Chocolate Fudge Drop Cookies are a chocolate-lover’s dream. Brownie-like drop cookies that are so soft inside and topped with chocolate ganache–these will make you new friends when you make them for Christmas, a bake sale, or to welcome the new neighbors to the neighborhood.
Chocolate Fudge Drop Cookies
Welcome to my favorite Christmas cookie recipe! I’ve been making these for well over a decade and they’re always a big hit. So easy too! Chocolate Fudge Drop Cookies are for sure going to be added to your holiday baking list, but they’re also fantastic at any time of the year.
While you’re here, check out these other great cookie recipes: Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | Orange Zest Sprinkle Cookies (could easily be adapted for any season) | Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Chocolate Fudge Drop Cookies:
- Unsweetened Bakers chocolate – find this chocolate in the baking aisle. It will be in the shape of a bar.
- Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Semi sweet Bakers chocolate
- Heavy whipping cream
Be sure to follow the full recipe further into this article that includes the full measurements and instructions in a printable format.
How to Make Chocolate Fudge Drop Cookies
STEP 1: Break the unsweetened chocolate bar into pieces; add the unsweetened chocolate and butter to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir well, then microwave for an additional 60 seconds until the butter is completely melted. Stir until smooth. (Stove top instructions: heat the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until the butter is completely melted.)
STEP 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and the melted butter and chocolate mixture. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour and mix well.
STEP 3: Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour until firm.
STEP 4: Preheat the oven to 350ºF degrees. You can do this towards the end of the time the dough is chilling.
STEP 5: Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place at least 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
STEP 6: Bake the cookies for 6-7 minutes at 350 degrees, just until set. The sides should be set but the top still shiny.
STEP 7: Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool the cookies completely to room temperature.
STEP 8: To make the chocolate ganache frosting, chop the semi-sweet bakers chocolate bar into small chunks; place the chocolate in a small mixing bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream over medium heat just until it begins to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped semi-sweet chocolate and let it stand for 5 minutes. Whisk the chocolate and cream together until well blended then let stand for 15 minutes to thicken. Spoon the chocolate ganache over cookies.
The chocolate ganache is so good, you’ll want to eat it with a spoon!
Just spoon the ganache onto the cookies and spread out a bit. You can do what I did and just frost the top of the cookies, or you can really go for it and frost the entire cookie (except for the bottom).
Allow the frosting to set at room temperature a while before serving.
Make Ahead Cookie Dough
The best way to make these cookies ahead is to make the dough and refrigerate it for up to three days or freeze for up to three months. Then scoop out the cookies and continue with the recipe as usual.
How to Freeze Chocolate Fudge Drop Cookies
You can freeze the Chocolate Fudge Drop Cookies in a zip-top bag for up to three months. They do tend to stick together a bit, so another option would be to place the cookies in a freezer-safe container with a lid, placing layers of waxed or parchment paper between each layer of cookies.
Chocolate Fudge Drop Cookies
- Total Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
- Yield: 5 dozen 1x
Description
Chocolate Fudge Drop Cookies are a chocolate-lover’s dream. Brownie-like drop cookies that are so soft inside and topped with chocolate ganache–these will make you new friends when you make them for Christmas, a bake sale, or to welcome the new neighbors to the neighborhood.
Ingredients
Cookies:
1 package (4 ounce bar) unsweetened Bakers chocolate
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
Ganache:
1 package (4 ounce bar) semi-sweet Bakers chocolate
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Break the unsweetened Bakers chocolate bar into pieces; add the unsweetened chocolate and butter to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir well, then microwave for an additional 60 seconds until the butter is completely melted. Stir until smooth. (Stove top instructions: heat the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until the butter is completely melted.)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and the melted butter and chocolate mixture. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour and mix well.
- Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place at least 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 6-7 minutes at 350 degrees, just until set. The sides should be starting to set but the top still very shiny. Do not over-bake or the cookies will be dry and crumbly. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
- Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool the cookies completely to room temperature.
- To make the chocolate ganache frosting, chop the semi-sweet Bakers chocolate bar into small chunks; place the chocolate in a small mixing bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream over medium heat just until it begins to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped semi-sweet chocolate and let it stand for 5 minutes. Whisk the chocolate and cream together until well blended then let stand for 15 minutes to thicken. Spoon the chocolate ganache over cookies.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
A newbie to ganache here. Does it set? Are you able to layer them in a container separated by parchment without them melting into it? Thanks!
Ganache does set up after some time, but it is still quite soft. I would recommend keeping them in a single layer if possible. But if you do need to stack them, refrigerate the cookies for an hour first to give the ganache the best chance to set, then use parchment paper or waxed paper between the layers of cookies.