Chocolate Fudge Cookies {VIDEO}
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Chocolate Fudge Cookies have everything you love about warm, gooey lava cake in a cookie! Decadent chocolate cookies with gooey hot fudge inside are just what chocolate lovers everywhere have been looking for.
There’s nothing better than a freshly baked Homemade Cookie, whether you’re making a classic like Chocolate Chip Cookies, Easy Cake Mix Cookies, or a holiday favorite like Spritz Cookies.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Chocolate Fudge Cookies
I’ve always been a fan of Chocolate Lava Cake. There’s something about the soft chocolate cake holding the warm, gooey fudge filling that’s just too tempting. I’m also a big fan of cookies. That’s how I knew chocolate lava cookies would be a winner at our house!
These chocolate fudge cookies ooze with hot fudge in every bite. I can’t even keep a batch longer than a day! They deliver big time in the chocolate department and are a favorite on holiday cookie trays too.
Here’s Why You’re Going To Love Them :
- Easy to make with simple steps
- Simple ingredients
- Filled with hot fudge
- Soft and chewy with a gooey center
What Are Chocolate Fudge Cookies?
Chocolate fudge cookies bring together everything you love about cookies and rich, gooey fudge. With a deep chocolate flavor and soft, fudgy texture, these cookies are in a league of their own!
To give these fudge cookies their gooey goodness, you’ll use ready-made hot fudge sauce. This saves you the step of making homemade fudge, so you can whip up these cookies fast!
Chocolate Fudge Cookie Ingredients
When it comes to baking, I like recipes that taste as if they came from a bakery and use everyday ingredients. And, that’s just what you get with these chocolate fudge cookies!
For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Shortening– Shortening gives your cookies a tender, flaky texture.
- Brown sugar– When measuring your brown sugar, you want the cup to be packed. So use the measuring cup to scoop it and then pat it down with your palm.
- Eggs– If you already have eggs, make sure they are still good. Place them in water and if they sink they are still safe to eat.
- Vanilla extract– Vanilla and chocolate actually complement each other very well. I love using homemade vanilla extract, but store-bought works great too.
- Baking soda– Baking soda is a leavening agent that makes your cookies tender and fluffy. Double-check that your baking soda is fresh before starting these cookies.
- Cocoa powder– You will want unsweetened cocoa powder since you are adding other sugars to your cookies.
- All-purpose Flour – It’s what gives the cookies structure.
- Hot fudge sauce– You can’t have fudge cookies without a jar of hot fudge sauce! Feel free to use your favorite jarred hot fudge sauce.
To test baking soda, place a few tablespoons of vinegar in a small dish and stir in about a teaspoon of baking soda. The mixture should immediately begin to fizz if the baking soda is still active; if there’s little to no reaction, it’s time to replace it.
How To Measure Flour Properly
Did you know THE WAY you measure flour matters? The most precise way to measure your flour is by weight using a digital kitchen scale. 1 cup of flour weighs 120 to 130 grams. If you don’t have a scale measure your flour by scooping flour with a spoon into the cup. Don’t use your measuring cup as a scoop, as it packs the flour down and gives a different measure.
How to Make Chocolate Fudge Cookies
When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
- Mix wet ingredients: Cream together shortening and sugars with an electric mixer, then add eggs, vanilla, and water, mixing until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients: Mix in salt, baking soda, and cocoa, then add flour and combine on medium speed.
- Divide dough: Shape the dough into 24 even pieces.
- Add hot fudge: Flatten each piece, add hot fudge in the center, and wrap dough around it, rolling into a ball.
- Roll in sugar: Coat each ball in sugar, then place on the baking sheet.
- Bake: 6–8 minutes.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the sheet for 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
Tip For Dividing Dough Evenly
Divide the dough into halves, then each half into thirds. Now divide each third into four equal-sized pieces (they don’t have to be exact, but try to make them as close as possible).
You now have dough pieces for 24 cookies that are approximately the same size!
Chocolate Fudge Cookie FAQs
Can I use butter instead of shortening?
Yes, you can use butter instead of shortening. In baking, butter can be used interchangeably with shortening. Just note: Shortening will produce cookies that rise a little higher, holds their shape during baking, and a texture that is softer or lighter than cookies made with butter.
Can I use homemade fudge sauce?
Absolutely! If you want to make your own fudge sauce, The Pioneer Woman has an epic Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe.
What’s the difference between cocoa powder and Dutch-processed cocoa?
Always stick with what the recipe calls for when it comes to cocoa. Using the wrong cocoa can result in flat cookies or bitter tastes. Baked goods that are made with cocoa powder are lighter or more of a reddish-brown. Dutch processed cocoa is a dark, almost black hue. This is because Dutch-processed cocoa has had its acidity neutralized whereas regular cocoa has not.
What kitchen tools do I need for these cookies?
For this recipe, you will need to make sure you have measuring cups, measuring spoons, 1 large mixing bowl, an electric mixer, and 2 cookie sheets.
What’s the best way to store chocolate fudge cookies?
This depends on how long you want them to last. Homemade fudge cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week. You can also store them in the refrigerator for two months.
Pro Tips for Delicious Fudge Cookies
Check your cookies: When your cookies start to slightly crack on top, they are done. Check your cookies after 6 minutes.
Space out the cookie dough: You don’t want your cookies to bake into each other. Be sure to space them about 2 inches apart for best results. You can fit about 12 cookies per cookie sheet.
These Chocolate Lava Cookies are pretty incredible all on their own, but be sure to try them warm (place one cookie in the microwave for 10 seconds) with vanilla ice cream on top!!!
Don’t over cream: When creaming your shortening and sugars, stop mixing when it is light and fluffy. Otherwise, it will become soupy.
It’s like a mini chocolate lava cake but has a little crunch around the edges. You’ll want to be sure to save this chocolate fudge cookie recipe!
Chocolate nirvana!
Originally posted in June 2016. UPDATED Oct 2024. We spiffed up this post with more info and better pictures! No changes to the original recipe.
Chocolate Fudge Cookies
These chocolate fudge cookies are a soft decadent cookie stuffed with hot fudge sauce. Every bite oozes with chocolate lava.
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening (I use Crisco)
- 1 cup sugar + 1/4 cup for rolling
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups flour
- jarred hot fudge sauce (about 6 oz.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line cookie pan with parchment paper or silicone liners and set aside.
- Using the bowl of an electric mixer, cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla, and water and beat until smooth.
- Add salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder and mix well. Add flour and mix on medium low just until combined.
- Divide the dough into 24 pieces that are roughly equal in size.
- Place a piece of cookie dough in the palm of your hand and flatten it out like a thick disc . Place a little hot fudge (about 1/2 teaspoon) in the middle of the dough and wrap the dough around it, rolling it into a ball to seal it.
- Place 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl. Roll the cookie ball in sugar and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing it out on the cookie sheets. we used a half sheet pan and were able to get 12 cookies on one pan.
- Bake 6-8 minutes or until the cookies are set and start to slightly crack on top slightly. Let cool on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Notes
recipe adapted from Jen's Favorite Cookies
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 183Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 153mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used.
Hi there, I'm Cheryl!
As a wife, mom, and caffeine enthusiast, my journey has taken me from bustling mornings with my family to sharing delicious recipes, home care tips, and heartfelt decorating insights with wonderful readers like you. My love for baking, photography, and tidiness shines through every post I craft. Dive into my world and discover the art of homemaking, one tidy moment at a time. Read more...
Tidymom is a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Please respect my work, recipes and photographs. If you do use a recipe in your own writing, please give proper credit and link back to the original post.
You’re tempting me with this chocolate goodness!
I wonder if you could substitute coconut oil, solidified, for the shortening. Any thoughts?
sounds easy & extra yummy. once I make it a few times I may experiment with other fillings . maybe some raspberry jam or caramel.
Refrigerate the dough to make it more easy to handle. It is soft and created a real mess. I used Nutella for the filling, and they were delicious, but I certainly wouldn’t make again without refrigerating the dough.
Easier to handle
How about using butter instead of shortening? Or maybe a combination of the two? If so,then how much of each?
we’ve only made these with shortening. Butter is not as stable as shortening, so I’m not sure what kind of results it would yield, but I would imagine you would have to chill the dough if you use butter.
Dough is very soft! Too messy to even add the hot fudge and roll!
the dough was not very soft when I’ve made these (see video).
Yes, I followed directions exactly. I did refrigerate for a bit to make easier handling. They turned out delicious,
yay!! glad you enjoyed them as much as we do!!
I was wondering about a few of these issues with this dough, as well. I won’t use that shortening. I was also considering half coconut oil and the rest ~ butter. Anyone tried this idea, yet?
If a dough is so soft and unmanageable it would seem that chilling is the only answer; I probably will take the advice of some who did.
we’ve only made these with shortening, and the dough was not soft and unmanageable (see the video). Butter and or coconut oil are not as stable as shortening, so I’m not sure what kind of results they will yield, but I would imagine you would have to chill the dough if you use butter
What happens to the center when the cookies cool?
the hot fudge remains in the center.
Are these cookies still good to eat the day after? I want to make them for a holiday party but a video I saw on facebook said serve immediately. Thoughts?
Like most cookies, they will keep for about it week in an airtight container.
I made these today. The dough was very soft, and when baked they spread out and the filling oozed out. Any ideas? I am at 4800 alt.
these look Delicious!!!! I really want to make them but im am a very busy person. But just in case i want to know: How long does it take to make these cookies?
I made these today and they are quite good. Like others I think my dough needed to be refrigerated in advance as it was quite soft. Also, I should have checked the fudge topping I bought, it should have been the very thick type that ordinarily would needed to be reheated before going on ice cream. The topping I bought was thin to begin with, so when I made my indentation in the dough the filling oozed out as I tried to close up the cookie. I made six and froze the remaining 16 cookies to bake later when I have the right fudge sauce.
I’ve made these a few times and experimented with different fillings. Caramel, salted caramel, and mini marshmallows (three in each cookie) were wonderful, but the marshmallows were hands down my favorite. I will say the salted caramel complemented the chocolate very well, though.
I didn’t have any problems with the dough’s consistency, though. I generally have to resort to using my hands to make sure all the flour is incorporated.
My grandson and I made the Chocolate Lava cookies.
We followed the recipe as stated in the recipe. The dough was not sticky and we did not refrigerate it. Using Crisco and Girardelli 100% Dutch process Cocoa.
We experimated with different ways to put the cookies together. Frankensteined them!
Grandsons term!
They were delicious. We had a wonderful time making your recipe.
The cookies were delicious with a rich chocolate taste.
Thank you for the memory!
YAY!! Glad you had fun and enjoyed them as much as we do!!
Can I make these ahead and freeze them?
These were very easy to make. Yes…. I used Crisco. I had no problem with the consistency of the dough. They rolled out no problem. Easy to put the hot fudge in. They were crispy and tender. I made them too huge and only for 12 lol.