Craving both cookies and brownies and can’t pick just one? Well, now you don’t have to. These Brookies or Brownie Cookie bars are thick, chewy bars with a layer of fudgy chocolate brownies topped with the perfect crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside chocolate chip cookie. You have never had anything as indulgent as this! Plus, it’s made with the simplest pantry ingredients and requires zero baking experience! This dessert truly is a dream come true!
Everyone loves brownies. Everyone loves cookies. What happens when you combine the two? You get the ultimate dessert. I mean, name a better duo, I dare you.
These brownie cookie bars are a better pairing than Batman and Robin, Frodo and Sam, Woody and Buzz, Chandler and Monica, and even Chandler and Joey (can you tell that I watch too much TV? 😬)
But seriously, I was not 100% sold on combining cookies and brownies because they are both so indulgent, but THANK GOD I did because the result was absolutely spectacular. Sure, it’s one of the most indulgent desserts I have ever tasted, but damn, it’s so worth every one of the 1000s of calories it holds.
This is really one of those desserts that taste sinful – the fudginess of the chocolatey brownie, the gooeyness of the cookie, and the buttery, sweet, indulgent feel of the entire dessert is worth sinning for. It’s the kind of dessert that puts you in a food coma and a sugar high at the same time.
Who’s drooling already? Surely not just me 🤤.
So let’s get into the layers of these epic brookies/brownie cookie bars
The Brownie Layer
The brownie layer is made with my signature fudgy brownie recipe. I can literally swear by this recipe, it turns out perfectly every time + requires minimum effort! I mean, it’s literally a one-bowl recipe. Can it get simpler than that? I think not!
You can choose to keep the brownie recipe on top or bottom, I personally prefer keeping it on top to get the crackly crust.
To make the layers more even and defined, I add the cookie layer to my pan and let it chill in the fridge while I make the brownie layer. This allows the cookie layer to set which makes it easier to add the brownie layer on top and avoids any mixing of the two layers.
The Cookie Layer
Again, we are going back to the OG recipe for the cookie layer. This layer is made with my signature chocolate chip cookie recipe which again, is super simple and absolutely delicious.
The original recipe does require chilling, however, for the brownie cookie bars you can skip the chilling process and bake the dough immediately.
Baking the Brookie Bars
The trickiest part about making these brownie cookie bars is probably the baking just because you are baking two different desserts together. You have to find the perfect balance of temperature and time to ensure that both the brownie and cookie layer bakes perfectly.
For baking the brookie bars perfectly, don’t keep the oven temperature too high. Since the bars have two layers and are very thick, they need to be cooked low and slow to ensure that they cook through properly without burning the bottom.
Oh, most importantly – don’t forget to like your baking pan with baking paper. This will allow you to easily release the bars from the pan without breaking them apart.
You can bake these bars as per your liking. If you like them to be gooey and almost molten from the center, you can bake them a little less until the sides are fully set but the centers are still jiggly (that’s how I like to make mine), or bake them a little further until both the doughs are firm and set to get proper, more defined bars. Either way, they turn out delicious!
Now that you have all the information, let’s get started with the best brookies recipe ever!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are very unreliable and can give different measurements, so I would suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups, however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
PPS: if you notice a * after any word, it means that there are additional tips about it after the recipe
Brookies | Brownie Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 9 x 11" Baking pan
- Hand whisk
- Silicone spatula
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer
- 190 gs all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4th tsp salt
- 113 gs unsalted butter, softened
- 75 gs brown sugar can substitute for white sugar
- 25 gs white sugar
- 1 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 tsp sea salt
Brownie Layer
- 75 grams semi-sweet chocolate
- 115 gs unsalted butter
- 165 gs brown sugar
- 100 gs white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 85 gs all-purpose flour
- 55 gs cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
Cookie Layer
- Prepare a 9×11" square pan or 10" loaf pan baking pan by lining it with baking paper.
- Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl: all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.190 gs all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4th tsp salt
- In a stand mixer (or a bowl with an electric mixer), add the softened butter*, and both the sugars and cream together on high speed for 2-5 minutes until well combined. The mixture should be nice and creamy. Make sure not to overmix at this point!*25 gs white sugar, 165 gs brown sugar, 113 gs unsalted butter, softened
- Add the room temperature eggs* and vanilla essence into the butter mix and whisk together until well combined. Make sure the eggs are fully incorporated into the butter and there is no liquid left in the batter.1 tsp vanilla essence, 1 eggs
- With the mixer on slow, add the dry ingredients into the batter and keep mixing on slow until everything is well incorporated and there are no streaks of flour still remaining in the mix. You will have a nice, thick dough at this point.
- Finally, add the chocolate chips into the dough and mix on high speed for a few seconds just to incorporate them in, don’t overmix.
- Transfer the cookie batter in the prepared baking sheet and let it chill in the fridge for atleast 15-20 minutes while you prepare the brownie.
Brownie Layer
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl or over a double boiler* until both the ingredients are fully melted and combined.75 grams semi-sweet chocolate, 115 gs unsalted butter
- Next, add both sugars into the chocolate mix and stir it with a whisk until combined while it’s still hot.* (PS: the sugar will not dissolve completely, so don’t worry if the batter looks grainy at this point).75 gs brown sugar, 100 gs white sugar
- Once the sugar is combined, add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk it again until the eggs are well incorporated into the chocolate batter.1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 eggs
- Add the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, salt (1/2 tsp), and more chocolate chips (if using) and fold them into the chocolate batter using a spatula or a wooden spoon. This takes some time and energy, so be patient while you’re doing it! There should be no streaks of flour left in the batter by the time you’re done mixing it all in.85 gs all-purpose flour, 55 gs cocoa powder, 1/4th tsp salt
- Place the prepared brownie batter on top of the chilled cookie layer in the baking pan and spread it evenly using a spatula.
- Bake the brookie bars for 30-45 minutes until they are firm and set. Top the bars with a sprinkle of sea salt and let it chill for atleast 1 hour before slicing them.
Notes
Storage:
The brookie bars can be stored for 2-3 days in an airtight container.Tips & tricks:
- Melting chocolate for brownies: If you’re melting your chocolate in the microwave, do it in 30-second intervals and mix it around after every interval to stop it from burning. You can also melt it on the stovetop using a double boiler. A double boiler basically means placing a pot with chocolate over another pot filled with water. Chocolate cannot be melted directly on the stovetop as it will burn immediately, which is why we place the pot with chocolate over another pot filled with water, the steam from the boiling water in the pan below is what melts the chocolate. Make sure the water from the bottom pot is not touching the chocolate pan, or it may result in your chocolate seizing. Remember, chocolate and water are mortal enemies!
- Softened butter: Make sure your butter is at room temperature but not too warm. If the butter is too soft, your dough will end up being too soft, causing the cookies to spread too much in the oven and deflate after you take them out
- Room temperature eggs: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature as well, cold eggs also lead to deflation of cookies
- Mixing the butter and sugar: Don’t mix the sugar and butter mix for longer than 2 minutes or you may overmix it and end up making cakey cookies
So, are you ready to make the best dessert ever? If you give it a try, don’t forget to let me know how you like it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram.
Until next time!
