edges. Overbaking will cause dry cookies.
How to Store Fudge Filled Cookies
Store Fudge Filled Cookies at room temperature inside an airtight container for up to 3 days. Store with a tortilla to keep them soft a little longer.
I have not tried freezing these cookies, but please let me know in the comments below if you do! Learn more about how to freeze cookie dough here.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:
- Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies
- Homemade Fudge Rounds
- Best Ever Chewy Brownies
- Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
- Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
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Ingredients
For the fudge:
- 1 1/2 cups (255 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 can (7 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
For the cookies:
- 4 cups (508 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups (400 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the fudge:
- In a small saucepan set over low heat, combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.
For the cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to combine.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until incorporated.
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and flatten into a disk. Scoop a 1/2 teaspoon of the fudge in the center of each disk of dough. Cover with another heaping tablespoon of cookie dough. Repeat for the remaining dough and fudge.
- Bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving, or moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Best served warm!
I made this recipe the other day and the recipe turned out wonderful! And something I would suggest is that I tried inserting one teaspoon of fudge in the middle of two dough parts. It was a wonderful treat for the holidays.
I just came across this recipe on Pinterest and it looks amazing! I want to make these for my boyfriend, but he can’t eat cream cheese. Could I just add a little extra butter instead?
I kept my hands floured and formed the dough into balls before flattening. I wound up with one shy of 3 dozen cookies, and since I had to bake them for about 14 minutes, they’re probably still a good size. My 3-year-old granddaughter told me the other day I needed to get new cookies. Won’t she be excited when she comes to our house tomorrow!
Wonderful, Ann! I hope your granddaughter enjoyed 🙂
Hello! I can’t wait to try this recipe. What would be the best way to store these cookies and how long do you think they will last? Thank you!
Any alternative to the condensed milk?
I know its not said, but probably obvious, when I put the chocolate in the center do i
need to crimp the edges all around to keep the chocolate from coming out?
Nope, just press to seal.
Oh my goodness, nothing more disappointing than biting into a raisin cookie, expecting it to be a chocolate chip cookie…but these fudge filled cookies would be such an INCREDIBLE unexpected surprise! They look so delicious!! 🙂
Now why didn’t I think about this deliciousness before?!? 🙂 I certainly wouldn’t mind finding a surprise like this inside a cookie…yummm!!
Love that surprise in the middle!!
Hi Tessa! This recipe looks great and I can’t wait to try it but I am confused on the flour. The recipe calls for 4 cups but then says 18 ounces. Is the 4 cups for volume and the 18 ounces for weight? I don’t have a kitchen scale so I don’t know if 18 ounces of flour by weight equals 4 cups of flour by volume. Please clarify and thanks!
YUM! I love puffy cookies with a fudgy surprise!
Yep, I’ve definitely bitten into an oatmeal raisin cookie once, thinking it was a chocolate chip cookie. Utterly disappointed. Not because I don’t like oatmeal raisin cookies, but because I was expecting gobs of chocolate! Anyway, this is going on my must-bake list.
Who doesn’t love biting into a surprise chocolate middle! Especially when you’re eating an already delicious cookie. These just took cookie to a whole new level of incr-EDILE Tessa! Pinnes!