Once upon a time I made a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies recipe. I loved them, I shared them on my blog, and readers either loved them or not.
There were a few “observations” made about my version of this totally-awesome-brownie-recipe that were sinking into my soul… which caused me to lose sleep at night (not really, but I added that for dramatic effect…) I LOVE MY FIRST VERSION THE WAY IT IS… but I decided to listen those observations to see if I could create an even better Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies Recipe and make everyone happy! Here it is!
Observation #1:
The cookie dough is “grainy.” Well, I’ve got news for y’all. Cookie dough is grainy. That’s just the way it is. In this version, I melted the butter and then whisked in the sugars to see if I could make it less grainy and more dissolved… it might be a little better, but it’s still grainy. If you’re a cookie dough lover then you know what I mean and you don’t care. Cookie dough is just (by nature) grainy! Someone had suggested trying powdered sugar to avoid the whole grainy-thing. I wasn’t into that. Real chocolate chip cookie dough must have both white granulated sugar and brown sugar or it doesn’t taste like chocolate chip cookie dough. So there.
Observation #2:
The cookie dough layer isn’t thick enough. In this version, the brownies are baked in a 9×9- inch pan. The brownie layer and the cookie dough layer are just about even. That should satisfy just about everyone, right?
Observation #3:
The brownie layer isn’t fudgy… or it has no flavor (in other words… it’s not good). This (new and improved) brownie layer is FUDGY. Though I have to admit, I don’t think anything is wrong with the original chocolate chip cookie dough brownies recipe. I like both, but I do like this one better.
Observation #4:
The cookie dough layer doesn’t stick to the brownie layer. I don’t have this problem, so let me share exactly how I construct my brownies so it works per-fec-to: I bake my brownies in a pan lined with parchment paper, then I put them in the refrigerator until they are all cooled down and pretty firm. While the brownies are baking, I make the cookie dough and then refrigerate it until the cookie dough is chilled and easy to work with (firm-ish). Then I take the brownies out of the fridge, wet my hands (or spray them with nonstick spray) and pat the cookie dough on top of the brownies into an even layer. Then I wrap the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate the brownies until they are firm. Take the brownies out of the pan and place them on a cutting board. Because I’m obsessed with neat edges, I use a very sharp, large knife to cut off all of the edges, then I cut the brownies into small, clean pieces. Clean pieces require that you wipe your knife with a paper towel between cuts.
That’s it! You’ve learned all of my secrets. And now you can make my new-and-improved version of this chocolate chip cookie dough brownies recipe. By all means, let me know what you think of them… and if you have any feedback about these! Hopefully, they are perfect. That’s the goal here. See, I listen to my readers… and keep workin’ it to make you happy and satisfied! It’s a tough job (you know… re-testing chocolate chip cookie dough brownies over and over again to find the perfect version), but somebody has to do it, right? 🙂
How to make eating raw flour safe:
I know there are concerns about eating flour that hasn’t been cooked. Here’s the solution, if you are worried about that. Toast your flour in the oven before using in this recipe. You’ll just put the flour in a pan and toast it at 350 degrees. F. for 5 minutes. That will kill any potential bacteria in the flour, and you can feel safe to use it in an uncooked cookie dough recipe.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
Ingredients
BROWNIE LAYER:
- 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
- 1½ cups bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all purpose flour
COOKIE DOUGH:
- 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature or almost melted
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup all purpose flour (see RECIPE NOTES below)
- 1 cup miniature chocolate chips
- additional miniature chocolate chips, if desired (to sprinkle on top)
Instructions
PREPARE THE BROWNIE LAYER:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x9-inch pan with nonstick spray, then line with a strip of parchment paper so that it covers the bottom and comes up two sides of the pan. Spray the parchment with nonstick spray too.
- In a microwave safe bowl (or in the top of a double boiler or pan set on top of a pan of simmering water), microwave in 30 second bursts to melt butter and chocolate chips together until all is melted and smooth. Whisk in the sugars, then whisk in the eggs, vanilla and salt. Sift flour into the bowl and stir that in too. Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the brownie layer is cooked through (toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Place the pan of brownies in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process (or cool at room temperature and add the cookie dough layer later).
PREPARE THE COOKIE DOUGH LAYER:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter, sugars and salt until soft and creamy (1 to 2 minutes). Mix in the milk and vanilla. Sprinkle in the flour and mix in until combined. Stir in the 1 cup of chocolate chips. Scoop the cookie dough onto the top of the brownies and spread onto the brownie layer. I find that it's easiest to do this if the brownie layer is chilled and firm. Wet your hands or spray them with nonstick spray and pat the cookie dough on top in a even layer. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top to create a nicer, visual appearance. For easy, clean cutting, chill the brownies (wrap the brownies with plastic wrap and chill until firm- 1 to 2 hours or up to 2 days).
CUT THE BROWNIES:
- Run a knife along the sides of the brownie pan and then use the parchment paper to lift the brownies from the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice the brownies with a sharp knife, wiping the knife with a paper towel between cuts. If you'd like all of your slices of brownies to look clean-cut without edges, use the knife to cut the sides of the brownies off before cutting pieces. Keep brownies slices covered and chilled until ready to serve.
Notes
- If you are worried about eating raw flour, you can cook it in the oven before using it in this recipe. Sprinkle the flour on a cookie sheet and toast it at 350 degrees. F for 5 minutes. This will kill any potential bacteria in the flour.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I only have an 8×8 glass baking dish or a 13×9 glass baking dish (and a 13×9 non-stick dark coated pan). Which is the best to use? Does the baking time change if I make these in the 13×9 dish and just make them a little thinner? Would I lessen the baking time? Thanks! I’m really looking forward to making these!!
I’d just make them in an 8×8.
i have a doubt.the dough for cookie is not cooked.?so it is raw one.i mean the top layer which contains flour,butter,sugar etc.
Yes, it is raw on the top layer.
I recently made these as a Valentine’s Day treat, and they were AMAZING. However, I also had some issues with baking times; similar to what Johanna described. In my opinion, the brownie mix ended up being WAY too much for a 9×9 pan. I ended up keeping my brownies in the oven for an additional 25-30 minutes, which resulted in rock-hard and burnt corners, and the bottom was almost inedible. Now, this definitely could’ve been a result of both the pan I was using and the fact that I used aluminum foil in place of parchment paper (since I had none), so I don’t blame the recipe for what happened.
However, after sawing off the singed edges and cutting off the burnt bottom layer of the brownie, I was left with decadently fudgy squares of cookie-dough brownies. The brownie layer was thick, chewy, and oh-so delicious; it tasted exactly as I’d hoped. The cookie dough layer was great, and it is sure to please the many cookie dough lovers out there. If I were to make this recipe again, I would add some personal tweaks: (Of course, this is based on my opinion alone; the recipe is fine as is!) I’d lessen the vanilla to about 1 tsp and cut down on the granulated and light-brown sugars for the cookie dough; it was a just a little too sweet for my liking (Again, these are just my opinions). Overall, the cookie dough brownies were a success, and I find myself going back for “just one more piece” each and every time! 🙂
We just made your “new and improved Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies” for our baking with grandma event and they were fantastic!! I LOVE cookie dough and can’t imagine anything that tops just plain cookie dough but this did! Wow! We will definitely make them again. (But not too soon as I wanted to eat the whole pan by myself and one can only have so much self restarant when cookie dough is involved! Thanks for the fun recipe!
ARGH!!! I’m so frustrated. I have been on a 21 day sugar detox and THIS THIS THIS recipe was THE ONE I decided to make to “celebrate” after TWENTY-ONE DAYS without sugar.
Boy am I terribly disappointed!
There is NO WAY this brownie recipe is intended for a 9×9 pan, and if it is, there is NO WAY it’s only supposed to bake for 25 – 30 minutes. NO WAY. Mine are STILL in the oven at 350 degrees. It’s been almost 45 minutes now and the middle is still LIQUID. I know my oven temp is correct. I’m just SO UPSET because the top and outside edges of these brownies are OVERDONE and the inside is still ridiculously RAW.
SO SO SO SO SO SO SO disappointed!!! I’m not even going to attempt the cookie dough portion of this recipe. I quit!!!
That’s a bummer- I’m really not sure why they didn’t turn out for you. Sorry about that.
cant i just add greaseproof paper instead????????
Waxed paper? Not in the oven… the wax will melt. You can use foil in a pinch.
These were just amazing!!! My boyfriend loved them.
I’m not exactly sure what I did wrong here…. I used a 9×9 inch pan and followed the directions exactly but somehow ended up with a HUGE layer of brownie and barely any cookie dough. The brownie layer is easily 3 inches tall and the cookie dough only ended up being about half an inch…. They taste delicious but i’m a little confused about what went wrong here.
I’m confused too!
These look amazing! I can’t wait to make them, just one question though, if you don’t mind. Do I need keep these chilled IMMEDIATELY before serving? Because I want to make these for a party at my school and I have that party later in the day and I don’t have any access to the refrigerators. So is the cookie dough going to melt or is it fine in room temp.?
Can you keep them in a cooler? They won’t melt, but I don’t know if they’ll be all that great sitting at room temp all day.
So I made these the other day, got in a car wreck and they went ALL over my car. Me and my friends still ate the mess that was left on the plate and it was great! Just made them again today, but I only put 1 tsp of vanilla in the cookie dough and it was perfect. I thought the 1 and a half tsp gave it too much of a vanilla taste for my liking 🙂
oh my gosh! I hope you’re okay. And I’m glad you liked them so much!