This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
While other recipes take shortcuts, my brookie cookies combine real brownie batter with chocolate chip cookie dough. The result is a classic pairing that tastes just as incredible as it looks! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Brookie Cookies From Scratch
Most brookie cookies sadly disappoint–they taste like chocolate chip cookies with an extra step thrown in. When developing my recipe, I wanted cookies that were true to both inspirations, so soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies AND rich, fudgy brownies. Accomplishing this does require a little extra effort, but it’s well worth it!
We’ll make a brownie batter and let it chill (otherwise it’s too soft to handle) and then a slightly less sweet chocolate chip cookie dough (this makes it sturdy, but still soft and not too sweet). The two together are the perfect pairing and yield soft, decadent cookies that stay soft!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Actually tastes like a chocolate chip cookie and a brownie. We aren’t cutting corners here! We’ll make an actual brownie batter and chill it so we can work with it easily.
- The doughs can be made in advance. Helpful if you’re someone who likes to do things in stages. You can also freeze the dough after combining (great for freshly baked cookies on-demand!).
- Includes optional upgrades for gourmet results. Like using a chopped chocolate bar instead of chips, opting for a blend of two brown sugars instead of one, and finishing with a sprinkle of flaky salt and extra chocolate.
- Soft texture that stays soft. Adding cornstarch to the dough and slightly underbaking significantly helps with this!
What You Need
Before we begin, I’ll review a few of the key ingredients in my recipe. If you have any substitution questions, I’ll try my best to answer them below!
- Brown sugar. While all light brown sugar would work just fine, a blend of both light and dark brown sugar is my favorite way to go (it adds depth and richness). I do this with many of my cookie recipes (like my best chocolate chip cookie recipe!), and just love the flavor it provides.
- Semisweet chocolate. I prefer a baking bar to chocolate chips (it’s higher quality and melts better) for the brownie dough base, but chips work just fine here. I also like to add mini chips to the brownie dough and regular-sized chips to the cookie dough. Obviously I can never have enough chocolate, but if it’s too much for you, feel free to omit the mini chips in the brownie dough!
- Cocoa powder. I use natural cocoa, but I suspect Dutch process cocoa would work just as well here. You can read more about their differences in my post on natural vs. Dutch process cocoa.
- Cornstarch. Adding a touch of cornstarch to the cookie dough gives it a soft, tender texture and helps it hold its shape too (important for holding that fudgy brownie batter in place!). I use this in my thick chocolate chip cookies too, and it works like a charm.
- Sea salt. This is optional, but a sprinkle of flaky sea salt over the cookies while they are still warm from the oven is simply ✨ heavenly ✨
As always, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
Sam’s Tip
If your cookie doughs are often dry, crumbly, and difficult to work with, you are likely over-measuring your flour. This can be very easy to do if you are measuring with cups instead of a kitchen scale. I talk about how to nail the proper technique in my post on how to measure flour!
How to Make Brookie Cookies (Step-by-Step)
Brownie Batter
- Melt chocolate & butter. Microwave the chocolate and butter in 25-second intervals until smooth and melted. Make sure to do this slowly and stir in between each interval to avoid seizing the chocolate.
- Whip eggs & sugar. Beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt on high speed until foamy and pale. This step is critical for classic brownie texture and appearance!
- Add dry ingredients. Stir the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until combined, then sift the dry ingredients overtop (or just whisk them in a separate bowl and then gently fold into the chocolate batter).
- Chill. Fold everything together until combined. Add chocolate chips now, if using, then cover and let chill in the fridge for an hour.
Cookie Dough
- Cream butter & sugar. In a new bowl, cream the butter and sugars on high speed until well combined.
- Add eggs & vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring very well after each, then add the vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then gradually add them to the wet ingredients. I do this in 4 parts, mixing on low speed until each addition is incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure no dry spots remain.
- Chill. Add the chocolate chips, then cover and let the dough chill for at least half an hour.
Assembly
- Combine doughs. Scoop 2 tablespoons of each chilled dough and press/twist/swirl to make a blended dough ball. I also demonstrate this technique in my video below, if you’d like a visual.
- Bake. Place cookie dough balls on parchment lined baking sheets and bake until the edges are set and light golden brown. Add a sprinkle of sea salt over the warm cookies if desired. You can also press a few additional chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies while they are still warm too (makes them look prettier!).
Sam’s Tip
If baked properly, these cookies will be very fragile and gooey after baking; let them cool completely on their baking sheets before attempting to move them or eat them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Just make sure to wrap them well and store in a freezer safe container or ziploc bag.
You can also freeze the dough; I’d recommend doing this after combining the two doughs. Follow the instructions for drop cookies in my post how to freeze cookie dough.
I specifically designed this recipe to be made from-scratch, so I don’t have any advice for using brownie mix. I’m sure it can be done somehow, but I can’t say what adjustments would need to be made.
Each dough ball should weigh 80 grams before baking–40 grams of brownie dough and 40 grams of cookie dough per cookie.
Related Recipes
If you want to be extra decadent, serve the cookies warm topped with a spoonful of vanilla no-churn ice cream 🤩
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of all the newest recipes, and find my free recipe tutorials on YouTube 💜
-
Notes before beginning: The brownie cookie dough will need to chill for a minimum of 1 hour but can be made up to 2 days in advance of assembling and making the cookies. Note that the brownie batter is easiest to work with after an hour or two in the fridge. Longer than that and it is much more firm, but still quite possible to work with. The chocolate chip dough must be chilled for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 2 days in advance as well.
Make the brownie batter first:
-
In a medium-sized, microwave safe mixing bowl, combine the 10 oz chopped semisweet chocolate or chips and butter. Heat in 25-second intervals, stirring well in between, until chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Set aside.
10 oz (g) semisweet chocolate baking bar, ⅓ cup unsalted butter
-
In a separate, large mixing bowl, combine sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt. Begin to stir on low-speed and gradually increase speed to high. Continue to beat on high speed until mixture is foamy and lightened in color, about 2-3 minutes.
1 ¼ cups (g) granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon table salt
-
Add the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and stir on low-speed until completely combined.
-
Sift flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder over the egg mixture (or whisk this together in a separate bowl and then add it to the batter) and use a spatula to fold together until ingredients are completely combined. Add mini chocolate chips, if using.
⅔ cup (g) all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup natural cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ⅔ cup (g) mini semisweet chocolate chips
-
Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour. Prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough.
Prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough:
-
In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer (or in the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) combine butter and sugars and beat until well-creamed (about 3 minutes on high).
1 cup (g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (g) granulated sugar
-
Add eggs, one at a time, and stir well after each addition.
2 large eggs
-
Stir in vanilla extract.
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
-
In a separate, medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3 ⅔ cups (g) all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon table salt
-
Gradually (in 4 parts), with mixer on low-speed, stir the dry ingredients into the wet until dough is uniform and well-combined (pause occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl).
-
Stir in chocolate chips.
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
-
Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes (and for up to 2 days), until ready to assemble and bake.
Assemble and Bake
-
Once doughs have chilled completely, preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
-
Remove both doughs from the refrigerator.
-
Scoop 2 Tablespoons (40g) of brownie cookie dough and 2 Tablespoons (40g) of chocolate chip cookie dough. Press the two doughs together and twist/swirl to form a blended dough ball (sometimes I form together, break in half, twist, and re-smash together the dough).
-
Place cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 2” (5cm) apart. Transfer to center rack of 350F (175C) preheated oven and bake for 13 minutes (edges should be set, the edges of the chocolate chip cookie dough should appear a light golden brown). If desired, sprinkle with flaky sea salt while warm.
Flaky sea salt for topping
-
Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before removing and enjoying.
Prettier appearance
Measure out a few extra standard-sized chocolate chips and gently press them onto the tops of the cookies immediately after they come out of the oven.
Storing
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 224mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 349IU | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.