Homemade Chocolate Chip Brookies
cookies, chocolate
These homemade chocolate chip brookies are part fudgy brownie, part chewy chocolate chip cookie. These bars are the best of both worlds - like a party in your mouth as far as sweet treats go great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dusted with powdered sugar. This recipe is as simple and straightforward as they come! No need to pull out your stand mixer or electric mixer for these brookies. Two batters combined to create a chewy delicious treat.
What Is A Brookie (cookie/brownie)?
The brookie is everything you love about a brownie plus everything you love about a cookie, which creates a thing you love more than a brownie or a cookie. Why is is called a brookie? Cookie + Brownie = Brookie. An epic dessert made by layering cookie dough on top of brownie batter and baking until you have an ultra-rich and satisfying dessert. These brownie cookie bars are pretty much the ultimate dessert - they are not for counting calories! You get a cookie and a brownie all rolled into one, so you don’t have to decide if you’re more of a cookie person or a brownie person. You can be both - definitely my kind of treat!
Who Created Brownie Cookie (the brookie)?
In short - there is no known inventor of the brookie, and it could be that many people created it independently or even by accident - happy accidents often happen in a kitchen and begin with serious cravings. Brookies were made ever popular and also perfected by Jovon English, owner of LA-based Milk + Brookies, a bakery with pop-ups dedicated to the treat as early as 2015 or even earlier.
What is the difference between a blondie and brookie?
You can see the difference just by looking at the desserts – blondies are paler in color while brownies have that familiar brown color that comes from its magic ingredient – chocolate! Since a brookies are made with brownie batter and cookie dough, they are not really considered a blondie. I would say more accurately it’s a mash up of cookie bars and brownies as opposed to chocolate chip blondie and brownie.
Homemade Brookie Recipe Ingredients
- BUTTER: I use unsalted butter for both batters, at room temperature.
- WHITE SUGAR: Granulated white sugar is in both the brownie and cookie dough.
- BROWN SUGAR: For the both batters and I use light brown sugar
- COCOA POWDER: Regular unsweetened cocoa powder or dutch process works in the brownie batter here.
- ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: Is needed in both recipes.
- EGGS: I use large room temperature eggs, just one for each batter. Some recipes call for adding an extra egg yolk for extra richness feel free to do that if you like
- VANILLA EXTRACT: Just a little goes a long way for that signature baked goods flavor
- SALT: Just a pinch, in both recipes.
- LEAVENING: Both layers use baking powder for leavening - no need for baking soda unless you want to add a pinch
- CHOCOLATE: You will need 5 ounces bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chopped - or you can use chocolate chips instead for the brownie batter
- CHOCOLATE CHIPS: The key component of chocolate chip cookie dough and the brownie batter. I prefer to use either semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate or a bit of both.
- ADD INS: If you would like to add some extras to the batter like chopped walnuts or chopped pecans or hazelnuts feel free to - up to 1/2 cup chopped, swirl some peanut butter or Nutella between layers or even add some sprinkles to either batter.
How To Make Brookies
I tried to keep the ingredients and the directions as streamlined as possible. Here is the basic instructions for making these brookies. Full detailed directions are in recipe card below.
MAKE BOTH BATTERS: It is basically the same process for both
- Melt butter (for the brownie batter you melt both the butter and chocolate together)
- Whisk in sugars, egg, and vanilla
- Fold in the flour mixture/dry ingredients and chocolate chips
ASSEMBLE BROOKIES:
- Layer 1: ⅓ of the brownie batter spread on the bottom of pan
- Alternate spoonfuls of chocolate chip cookie dough and brownie batter across the pan
- Sprinkle with more chocolate chips
BAKE, COOL & ENJOY
Can I Make These Brookies From a Boxed Mix?
YES! You absolutely can. I cannot guarantee that the texture or the flavor will be as amazing as homemade from scratch but you can. Use one box brownie batter mix + one box of chocolate chip cookie dough mix and prepare each according to package directions. Then follow the instructions below on assembling and baking the brookies and you got yourself what I call “lazy girl brookies”!
Brookie Storage & Freezing
- STORAGE: Cover and store leftover bars at room temperature for up to 1 week. These can also be stored in the fridge, if you like to enjoy them cold. I love how chewy they get when they are chilled.
- FREEZING: Freeze baked and cooled cookie brownie bars for up to 3 months. Arrange in even layers in a large freezer-safe container between sheets of parchment. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then allow to come to room temperature before serving. Warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds if desired.
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Recipe
Ingredients
For the Brownie Batter
- 5 ounces bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate rough chopped
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup semi- sweet chocolate chips
For the Cookie Layer
- 6 tablespoon butter (¾ stick)
- 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup semi- sweet chocolate chips plus extra chocolate chips for topping, if desired
Directions
- Spray or grease a 8 x 8 inch baking pan/baking dish with non-stick baking spray and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Allow the edges of the parchment to extend over the sides of the pan for easy removal of the bars once cooled.
- Preheat oven to 350°F
For Brownie Batter
- Melt butter with the chocolate in small saucepan stove top over low heat, or in the microwave, remove from heat and whisk in sugar until smooth
- Whisk the egg and vanilla in vigorously followed by the cocoa powder, flour, salt and baking powder until incorporated.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.
For Cookie Batter
- Melt butter in small saucepan stove top or in the microwave, remove from heat and whisk in sugar until smooth
- Whisk the egg and vanilla in vigorously followed by the flour, salt and baking powder until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.
Assembly
- Spoon about ⅓ of the brownie mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan using an offset spatula to roughly smooth it evenly across the bottom of the pan.
- Alternate spoonfuls of chocolate chip cookie dough and brownie batter across the pan, creating a mottled look. Continue until all of the cookie dough and brownie batter are used.
- Sprinkle with some more chocolate chips
- Bake at 350ºF for about 25 - 38 minutes or until tested with toothpick and tester comes out mostly clean or until edges are golden and middle is set with a little jiggle
- Add additional chocolate chips by pressing them into the hot brookies if desired.
- Cut into small or large squares when brookies are completely cooled.
Recipe Notes
- Brown the butter for the chocolate chip cookie or brownie layer for a bit more flavour.
- For firmer brookies, bake for closer to 40 minutes. For gooey brookies, bake for less time.
- How long can brookies last? Brookies keep well for up to 1 week stored in airtight containers (if they last that long!) or they can be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure to thaw completely before serving.
- Can I freeze brookies? Freeze baked and cooled cookie brownie bars for up to 3 months. Arrange in even layers in a large freezer-safe container between sheets of parchment. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then allow to come to room temperature before serving. Warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds if desired.
- If you prefer to make the dough in a medium bowl you can simply transfer the butter to bowl and the other ingredients as stated in recipe
- You can 100% double this recipe and make it in a 9 x 13 pan
- Cutting the brookies: Lining the baking pan with parchment paper makes cutting into these bars a breeze. Once cooled, lift the parchment paper from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Use a plastic knife to slice the brookies into bars.
