Electronics modules and cooling apparatuses having branching microchannels for liquid cooling by jet impingement and fluid flow are disclosed. In one embodiment, a cooling apparatus includes a heat receiving surface and an array of branching microchannel cells. Each branching microchannel cell includes an inlet manifold fluidly coupled to the heat receiving surface and a branching microchannel manifold fluidly coupled to the inlet manifold. The branching microchannel manifold includes a plurality of fins that orthogonally extend from the heat receiving surface such that the plurality of fins define a plurality of branching microchannels that is normal with respect to the heat receiving surface. The cooling apparatus further includes an outlet manifold fluidly coupled to the plurality of branching microchannels. The coolant fluid flows through the plurality of branching microchannels in a direction normal to the heat receiving surface.