Brookies (Easy, One-Bowl, From-Scratch Recipe)
This Brookie recipe is quick to make with a base batter that's easy to assemble in one-bowl and then transformed into a layer of brownies topped with dollops of chocolate chip cookie dough for decadent, amazing, from-scratch cookie bars!
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If you enjoy brownies and chocolate chip cookies, you'll also love Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Peanut Butter Brownies, or Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Sometimes, when you can't decide between two favorites, a recipe comes along that combines the best of both worlds. And that's exactly the case with this easy, chewy, delectable Brookie recipe!
If you've never had Brookies before, they're basically a collision of BRownies and cOOKIES (specifically, chocolate chip cookies).
Brownie batter gets spread into a pan then dolloped and swirled with chocolate chip cookie dough. During baking, everything melds into fantastic cookie bars that combine chewy, chocolatey brownies with classic chocolate chip cookies.
Despite being doubly delicious, my problem with most Brookie recipes has always been that they're also double the work! Making a brownie batter completely separate from a cookie dough is basically doing the work of two distinct recipes before combining them.
So I was determined to come up with a Brookie recipe that starts with the same basic, one-bowl batter but then gets customized into two flavors at the last minute, thanks to the addition of just a few simple ingredients.
And guess what? I did it. And this recipe turned out even better than I could have imagined. 🙂
Ingredients
Basic ingredients mean that what initially starts as a one-bowl Brookie recipe is quickly customized in two different directions!
- Butter. Unsalted and melted.
- Brown sugar. I usually use light brown sugar, but light or dark will work.
- Eggs. At room temperature. You'll use two eggs in the base recipe and add an extra egg to the brownie half of the batter.
- Pure vanilla extract. Because a good quality vanilla is always important in chocolate chip cookies!
- All-purpose flour + salt. The dry ingredients.
After the one-bowl base recipe is made, half of it gets divided into a second bowl so that the add-ins can be mixed in.
- Chocolate chips. To turn half of the Brookie recipe into chocolate chip cookie dough!
- Cocoa powder. Along with the aforementioned extra egg, cocoa turns the rest of the recipe into brownie batter.
How to Make this Brookie Recipe
(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
Not to sound like a broken record, but the beauty of this Brookie Recipe is how quick and easy it is to assemble, since both halves stem from the same basic recipe!
- Preheat the oven and generously grease a 9- by 13-inch baking pan.
- Add the melted butter to a large bowl and use a wooden spoon to stir in the brown sugar until well-combined.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla until completely incorporated.
- Blend in the flour and salt until smooth and fully blended.
- Divide the dough in half, transferring one portion to a separate bowl.
- Add the chocolate chips to one bowl and add the cocoa powder and additional egg to the other bowl.
- Stir each bowl until completely blended.
- Spread about ¾ of the brownie batter into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Spoon the chocolate chip cookie dough in dollops over the brownie batter.
- Distribute small spoonfuls of the remaining brownie batter between the cookie dough dollops. This will give the Brookies a marbled look once they finish baking!
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the center is set.
- Set the pan on a wire rack and allow the Brookies to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!
Tips + Tricks
For a perfectly chewy texture and nice, neat bars, I prefer baking this Brookie recipe in a metal pan with square edges.
And to ensure that my Brookies effortlessly release, I grease said pan with softened butter and then line it with parchment paper. The butter helps hold the parchment in place!
A Perfect Brookie Recipe Texture
Some people prefer gooey Brookies and some people prefer them firmer.
Either way, keep in mind that these are very dense, moist cookie bars that may seem a tad underdone when you first pull them out of the oven. They will continue to set and firm up as they cool.
The first time you make this recipe, take note of the specific baking time for your oven that achieves your optimal Brookie texture. The perfect time for my preferred texture in my particular oven is 21-22 minutes, but yours may vary.
Furthermore, the center pieces will always be softer and gooier than the edge pieces. So if you prefer firmer edge pieces over gooey center pieces, simply divide your Brookie recipe between two 8- by 8-inch pans (for extra edges) instead of using a 9- by 13-inch pan!
I'm telling y'all, this Brookie recipe tastes even better than it looks. And you won't believe how easy it is to whip up from scratch!
Your new favorite dessert is waiting. 🙂
More Chewy Cookie Bars
- M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies Bars
- The Best Classic Blondie Recipe
- Chewy Snickerdoodle Bars
- Raspberry Bars (with Shortbread, Jam, + Chocolate)
Brookies (Easy, One-Bowl, From-Scratch Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups light OR dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
ADD-INS:
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
- 1 egg, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking pan and set aside.
- Add the melted butter to a large bowl. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the brown sugar until well-combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until completely incorporated. Blend in the flour and salt until smooth and fully blended. Divide the dough in half, transferring one portion to a separate bowl.
- Stir the chocolate chips into one bowl. Stir the cocoa powder and additional egg into the other bowl until completely incorporated.
- Spread about ¾ of the brownie batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon the chocolate chip cookie dough in dollops over the brownie batter. Distribute small spoonfuls of the remaining brownie batter between the cookie dough dollops (to give the Brookies a marbled look once they finish baking).
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the center is set. Set pan on wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- I like to use a baking pan with square edges, like this one.
- I prefer greasing my pan with softened butter and then lining it with parchment paper (the butter holds it in place).
- Some people prefer gooey Brookies and some people prefer them firmer. Either way, keep in mind that these are very dense, moist cookie bars that may seem a tad underdone when you first pull them out of the oven. They will continue to set and firm up as they cool. The first time you make this recipe, take note of the specific baking time for your oven that achieves your optimal Brookie texture (the perfect time in my particular oven is 21-22 minutes, but yours may vary).
- The center pieces will be softer/gooier than the edge pieces. If you prefer firmer edge pieces over gooey center pieces, simply divide your Brookie recipe between two 8- by 8-inch pans instead of using a 9- by 13-inch pan.
