Brookies Recipe

I’m very particular about brookies, because most versions lean too far one way—either cakey brownies or dry cookies. This version gives you exactly what I want: a soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie with a rich brownie center that stays fudgy after baking. It takes one extra step, but it’s the difference between a novelty cookie and one I actually want to make again.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s freezer-friendly and easy to bake straight from cold.
• You get two distinct textures in one cookie: fudgy brownie + chewy cookie.
• The doughs are balanced so neither overwhelms the other.
• The cookies bake up thick, round, and soft, not misshapen.
• Everyone you serve this to will go crazy over them!

Key ingredients and why I use them

Unsalted butter
I use unsalted butter in both the brownie batter and the cookie dough so I can control the salt level precisely. It also gives richness without overpowering the chocolate.

Brown sugar
Brown sugar adds moisture and chew, which is essential here. It keeps both the brownie center and the cookie portion soft instead of dry or crumbly.

Chocolate (chips or chopped)
Chocolate is doing double duty in this recipe: it provides structure in the brownie portion and texture in the cookie dough. I like a mix of chips and chopped chocolate for better distribution and melted pockets.

Egg + extra yolk
The egg binds both doughs, while the extra yolk in the cookie dough adds richness and contributes to a thicker, chewier cookie that can hold the brownie center.

All-purpose flour
All-purpose flour gives enough structure without making either layer tough. I don’t recommend substitutions here because the balance matters for keeping the layers distinct.

Cocoa powder
The cocoa powder deepens the chocolate flavor in the brownie portion without making it overly dense. It reinforces the brownie identity inside the cookie.

These are the ingredients we will use for the chocolate chip cookie dough.

These are the ingredients we will use for the brownie batter.

The chocolate chip cookie dough is the same used on my Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies, which has had lots and lots of reviews on Pinterest lately! Everyone is raving about these cookies.

How to Make Brookies

The full printable recipe is below, but here’s how I make them step by step.

We will start with the brownie batter first.

Brownie Batter

Melt the butter and chocolate together until smooth. I do this in a microwave in 20–30 second bursts, whisking between each, or over a double boiler.

Whisk in the brown sugar until fully incorporated. Then follow with the egg and the vanilla.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix just until combined.

You’ll end up with a thick batter. Place it in the fridge for one or two hours if it’s too soft.

Meanwhile, make the cookie dough.

Cookie Dough

Beat the butter for about one minute. Add the granulated and brown sugar and beat for another two to three minutes, until creamy and fluffy. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix to combine.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and stir until a dough forms. Follow with the chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks.

To assemble

Once the brownie batter is thick enough to be shaped into solid balls, you can begin assembling.

I like to portion the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon scoops. And for the chilled brownie batter, I make them into 1-tablespoon scoops.

Flatten a cookie dough portion in your palm, place the brownie batter in the center, then wrap and seal the cookie dough around it. Roll into a smooth ball, making sure no brownie batter is exposed.

Chill the assembled cookies for 30–60 minutes (or freeze 20–30 minutes) before baking. Bake them in the preheated 350°F oven for about 12 minutes, until they look set on the edges and on top.

The cookies will always continue to cook as you remove them from the oven, and until they cool down. This is why you shouldn’t let the cookies fully bake in the oven, because then, they will likely become tough and over baked as they sit.

Tips for Success

• If the brownie batter feels too sticky during assembly, lightly flour your hands or chill it longer. A little goes a long way—too much flour will dry things out.
• Always bake these cold. Room-temperature dough will spread and distort the shape.
• Don’t overbake. The cookies will always continue to cook as you remove them from the oven, and until they cool down. This is why you shouldn’t let the cookies fully bake in the oven, because then, they will likely become tough and over baked as they sit.
• Shape the dough neatly. A sealed, compact cookie bakes up cleaner and thicker.

Variations

• Nutty: Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the brownie batter only.
• Extra chocolate: Add chopped chocolate to the brownie portion for a richer center.
• Dark chocolate version: Use dark cocoa powder in the brownie batter and dark chocolate chips throughout. I like to use semi-sweet chips or chunks, but feel free to use your favorite kind of chocolate chip.
• Espresso: add 1/4 teaspoon of espresso powder to the brownie batter to make the cookies even richer in taste.

FAQs

Why did my brownie layer leak out?
The dough was likely too warm or the brownie batter wasn’t chilled enough. Cold dough is essential here.

Why is my brownie center dry instead of fudgy?
Overbaking is the most common cause. Pull the cookies while the centers still look slightly underdone; they’ll continue to set as they cool.

Why are my cookies thick but cakey?
Too much flour or overmixing can cause this. Measure flour carefully and mix just until combined.

If you’re into cookies with strong contrast and texture, you’ll probably enjoy these as well. My Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies lean into that salty-sweet balance and have a crisp edge with a chewy center. The Peanut Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookies are richer and softer, with a more mellow sweetness that plays really well with the peanut butter. And if what you loved most here was the chocolate-forward flavor, my Double Chocolate Chip Cookies take that idea all the way, with a deeper cocoa base and plenty of melted chocolate throughout.

This is one of those recipes that looks more involved than it actually is once you understand the order of steps. Take your time with the assembly, bake them just shy of done, and you’ll end up with brookies that are soft, rich, and balanced instead of messy or overbaked. If you give them a try, I hope they become one of those cookies you come back to when you want something a little extra without overcomplicating it.

Watch Video

Brookies Recipe

Camila Hurst

Brookies are chocolate chip cookie dough mixed with brownie batter, baked into a delicious treat. Soft, chewy, and scrumptious! Also easy to make!

4.67 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Resting time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 52 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18 brookies

Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients

 

Brownie batter

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter 75 grams
• 1/3 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips (56 grams)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar 66 grams
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 93 grams
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder 14 grams
• 1/4 tsp salt

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

• 10 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature 141 grams
• 3/4 cup brown sugar 150 grams
• 1/4 cup white sugar 50 grams
• 1 egg
• 1 yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 10 oz
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips 170 grams

To top the cookies

• 1/3 cup chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Instructions

 

Brownie Batter

• Melt the butter and chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips) together in a bowl. You can use the microwave or a double boiler. If using the microwave, simply microwave the mixture for 30 second intervals, whisking in between.
• Whisk until smooth and melted together.
• Add the brown sugar to the chocolate/butter.
• Whisk until incorporated.
• Add the egg and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
• Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt to the bowl. It’s best if you pre-sift the dry ingredients before adding them, or sift them right into the bowl.
• Mix until combined.
• Cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for about 2 hours, so it firms up.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

• Beat the butter with a mixer for 2 minutes on medium high speed.
• Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat for another 2 minutes until light in color and fluffy.
• Add the egg and yolk to the mixer.
• Beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
• Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix with a spatula or on the lowest setting to incorporate the flour.
• Last but not least, add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.

To assemble

• Grab about 2 tablespoons of chocolate chip cookie dough and flatten it out with your hands. Grab about 1 tablespoon of brownie batter and place it in the middle of the cookie dough.
• Gently roll both of them together into a smooth ball.
• Place the formed cookies on a baking sheet and put the tray in the freezer or fridge.
• Put them in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. Or put them in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking.
• If you don’t want to bake all cookies at once, place them in the freezer, once they are solid, after about 2 hours, transfer them to a zip loc bag, and keep it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
• You can also keep the cookies in the fridge for a couple of days before baking, make sure to cover them.
• Bake the cookies straight from the freezer or fridge, no need to thaw or let it come to room temperature. It’s actually way better to bake the cookies when they are cold.

To bake

• Pre-heat oven to 350ºF. Place 5 cookies on a baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.
• Bake for about 12 minutes.
• Remove the cookies from the oven when they look slightly golden on the outside, but still soft.
• The cookies will continue to cook after they come out of the oven. As a rule of thumb you always want to remove the cookies from the oven before they actually look baked, otherwise they will be dry and tough as they cool down.
• You can also top the cookies with chocolate chips when they come out of the oven.

Storage

• Store the frozen unbaked cookies for up to 3 months, in a ziplock bag. Store the baked cookies at room temperature for up to 4 days, in an air tight container.

Notes

Butter: feel free to use salted butter, reduce the salt amount to 1/4 tsp if doing so in the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. And to the brownie batter, add just a pinch of salt instead of the whole 1/4 tsp.

Chocolate: for the chocolate I used semi-sweet chocolate, feel free to use dark or milk chocolate.

Chilling the brownie batter is non-negotiable. It needs time to firm up so it can sit inside the cookie dough without leaking.

For the cookie dough, I use room-temperature butter so it creams properly with the sugar and gives that chewy texture.

Measure by weight to ensure success. This recipe’s texture depends on the dough being thick enough to hold the brownie center.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 450kcal

Keyword brownies, cookies

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