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’m really excited to try the new version. I made this last year for my 11 year olds birthday and he and his friends LOVED it, I will admit that I wasn’t loving the brownie as much as the cookie dough (because it wasn’t as fudgy as I like and well I’m a brownie girl hands down with cookie dough coming in a VERY, VERY close 2nd)..so now that you made the brownie even more fudgy (or is it fudgier…not sure that’s a word! LOL) anyways I can’t wait to make them again and see if I go from really like this to loving it! Oh and anyone who doesn’t think the cookie dough shouldn’t be grainy, ummm..hello it’s supposed to be!
I’ve seen the your first version floating around pinterest here and there… I have to say they look pretty darn good… as do these!! I think I need to try them very very very soon…
PS… Cookie dough really does need to be grainy… that’s part of what makes it cookie dough! All that sugar YUM!
This look so incredibly amazing. I can’t stop thinking about them! Must make soon!!!
I am so glad I found your blog, you are a breath of fresh air. Can’t wait to try these. Thank you!
Thank you!
You’re so sweet! Thank you!
Also I would like to add that you really do have to refrigerate it until it is solid before cutting and eating, it makes a huge difference! I ate a piece last night after only about one hour of refrigeration and then another piece this morning (yup, I had it for breakfast… I’m that cool) and it was so much better this morning because the consistency was much thicker and subsequently easier to bite.
I had no problems with the dough adhering to the brownie or anything, just fyi. and for the graininess complainers, even with powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar it was still grainy (I did use brown sugar though). I like it grainy so I was pleased; I didn’t use powdered on purpose I just didn’t want to go to the store at 9pm.
Thank you for all of the fabulous feedback!! Glad they were a hit, and it’s good to know that you thought they were as good as I did!!
So these are AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS. soooo freaking good, I never tried the other version, I had pinned that page, but when I came back to it you had already posted this new and improved version, so I figured I’d give it a shot. Basically, this recipe takes two of my favorite desserts and combined them into one. The brownie part tastes like brownies (and I especially liked that it took chocolate, not cocoa powder since I don’t have powder lol) and the cookie part tastes like cookie dough.
I had a small mishap when making it, in that I only had like a half a cup of granulated sugar left so I had to make it with powdered sugar (I used what I had left of the regular sugar in the brownie part since it is the part that’s getting baked and things like that matter when you’re baking). It still worked out, although I had to add an extra 1/4 cup of flour for the consistency to feel right for the cookie dough. I also only had regular size choc chips, but that was okay too.
This was so freaking good! (the only way it could be “improved” is to add a cheesecake layer then I could get all my favorite desserts in one! hmmmm….) But be aware that you can only eat one small square of this, it is super rich and super thick!
LOVE cookie dough brownies! These look fantastic, Lori. Thanks for sharing that tip on freezing the brownies till they firm up.
These look HEAVENLY!!! Love your photos too. 🙂 So excited for this cookbook!
Thanks for “take 2” of these brownies. I liked the original recipe, but I’m looking forward to trying this one.
You should know that I immediately made these yesterday as soon as I saw the post in your Twitter feed. I made them in a 10″ square pan and they were plenty thick! I wanted a few more quantity to take them into work, and — no surprise — they were a HUGE HIT! Thanks for yet another delicious, easy, amazing recipe that makes me look like a professional baker! Such rave reviews I tell you!!!