Why choose between a brownie and a cookie? This easy Brookie recipe gives you both, in one 9×13 pan, with a foil trick that guarantees a fudgy center every single time. Made from scratch, with a box mix shortcut in the variations if life’s busy. Either way, you’re covered.
“I followed the recipe exactly and they came out great! Everything came together beautifully and as described. The foil trick is priceless — worked like a charm and everything baked up evenly with no sinking or overcooking of the edges. They are chewy and fudgy and just delicious! I am a bit of a brownie snob lol… but these are for sure my go-to now!” — Adrienne, Volunteer Recipe Tester
Brownies + Cookies = Brookies!
I’ve been baking brownies and chocolate chip cookies from scratch for longer than I care to admit, so combining them felt inevitable. Honestly, I don’t know why it took me this long. We went through a lot of brookie variations in this house during testing, which my son and his college roommates were absolutely not complaining about. This one is the keeper.
When developing this dessert recipe, I made sure there was no fancy equipment needed. Just a couple of mixing bowls, a baking dish, and a mixer for the cookie dough. If you know how to make chocolate chip cookies from scratch, then this recipe will be foolproof for you!
The trickiest part of any brookie is timing. Because we want the top cookie layer to stay soft and not overcooked, I figured out that covering the pan with foil during the first stretch of baking lets both layers finish at close to the same rate. It’s a small technique, but it’s the difference between a brookie that falls apart and one that holds its shape when you slice it!
A fair warning, when making these for a party, I recommend you make a second batch to enjoy at home, because they truly disappear instantly! Serve them alongside Triple Chocolate Cookies or Cinnamon Roll Cake for the best sweet spread.
Watch me make brookies
Why You’ll Love this Easy Brookie Recipe
- The best of both worlds in one delicious dessert. Now there’s no choosing between a brownie or a cookie, these Brookie bars are fudgy, decadent, and so delicious.
- A big hit with all ages. Kids and adults love them, making this recipe perfect for parties, potlucks, and gifting.
- Easy treat for beginner bakers. With all pantry staple ingredients, these are so easy for anyone to bake at a moment’s notice!
- Tested at sea level and 5,280 feet. So whether you’re baking in Denver or Dallas, this brookie recipe has been dialed in for you.
What is a Brookie?
If you’ve never heard of a brookie, buckle up. It’s a bar dessert with two distinct layers: fudgy chocolate brownie on the bottom, chocolate chip cookie dough on top, baked together until the edges are chewy and the center is soft and gooey. The name is exactly what it sounds like, brownie plus cookie.
People often confuse brookies with blondies, but they’re completely different things. A blondie swaps the cocoa for all brown sugar, giving it a butterscotch flavor with no chocolate in sight. A brookie has that full chocolate brownie base, which is what makes every bite richer and more complex. Think of a blondie as the mild-mannered cousin. Brookies are the life of the party.
Ingredients Needed for Cookie Brownies
Brownie Layer:
- Salted butter | I like to use salted to bring out even more of the sweet and cocoa flavors of the brookies. If you’re using unsalted, add ¼ teaspoon of extra salt.
- Cocoa powder | I like to use Dutch Processed cocoa here which is milder and smoother in flavor.
- Granulated sugar | Sweetens the brownie layer perfectly. I typically use all-natural cane sugar, but regular white sugar works too.
- Light brown sugar | Adds molasses and caramel notes.
- Pure Vanilla extract | A little dash gives a hint of floral flavor.
- Kosher salt | Add if you are using unsalted butter.
- Large eggs | Used for binding the cookie dough, room temp works best.
- Semisweet chocolate chips | Gives an extra hint of chocolate that I love in a brownie.
- All-purpose flour | Provides structure to the brownie batter. I use unbleached for the best texture and flavor.
Cookie Dough:
Make the Cookie Dough:
- Salted butter | Base of the cookie dough, I also use salted here to bring out the flavors. You can use unsalted; just add an extra pinch of salt.
- Light brown sugar | Used again to add chewy texture and light caramel flavor to the dough.
- Granulated sugar | Sweetens the cookie dough perfectly.
- Large eggs | I use both an egg and an egg yolk here for extra richness.
- Vanilla extract | The key extract to flavoring any delicious cookie dough.
- All-purpose flour | Structures the dough to be light but chewy, I like unbleached AP flour.
- Baking soda | Leavening agent that helps the brookies be dense yet tender in texture.
- Kosher salt | A pinch will add lots of flavor to the cookie dough layer.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips | Key to any great chocolate chip cookie dough. You can use milk chocolate or dark chocolate if you prefer as well.
- Flaky Sea Salt | A little extra salt adds both crunch and heightens the flavors of the brookies.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make a Brookie
Step 1 – Make the Brownie Batter:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper or non-stick foil with a little overhang to make removing the brookies easy for cutting.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk cocoa powder into melted butter. Whisk in the brown sugar and the granulated sugar until well blended. *If your cocoa powder is very clumpy, run it through a sieve first.
Pro Tip! Metal baking dishes are always better than glass baking dishes when it comes to baking brookies. They heat up faster and the heat transfers to the cookie bars more evenly!
Whisk in the salt, eggs, and vanilla extract, then beat well. This should take a couple of minutes.
Add the flour and fold it into the brownie batter. When it’s close to being fully combined, fold the chocolate chips with a spatula, scraping the sides and the bottom making sure you incorporate all of the flour.
Pro Tip: When measuring flour, use the scoop-and-level method.
Spread evenly into the prepared pan and set aside until ready to add the chocolate chip cookie dough. By the way, this is a stellar fudgy brownies recipe by itself!
Step 2 – Make the Cookie Dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed for 3-4 minutes (4 minutes if using all-natural cane sugar).
Add the egg and egg yolk and vanilla. Beat for 30 seconds after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt, whisking to combine.
With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture a little at a time (with water if you are at high altitude), mixing just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Step 3 – Assemble and Bake the Brookies
I prefer to drop spoonfuls of cookie dough batter over the top of the brownie batter, leaving space between. I personally like it when some of the brownie batter bakes through. However, you can also pat the cookie dough into uniform thickness “patties” and lay them over the top of the brownies, connecting or not, your decision. Cover tightly with foil.
Bake covered with foil for 22 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove foil and continue baking for another 18-20 minutes. Don’t overbake. The center will still be a bit glossy and slightly underbaked, but the edges should have begun to pull away from the pan. A toothpick inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs.
Remove to a wire rack, sprinkling a few chocolate chips over the top for a bakery finish, I love a little flaky sea salt, too! Cool completely before slicing. When ready to slice, use the parchment or foil to remove from the baking pan, slice into squares.
Expert Tips for the Best Brookies
- Use your favorite type of chocolate chips. I personally find semi-sweet to be the perfect balance of sweet and bitter. You can also use a chocolate bar, just chop it up to fill ¾ of a cup.
- If you want brownies with a glossy top, the key is to whisk the sugar, butter, and eggs well, about 2 minutes! Get that arm workout!
- Make sure your oven is the accurate temperature. If your oven runs hot, then the edges can puff before the center is cooked. Check the temperature using an oven thermometer.
- If you are using unsalted butter for both the brownie layer and the cookie layer, just add ¼ teaspoon of extra salt.
- Don’t forget to cover with foil for the first part of baking. This will help the inside to cook at a similar rate as the outside. Then uncover for the last portion of the baking to help the top set. The bars will be a little underbaked when they are finished and this is a good thing! It gives you that ultra fudgy center.
- When layering the batters, you can do it two different ways. Either add dollops of cookie dough on top or make small patties of cookie dough to lay on top for more even coverage. Both will give you fairly distinct layers.
- Use a metal pan, not glass. Glass and ceramic pans hold heat differently and can cause the edges to overbake before the center catches up. Metal heats evenly and gives you better results with bar cookies every time. If a glass pan is all you have, add 5 to 10 minutes to your bake time and watch the edges carefully.
High Altitude Adjustments
Brownie Batter: Reduce brown sugar and granulated sugar by 1 tablespoon each, and increase flour by 1 tablespoon.
Chocolate Chip Cookies Dough: Reduce the brown sugar and granulated sugar by 1 tablespoon each, increase the flour by 2 tablespoons, and add 1 teaspoon of water at the end with the flour.
Bake as directed, but always be sure to check the brookies a couple of minutes before they’re finished baking.
I bake at about 5280 above sea level (Denver), but rest assured, I have a team of volunteer recipe testers across the country who raved about them too!
Brownie Cookies Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Gluten-Free: I haven’t tried this particular recipe using gluten-free swaps, but I’ve made my brownies and chocolate chip cookies gluten-free plenty of times previously, so it should work, just don’t over-bake the bars.
- Replace the flour in the brownies with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- In the chocolate chip cookie dough, replace 1 ⅓ cups of flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour and the remaining ⅓ cup with oat flour for the best texture and flavor. Allow the dough to hydrate for 5 to 10 minutes before assembling. Watch the bake time, they may not need to bake as long.
- Stir in some nuts: Add ½ cup of nuts to the brownies and to the chocolate chip cookies. I personally love chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Add a layer of Oreos: If you want to take these brookies to the next level, add a layer of Oreo cookies between the brownies and the chocolate chip cookies. These are actually called slutty brownies (ah!).
- Dairy-Free: Replace butter with plant-based butter, my favorite is brand Miyokos.
- Swap Dutch-processed cocoa powder with natural cocoa powder: You can use natural cocoa powder (in place of Dutch-processed), but add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the brownie batter.
- Want a shortcut version? Swap the homemade brownie layer for a 9×13-size box of your favorite brownie mix, prepared according to the directions on the back of the box, then top with the homemade cookie dough as written. Bake times may run a little longer since box mixes vary, so start checking at the 35-minute mark.
- Surprise Layer: Make them even more festive by swirling some Nutella or peanut butter, and sprinkle marshmallows or even sprinkles like jimmies between the brownie and cookie layer.
What to Serve with Brookies
Brookies are fantastic at room temperature, when the brownie layer is fudgy and the cookie top is perfectly chewy. For a truly swoon-worthy treat, warm a bar slightly and serve with:
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Pour a drizzle of chocolate fudge, butterscotch or magic shell
- Or just a hot cup of coffee or tea
How to Store Brookies
These Brookies are easy to store at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. We recommend cutting them into bars and wrapping them individually for easy eating later! Thaw fully on the counter before enjoying.
If you want to warm a brookie bar, then just place individual thawed bars into the microwave and heat on 10 to 15-second intervals or in the oven at 300ºF for 8 to 10 minutes. If you are warming from frozen, they will take a couple of extra seconds in the microwave or minutes in the oven.
Can I make these ahead?
- Honestly, my favorite make-ahead method is to just bake them, cool completely on a wire rack, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter and cut into squares when you’re ready. Done.
- If you’d rather bake them fresh, you can make both batters up to 24 hours ahead, store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge, then assemble and bake the next day. Just pull the cookie dough out about 20 minutes before you’re ready to assemble so it’s easier to work with. The brownie batter goes straight from the fridge into the pan.
- Or make up the brownie recipe, place it in a prepared pan in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours; the next day, when ready to bake, make up the cookie dough and add it to the top of the brownie batter!
Cookie Brownie Recipe FAQs
Brookies have a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough on top and are a mashup of brownies and cookies in one bite.
We add more chocolate chips for a bakery-style look and additional chocolate flavor.
The outside edges should be baked and chewy, while the inside should be set but a little underbaked so it’s fudgy in texture.
Yes! Halve all the ingredients and bake in an 8×8 or 9×9 pan. The bake time may be shorter or a little longer based on your pan size (thicker will take longer). Start checking around the 30-minute mark total. You’re looking for the same signs, edges pulling away from the pan, center still slightly glossy. Don’t rush it.
You can, and I won’t judge you one bit. Use your favorite box mix (I’d go with a fudgy style, not a cakey one) and prepare it according to the package directions, then layer the cookie dough right on top as directed. The bake time should be similar, but keep an eye on it since box mixes can vary. That said, the from-scratch brownie layer in this recipe is genuinely worth the extra 10 minutes. It’s deeply chocolatey and fudgy in a way that’s hard to replicate from a box.
A blondie is basically a brownie without the cocoa, and it swaps white sugar for all brown sugar. That combination of brown sugar, butter, and vanilla is where all the flavor comes from, giving it that butterscotch-y, caramel-like taste. My Easy Blondie Recipe is a great example. A brookie is a whole different animal. Two layers in one bar: fudgy chocolate brownie on the bottom, chocolate chip cookie dough on top. More chocolate, more complexity, more reasons to eat two.
Technically yes, but I’d talk you out of it. The brownie batter is too loose and wet to sit on top of cookie dough without sinking in and making a mess of both layers. Brownie on the bottom gives you a stable, fudgy base that holds its shape when you slice. Cookie dough on top spreads and sets into that beautiful golden layer you see in the photos. Flip them and you lose both.
More Easy Cookie Recipes
Video
Ingredients
Brownie Layer:
- ½ cup melted butter I used salted; if using unsalted, add ¼ teaspoon extra salt
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder Dutch processed
- ½ cup granulated sugar minus 1 tablespoon for high altitude – see Notes
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar packed (minus 1 tablespoon for high altitude)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¾ teaspoon if using unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips see Notes for chocolate bar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon for high altitude, I use unbleached
Make the Cookie Dough:
- 10 tablespoons salted butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed (minus 1 tablespoon high altitude)
- ½ cup granulated sugar minus 1 tablespoon high altitude
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons high altitude
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips plus extra for after baking
- 1 teaspoon water high altitude only
- Flaky Sea Salt optional for sprinkling on top
Instructions
Make the Brownie Batter:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper or non-stick foil with a little overhang to make removing the brookies easy for cutting.
- In a large bowl, whisk cocoa powder into melted butter. Whisk in the brown sugar and the granulated sugar until well blended.½ cup melted butter, ⅓ cup cocoa powder, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- Whisk in the salt, eggs, and vanilla extract, then beat well. This should take 2 minutes, really, set your timer!
- Add the flour and fold it into the brownie batter. When it’s close to being fully combined, fold the chocolate chips with a spatula, scraping the sides and the bottom making sure you incorporate all of the flour.½ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Spread evenly into the prepared pan and set aside until ready to add the chocolate chip cookie dough.
Make the Cookie Dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed for 3-4 minutes (4 minutes if using all-natural cane sugar).10 tablespoons salted butter, ⅔ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Add the egg and egg yolk and vanilla. Beat for 30 seconds after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt, whisking to combine.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour a little at a time (with water if you are at high altitude), mixing just until combined.1 teaspoon water
- Stir in the chocolate chips.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Assemble the Brookies:
- I prefer to drop spoonfuls of cookie dough batter over the top of the brownie batter, leaving space between. I personally like it when some of the brownie batter bakes through. However, you can also pat the cookie dough into uniform thickness “patties” and lay over the top of the brownies, connecting or not, your decision. Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake covered with foil for 22 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove foil and continue baking for another 18-20 minutes. Don't overbake. The center will still be a bit glossy and slightly underbaked, but the edges should have begun to pull away from the pan.
- Remove to a wire rack, sprinkling a few chocolate chips over the top for a bakery finish, I love a little flaky sea salt, too! Cool completely before slicing. When ready to slice, use the parchment or foil to remove from the pan, slice into squares.
Notes
- Room temperature, airtight container, up to 3 days.
- Freezer, up to 2 months. Slice and wrap individually; thaw overnight in the fridge, then to room temp before serving.
- Reheat thawed bars in the microwave (10-15 second bursts) or oven at 300°F (8-10 minutes).
- Brownie batter: reduce both sugars by 1 tablespoon each; increase flour by 1 tablespoon.
- Cookie dough: reduce both sugars by 1 tablespoon each; increase flour by 2 tablespoons; add 1 teaspoon water with the flour.
- Start checking bars a few minutes early — bar cookies bake faster at altitude.
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- Untested in this exact recipe, but based on success gluten-free-ing the standalone brownie and cookie recipes: swap brownie flour 1:1 for gluten-free all-purpose flour. In the cookie dough, replace 1⅓ cups flour with gluten-free all-purpose and the remaining ⅓ cup with oat flour. Rest dough 5-10 minutes before assembling; watch bake time.
Nutrition
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