The BEST Molten Chocolate Lava Cookies Recipe (Crumbl)-These delicious cookies are over the top! A crisp sugary crunch on the outside, and chewy chocolate cookie on the inside with gooey fudge in the very center! These cookies are tender, addictive and so satisfying!

These cookies are the hit of every barbeque, holiday, and family get-together! They also travel really well in an air-tight container and make the perfect addition to your holiday cookie box!
The other best part about these cookies is you can make the dough ahead of time, store them in the freezer, and defrost the cookies to bake as needed! Perfect quick treat to prepare when you have unexpected guests or for those late night chocolate cravings!
For another deliciously chocolate treat, see my double chocolate loaf bake with bananas!
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Ingredient Notes
To make these delicious molten chocolate cookies, you will need the following ingredients:

- Butter
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Baking soda
- Cocoa powder
- Instant espresso powder (Optional)
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Chocolate fudge sauce (I use Smucker's pre-made chocolate fudge sauce!)
See recipe card for quantities and recipe details.
Step-by-Step Instructions
For the full instructions and measurements for how to make this delicious recipe, please skip down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Use the following step-by-step instructions for how to make these delicious chocolate Crumbl cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs to the butter/sugar mixture and cream together adding one at a time. Then add the vanilla. For the dry ingredients combine baking soda, cocoa powder, flour, and instant espresso powder in a bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined.

Chill the dough. Then take a scoop and form into ball shape with your hands. Then use your finger to make a ½ inch hole in the middle of each ball. Do this until you have made 18-24 cookies.

Add a teaspoon of cold fudge to each hole. Then cover the fudge with cookie dough and roll into your hands until smooth and fudge is hidden. Then roll each ball into turbinado sugar.

Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart. Place in the fridge for another 20 minutes. Then place the cookies in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Serve!
Can I use my own chocolate fudge sauce for these chocolate cookies?
Yes! You can use a homemade, or store bought, chocolate fudge sauce for stuffing inside these delicious cookies.
My only tip here is to be sure that you refrigerate your chocolate fudge sauce for at least 2 hours before use so that it is easier to handle when stuffing your cookie dough with fudge. It will be too loose and sticky to stuff the cookies without refrigerating first.
Here is the chocolate fudge sauce that I use for these cookies!
Variations of Molten Chocolate Cookies
There are a wide variety of fillings that you can use to stuff these cookies if you do not have chocolate fudge sauce (which is preferred for this recipe):
- Marshmallows sauce
- Chewy caramels
- Fruit preserves (raspberry or cherry would be heavenly!)
Tip: Just be sure to refrigerate any of the above products for at least 2 hours before use so that they are easier to work with when stuffing your cookies! Also, make sure that your cookies are properly chilled for an extra 20 minutes before baking to ensure your filling does not leak out of your cookies.
Equipment
For this recipe you will need:
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Baking sheet Large
- 1 Stand mixer or hand mixer
Cookie Storage
You can store your baked cookies in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks! You can also store your baked cookies in the freezer for 3-4 months. Consuming your cookies sooner rather than later will ensure more freshness!
The other best part about these cookies is you can make the dough ahead of time, store them in the freezer, and defrost the cookies to bake as needed so that you can have freshly baked cookies on demand!
Top tips
- Be sure that you refrigerate your chocolate fudge sauce for at least 2 hours before use so that it is easier to handle when stuffing your cookie dough with fudge. It will be too loose and sticky to stuff the cookies without refrigerating first.
- Use a 1 teaspoon measure when stuffing your cookies with the chocolate fudge filling. It helps to ensure even distribution of the fudge for each cookie.
- Use your finger to make a ½ inch indent in the center of your cookie dough ball for ease.
- Be sure to chill your dough in two stages: First after you make the dough, and then again after you have your cookies stuffed and rolled in sugar. This step is super important!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
A molten chocolate lava cookie is a chocolate cookie that is slightly crunchy on the outside and filled with gooey chocolate fudge sauce on the inside! These cookies truly melt in your mouth and have an amazing texture!
The filling on the inside of molten chocolate lava cookies are safe to eat because these cookies are typically stuffed with fully cooked chocolate fudge or chocolate ganashe! Molten chocolate lava cookies differ from chocolate lava cakes which are known for having a melty, chocolate center which typically contains cake batter.
While both have a gooey chocolate center, molten chocolate lava cookies are typically stuffed with chocolate fudge or chocolate ganashe. Meanwhile, molten chocolate lava cakes get their gooey chocolate center typically from cake batter! The outside is baked into a cake, while the center of the cake has gooey chocolate cake batter!
Please tag me on Instagram and Pinterest with your delicious, timeless creations! As always, thank you for your support!
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The BEST Molten Chocolate Lava Cookies Recipe (Crumbl)
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Baking sheet Large
- 1 Stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 Cup Butter Softened
- 1 ½ Cup Sugar Plus more for rolling the cookies in later!
- ½ Cup Brown sugar Light brown sugar preferred
- 2 Large Eggs Room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ¾ Cup Cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon Instant espresso powder Optional
- ½ tablespoon Vanilla extract
- 2 ½ Cups All-purpose flour
- 8 Ounce Hot fudge I used Smucker's premade hot fudge!
Instructions
Cookies
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make the cookie dough: Cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs to the butter/sugar mixture and cream together adding one at a time. Then add the vanilla. For the dry ingredients combine baking soda, cocoa powder, flour, and instant espresso powder in a bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Put the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
- Stuff the cookies: Then take a spoonful of dough in your hands and roll into a ball. Do this until you have made 18-24 cookies. Then use your finger to make a ½ inch hole in the middle of each ball. Add a teaspoon of cold fudge to each hole. Then cover the fudge with cookie dough and roll into your hands until smooth and fudge is hidden. Then roll each ball into turbinado sugar and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart. Place in the fridge for another 20 minutes.
- Bake the cookies: Then place the cookies in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Then take out of the oven and let the cookies set for 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Aria
Yummy chocolate deliciousness!
Karen
I love these chocolate cookies!