This recipe for Brookies Brownies combines ultra fudgy chocolate brownie with buttery brown sugar chocolate chip cookie dough in one dessert. Each bite is pure bliss and a chocolate lover’s dream. They are thick and indulgent with a texture you can really sink your teeth into. The cookie dough is layered between the brownie batter so you get chewy, almost fudgy chocolate chip cookie through the middle and crisp caramelized cookie on top. If you love brownies as much as I do, check out my Better Than Box Mix Brownies Recipe and my thick Best Homemade Brownie recipe. Also, don’t miss out on my most popular Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make – this is a super easy brownie recipe with a simple small batch cookie recipe that makes the perfect amount of a standard brownie pan.
- No mixer – you can make this recipe with just a bowl and a whisk! You don’t need a mixer.
- Fudgy chocolate brownies – the brownies have a fudgy moist texture and stay that for days without drying out when stored properly. These are not cakey at all!
- Chewy and crispy chocolate chip cookies – you get two textures of cookie in this recipe with super chewy cookie dough in the middle and crisp golden cookie on top.
- Rich chocolate flavor – expect an intense chocolate taste thanks to bittersweet chocolate and not a lot of flour.
INGREDIENTS FOR BROOKIES BROWNIES
Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- All purpose flour – regular all-purpose flour is perfect to make fudgy brownies and chewy cookies. I only ever use unbleached flour.
- Unsalted butter – the best brownies and chocolate chip cookies that have a chewy texture are made with butter.
- Pure vanilla extract – vanilla does wonders to enhance the flavor of the chocolate and it is a very important ingredient in chocolate chip cookies. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Granulated sugar – simple fine white granulated sugar keeps these brownies moist. There is slightly less sugar than my typical brownie recipe to account for the additional sugar in the cookie dough.
- Brown sugar – you can use light brown or dark brown sugar. I like the added flavor the molasses gives with dark brown sugar.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE BROOKIES
- STEP 1.) First make the cookie dough. Combine butter and sugars. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stovetop until it is JUST melted so it is still pale yellow and creamy-looking. Basically, gently melt it until there is still some solid butter left and then stir off the heat until the residual heat gently melts the remaining solid butter. Combine melted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl and mix to combine.
- STEP 2.) Add remaining ingredients. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla. Sprinkle in flour, baking soda and salt and fold it in. Fold in chocolate chips.
- STEP 3.) Make dough balls. Roll cookie dough into about 18 small balls, transfer them to a lined plate or tray, cover and refrigerate while you make the brownie batter.
- STEP 4.) Make the brownie batter. Melt chocolate. Combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir frequently until melted, or you can do this in the microwave gently with frequent stirring so it doesn’t burn.
- STEP 5.) Mix eggs and sugar. Combine eggs with sugar and whisk until very thick, pale and lightened up a bit. Mix in vanilla and salt.
- STEP 6.) Combine eggs and chocolate. Add the warm chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and mix it in well.
- STEP 7.) Add dry ingredients. Sprinkle in the flour and fold it in until evenly combined.
- STEP 8.) Bake. Scrape about half of the brownie batter into prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Flatten half (9) of the chilled dough balls into discs and lay them over the batter in three rows of three. Spread remaining brownie batter on top to cover the cookie dough, and then place remaining flattened dough balls over top. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 325°F and bake for another 15-20 minutes until a skewer comes out with a few moist stick crumbs attached.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Measure flour accurately. Too much flour leads to a dry brownie and crumbly cookie so be sure to use a scale or use the spoon and sweep method without packing the flour into the measuring cup.
- Mix the eggs with the sugar first to make glossy brownies instead of stirring the sugar into the melted chocolate. Sugar cannot dissolve in fat, but it can dissolve in the water within egg whites.
- Watch the baking time. These brownies will take longer than normal to bake since there is a lot of dough/batter in one pan, but be cautious not to over-bake as the edges will dry out and become too hard. A skewer should come out with a few moist sticky bits attached. If it comes out clean then the brownie portion may be over baked, and if it comes out with wet batter then they are not cooked through yet.
RECIPE FAQ
I use bittersweet chocolate with 70% cocoa solids which makes perfectly chocolaty brownies. Semisweet chocolate will be too sweet when combined with the cookie dough.
Brownies can be chewy or fudgy, or a blend of both. Brownies get their chewiness from the right amount of sugar, and a higher ratio of sugar:butter, as well as a higher ratio of chocolate:butter. More butter gives a softer fudgier texture, while more chocolate and more sugar gives a chewier texture thanks to the hard cocoa butter content. Cocoa butter is harder than butter at room temperature so it will give more resistance to the bite, creating the perception of chewiness. More butter will make brownies soft and melting for a fudgier texture.
It’s all about dissolved sugar. Whisk the sugar into the eggs first. This will help it dissolve some, and also the bonds between sugar and egg proteins is what creates the thin tissue like crust. To help this along, always use room temperature (not cold) eggs. The warmer temperature helps sugar dissolve. The longer you whip the eggs with the sugar, the thinner and shinier the crust will be.
TIP: to bring eggs to room temperature quickly, submerge them in warm water for 10 minutes.
This recipe requires melted chocolate. Melted chocolate gives a fudgier texture because of the cocoa butter content that has a higher melting point. If you prefer to make brownies with cocoa powder only, then check out my Better Than Box Brownie Mix recipe which have a chewier texture.
If your brownies turn out dry, then it is most likely because they are over-baked. These low sugar brownies are ready when a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist sticky crumbs attached – not wet batter, and NOT clean. If the skewer is clean then the brownies are over-baked and if the skewer has wet batter then they are still raw.
The number one reason why these would turn out dry is if they are over-baked. Check on the brownies at 25 minutes. Also, take care to measure the flour accurately.
Brownies keep really well at room temperature as long as they are stored in an airtight container to prevent drying out. If you plan to keep them for more than a couple of days, then store them in the fridge.
Brownies will sink in the middle if you over-beat the eggs and sugar or if there is not enough flour. When you beat the eggs, you are incorporating a lot of air which will cause the batter to soufflé or puff up in the oven. As the brownies cool, the air bubbles will collapse and they will fall. To prevent this, be sure to only beat the eggs for about 2 minutes and then bake the brownies evenly. If you think your oven runs hot, then bake at a slightly lower temperature for a longer time because if the temperature is too hot, the brownies will puff up and over-cook on the edges while the center is still raw.
If you love brownies, check out these recipes!
Triple Chocolate Brownies
Fudgy Grain Free Brownies
Olive Oil Brownies with Date Fudge Frosting
Fudgy Buckeye Brownies
Outrageous Fudgy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies
The BEST Small Batch Fudge Brownies
Homemade Cosmic Brownies Recipe!
Looking for more brownie recipes? Try these:
Brookies Brownies
Indulgent Brookies Brownies combines ultra fudgy chocolate brownie with buttery brown sugar chocolate chip cookie dough in one dessert. Cookie dough is layered between the brownie batter so you get chewy, almost fudgy chocolate chip cookie through the middle and crisp caramelized cookie on top.
Ingredients
Cookie dough:
- ⅓ cup (75g) unsalted butter, just melted
- ⅓ cup (70g) packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (105g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (85g) dark chocolate chips. plus extra for topping
Brownie Batter:
- 5 oz (142g) bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa), coarsely chopped
- 6 tablespoon (84g) unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (50g) all-purpose flour
NOTE: for best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang at each side and secure the sides down on the edge of the pan with ¾-inch binder clips. See notes on the last step for baking in a 9-inch pan.
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Make the cookie dough. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stovetop until it is JUST melted so it is still pale yellow and creamy-looking. Basically, gently melt it until there is still some solid butter left and then stir off the heat until the residual heat gently melts the remaining solid butter. Combine melted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl and mix to combine. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla. Sprinkle in flour, baking soda and salt and fold it in. Fold in chocolate chips.
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Roll cookie dough into about 18 small balls, transfer them to a lined plate or tray, cover and refrigerate while you make the brownie batter.
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Make the brownie batter. Combine chocolate and butter in a saucepan over very low heat and stir constantly until melted and smooth, or melt in the microwave at 50% power in short bursts with frequent stirring.
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Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl and whisk until pale and thick. Beat in warm melted chocolate mixture. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and fold it in until evenly combined.
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Scrape about half of the brownie batter into prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Flatten half (9) of the chilled dough balls into discs and lay them over the batter in three rows of three. Spread remaining brownie batter on top to cover the cookie dough, and then place remaining flattened dough balls over top. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 325°F and bake for another 15-20 minutes until a skewer comes out with a few moist stick crumbs attached.
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NOTE: you can also bake in a 9×9-inch pan and in this case, place half of the cookie dough balls directly onto the bottom of the lined pan, spread over all of the brownie batter, then place the remaining dough balls on top. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350°F.
