Irresistible Brookies: The Ultimate Brownie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Recipe
Imagine the rich, fudgy delight of your favorite brownie perfectly melded with the chewy, chocolatey goodness of a classic chocolate chip cookie. That’s precisely what you get with Brookies – the ultimate brownie cookie bars. These incredible treats offer the best of both dessert worlds, eliminating the impossible choice between two beloved classics. For years, my Homemade Brownie recipe has been a cherished staple in my kitchen, a go-to for its unbeatable fudgy texture and deep chocolate flavor. But equally irresistible are warm, gooey Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies, fresh from the oven. Combining these two forces of deliciousness into one harmonious bar creates a dessert that is nothing short of pure heaven.
What Exactly Are Brookies?
Brookies, a delightful portmanteau of “brownies” and “cookies,” are a hybrid dessert that masterfully combines two iconic sweets into a single, irresistible bar. Typically, they feature a dense, fudgy brownie base, generously topped with dollops of classic chocolate chip cookie dough. Once baked, these layers transform into a marvel of textures and flavors – the rich, moist brownie contrasts beautifully with the soft, chewy cookie. Each bite delivers a perfect harmony of intense chocolate and sweet, buttery cookie, ensuring that you never have to compromise on your dessert cravings again.
While I always lean towards crafting my Brookies entirely from scratch, utilizing my tried-and-true homemade brownie batter and cookie dough recipes, there’s absolutely no shame in taking a convenient shortcut. If you’re pressed for time or simply want to whip up these delicious bars even faster, you can easily substitute a boxed brownie mix and store-bought chocolate chip cookie dough. The beauty of Brookies is their inherent deliciousness, regardless of whether you start from scratch or get a little help from the store. The end result is consistently a crowd-pleaser that will have everyone asking for more.
How to Make Homemade Brookies: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating these incredible brownie cookie bars is a straightforward process, even for novice bakers. The key is preparing each component with care, though convenience options are always available. Below, we’ll walk through the steps to assemble your perfect batch of Brookies, ensuring every bite is a delightful fusion of fudgy brownie and chewy chocolate chip cookie.
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Prepare Your Brownie Batter: Begin by making your brownie batter. My homemade recipe is surprisingly simple, requiring just six common ingredients: vegetable oil, melted unsweetened chocolate, eggs, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and a pinch of salt. These ingredients come together to create a rich, fudgy base that is truly exceptional. If you opt for a boxed brownie mix, simply follow the package instructions to prepare the batter. Ensure your melted chocolate and oil are well combined before incorporating the other ingredients to achieve that signature smooth, glossy texture.
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Whip Up Your Cookie Dough: Next, prepare your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough. For this Brookie recipe, you won’t need an entire full batch of cookie dough. This gives you a fantastic opportunity to be resourceful! You can easily freeze the leftover dough in individual balls for future cookie cravings, or simply bake them into separate cookies right away for an extra treat. For the Brookie recipe, ensure your cookie dough is soft enough to handle but firm enough to hold its shape when dropped onto the brownie batter.
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Line and Pour: Line a 13×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on the sides. This crucial step acts as a sling, making it incredibly easy to lift the entire baked bar out of the pan for clean and precise slicing. Lightly spray the foil or parchment paper with non-stick spray to prevent sticking. Once your pan is prepped, pour the rich brownie batter evenly into the bottom, spreading it to cover the base of the pan.
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Layer with Cookie Dough: Now for the fun part! Take small pieces of your prepared chocolate chip cookie dough and drop them evenly over the brownie batter. You’re aiming for a mostly covered surface, with small gaps that allow the brownie to peek through and ensure both layers bake beautifully together. Don’t worry about perfect uniformity; the rustic appearance adds to the charm of these homemade bars.
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Bake to Perfection: Place your pan in a preheated oven and bake until both the brownie and cookie layers are thoroughly cooked. Keep in mind that baking Brookies will take a bit longer than baking just a pan of brownies due to the double layer. Monitor the cookie dough carefully; if it starts to brown too quickly before the center is set, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning while allowing the inside to finish baking. The finished bars should have a golden-brown cookie topping and a set yet still fudgy brownie base.
Pro Tips for Perfect Brookies
This Brookie recipe is designed to be flexible and forgiving, but a few additional tips can elevate your baking experience. You’ll notice that the cookie dough portion of this recipe yields a full batch, yet you’ll only use approximately half of it for your 13×9 inch pan of Brookies. This is by design! I love to take the extra cookie dough and scoop it into individual balls, which I then freeze for a quick future baking session whenever a cookie craving strikes. Alternatively, you can simply bake the remaining dough into cookies right away. The choice is yours!
For those who prefer a smaller batch, you can easily cut this recipe in half and bake your Brookies in an 8×8 inch pan instead of the larger 13×9 inch pan specified. This adjustment is perfect for smaller gatherings or when you just want a modest amount of these delightful bars. Regardless of whether you embark on a full scratch-baking adventure or embrace the convenience of store-bought ingredients, this recipe is an absolute must-try for any chocolate lover in your life. The combination is simply irresistible.
One essential tip for any bar dessert is patience during cooling. Allowing your Brookies to cool completely in the pan before attempting to lift them out and slice them ensures clean, neat cuts and prevents crumbling. This also allows the fudgy brownie layer to set properly, enhancing the overall texture. For an extra touch of indulgence, consider a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of the cookie dough before baking, which beautifully balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate notes.
Delicious Variations and Serving Suggestions
While the classic Brookie is a masterpiece on its own, don’t hesitate to get creative with variations! Experiment with different types of chocolate chips in the cookie layer – dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate chips can add unique flavor profiles. For an extra crunch, sprinkle some chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans over the cookie dough. A swirl of caramel or peanut butter through the brownie batter can also introduce another layer of delicious complexity. You could even add a dash of espresso powder to the brownie for a deeper, more sophisticated chocolate flavor.
Serving Brookies is incredibly versatile. They are utterly divine on their own, perhaps with a tall glass of cold milk. For a truly decadent experience, serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of hot fudge or caramel sauce. They make an excellent addition to dessert platters, potlucks, or simply as a comforting treat after a long day. These bars are also fantastic for school lunches or as a homemade gift for friends and family.
Storage Instructions for Your Brookies
To keep your Brookies fresh and delicious, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. If you want to extend their freshness, especially in warmer climates, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just be sure to let them come to room temperature or warm them slightly before serving for the best texture. Brookies also freeze beautifully! Wrap individual bars or the entire slab tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently reheat in the microwave for a quick, warm treat.
More Brownie Recipes You Will Love
If you’re a true brownie aficionado, you’ll be thrilled to explore these other fantastic brownie recipes. Each one offers a unique twist on the classic, guaranteeing more fudgy, chocolatey delights for every occasion:
- Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies
- Nutella Brownies
- Oreo Brownies
- Thin Mint Brownies
- Gooey Brownie Pie
- Peanut Butter Crunch Brownies
- S’mores Brownies
- Triple Chocolate Brownie Skillet
Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bars
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Ingredients
Brownies
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
- 2/3 cup canola oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 whole large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Line a 13×9 inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the short sides for easy lifting, and spray with non-stick spray.
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For the Cookie Dough: In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and both granulated and light brown sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined. Gradually add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt, mixing on low speed until everything is just combined. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips by hand.
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For the Brownie Batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted unsweetened chocolate and canola oil until smooth and uniform. Add the granulated sugar and eggs, beating until thoroughly combined and slightly lighter in color. Stir in the all-purpose flour and salt just until no dry streaks remain, being careful not to overmix.
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Pour the prepared brownie batter evenly into the bottom of your lined baking pan. Take small, rounded balls of the chocolate chip cookie dough (you will use about half of the prepared dough) and drop them evenly over the brownie batter. Spread them out to cover most of the surface.
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Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the edges of the cookie layer are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the brownie portion (avoiding cookie dough sections) comes out with moist crumbs. If the cookie dough starts to brown too quickly before the brownies are set, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time.
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Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out by the foil/parchment paper overhang and slicing into bars. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
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