Exidia glandulosa appears in spring and fall on dead branches of broadleaf trees. It grows in scattered patches or loose clusters. The species name means "glandular," a reference to the jelly-like, lobed appearance of its fruiting bodies.

Fruiting bodies are black, shiny, and irregularly lobed. They are soft and gelatinous when fresh but shrink and harden as they dry, featuring fused brain-like patches. No stem is present. The spore print is white.