About This Recipe

Brookies — the portmanteau of brownie and cookie — solve the eternal argument about which is better once and for all: both, baked together in one pan. The bottom layer is a rich, fudgy, deeply chocolatey brownie that stays dense and gooey even after fully cooled. The top layer is a thick, chewy chocolate chip cookie studded throughout with chips. When baked together, the two layers meld at the border into a hybrid zone that is simultaneously brownie and cookie — the very best bite in the entire pan. The edges are slightly crispy where the cookie dough meets the pan. The center is soft, gooey, and almost molten. Cut them cold for clean bars, eat them warm for maximum indulgence. This is the recipe that has been in the top-10 most-pinned dessert bars on Pinterest for two years running.

Nutrition estimates based on USDA FoodData Central. Values are per bar and may vary.

Why You'll Love It

  • Two desserts in one pan — you genuinely don't have to choose between brownies and cookies
  • The fused layer in the middle where brownie meets cookie is the best bite of either dessert
  • Makes 16 bars — perfect for bake sales, potlucks, and feeding a crowd
  • Freezes perfectly for up to 3 months — bake once, eat for weeks
  • Box mix shortcut works great: use a brownie box mix for the bottom layer, homemade cookie dough on top

The Best Brookies Recipe

Brookies showing brownie bottom and cookie top layers
20 min
Prep
35 min
Bake
55 min
Total
16
Bars
⭐ 4.9
Rating
340
Calories

Ingredients

  • Brownie Layer
  • 115g unsalted butter
  • 200g granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs + 1 tsp vanilla
  • 65g all-purpose flour
  • 50g cocoa powder
  • ½ tsp salt + 100g chocolate chips
  • Cookie Layer
  • 115g butter, softened
  • 100g each: white + brown sugar
  • 1 egg + 1 yolk + 1½ tsp vanilla
  • 190g flour + ½ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp salt
  • 175g chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. 1Brownie batter Melt butter. Stir in sugar, eggs, vanilla. Fold in flour, cocoa, salt, chips. Spread in lined 9×13 pan.
  2. 2Cookie dough Beat butter + sugars. Add eggs + vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt. Fold in chips.
  3. 3Layer Drop cookie dough over brownie batter. Press gently to spread across the surface.
  4. 4Bake 175°C, 32–36 min Until golden on top, toothpick has moist crumbs. Do not overbake.
  5. 5Cool completely 1–2 hours before cutting. Use sharp knife for clean bars.

Ingredients

230g unsalted butter (total) 200g + 200g sugars 3 eggs + 1 yolk 65g + 190g flour 50g cocoa powder 275g chocolate chips (total) Vanilla extract ½ tsp baking soda Salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Make the brownie layer

    Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 9×13-inch (23×33cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides for easy removal. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the granulated sugar until fully incorporated — the mixture will look grainy, and that is correct. Let cool for 5 minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition. Add vanilla extract. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt until just combined with no streaks of flour remaining — do not overmix or you'll activate the gluten and make the brownie tough. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer using the spatula. The batter will be fairly thick. Set aside while you make the cookie layer.

  2. 2

    Make the chocolate chip cookie dough layer

    In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy — the mixture should lighten in color and nearly double in volume. Add the whole egg, extra egg yolk, and vanilla extract, then beat until combined. The extra yolk is key: it makes the cookie layer chewier and richer without spreading as flat, so it bakes up thick on top of the brownie. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until a soft dough forms — it should come together cleanly and not be sticky. Fold in the chocolate chips. The dough will be thicker and firmer than a typical cookie dough because it needs to sit on top of the brownie batter without sinking through.

  3. 3

    Layer the cookie dough over the brownie batter

    Scoop the cookie dough into large tablespoon-sized portions and drop them across the surface of the brownie batter in an even grid pattern — you want fairly even coverage. Wet your fingers lightly or use an offset spatula dipped in water and gently press and spread the cookie dough portions together to form an even layer covering the brownie batter. Work carefully so you don't mix the two layers together — the goal is a clean, distinct brownie bottom and cookie top that will merge slightly at the border during baking. It doesn't have to be perfectly flat; a slightly uneven cookie layer with some brownie peeking through at the edges is rustic and beautiful.

  4. 4

    Bake to perfection

    Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 32–36 minutes. At 32 minutes, check by inserting a toothpick in the very center of the pan: it should come out with a few moist chocolate crumbs, but no wet batter. The cookie layer on top should be golden brown — not pale, not dark. The edges should look set and be beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan. The center will still look and feel soft when you gently press it — that is correct. Do not wait for the center to look fully baked in the oven; it will continue cooking from residual heat after removal. If at 36 minutes the toothpick still comes out with wet batter (not crumbs), give it 2–3 more minutes and check again.

  5. 5

    Cool completely before cutting

    Transfer the pan to a wire cooling rack and let it cool completely at room temperature — a minimum of 1 hour, ideally 2 hours. The brownie layer is still essentially liquid when it comes out of the oven and will set into that fudgy, dense texture only as it cools. Cutting warm brookies produces crumbled, messy bars that fall apart. Once fully cooled, lift the entire batch out using the parchment paper handles. Place on a cutting board. Use your sharpest knife and cut with one clean downward press for each cut — 4 columns and 4 rows for 16 bars. Wipe the knife blade clean between cuts for the cleanest edges. For bakery-perfect cuts, refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing.

Pro Tips

🏆 Keys to Perfect Brookies
  • Don't overmix the brownie batter. Fold the flour and cocoa in with a spatula, stopping the moment no dry streaks remain. Overmixed brownie batter develops gluten and bakes up cakey instead of fudgy.
  • Use an extra egg yolk in the cookie layer. This is the secret to a thick, chewy cookie layer that doesn't spread flat over the brownie.
  • Use Dutch-process cocoa if you can. Dutch-process is darker, less acidic, and gives the brownie layer a deeper, more intense chocolate flavor than natural cocoa.
  • The shortcut: brownie box mix. Prepare one box of your favorite fudgy brownie mix per the package directions. Use as the brownie layer with homemade cookie dough on top. Just as good, saves 15 minutes.
  • Cool 2 hours before cutting. This is non-negotiable for bars that hold together and have clean, defined layers visible when you cut them.

Nutrition Per Bar

340
Calories
4g
Protein
44g
Carbs
17g
Fat

Frequently Asked Questions

Brookies are done when: the cookie top is golden brown, a toothpick inserted in the center has moist crumbs but no wet batter, and the edges are set and pulling slightly away from the pan. The center will still look slightly soft — that's correct. Pull them when the center still has a gentle give; they finish cooking from residual heat as they cool.
Almost always from cutting too soon. Let them cool a minimum of 1 hour at room temperature (2 hours is better) before cutting. Refrigerate 30 minutes for the cleanest cuts. Also use a sharp knife with one clean press per cut, not a sawing motion.
Yes — prepare the box mix as directed and use it for the brownie layer. Top with homemade cookie dough (homemade holds up better than a cookie mix on top). The result is equally delicious and saves 15 minutes. Ghirardelli's Double Chocolate mix makes an excellent brookie base.
Yes — cut into bars, freeze solid on a parchment-lined sheet, then transfer to a zip-lock bag. Keeps for 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30–60 minutes or microwave individual bars for 20–30 seconds. Microwaved frozen brookies taste remarkably close to freshly baked.