Cookie Dough Brownies
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.
These Cookie Dough Brownies combine two classic desserts in one irresistible bar. A thick layer of fudgy chocolate brownies is topped with soft, edible chocolate chip cookie dough for the ultimate dessert mashup. They’re rich, decadent, and perfect for anyone who can’t decide between brownies and cookies.
I originally tested this recipe because I wanted a brownie that felt a little more special than the classic brownie version. I’ve always loved sneaking bites of my edible cookie dough while baking, so layering it over a fudgy brownie seemed like an easy win. I love it so much that I’ve made these cookie dough cookies and cookie dough cupcakes. But this time -it’s brownies time to shine.
What makes these brownies different is that the cookie dough is completely egg-free and made with heat-treated flour, making it safe to eat. The brownie layer is rich and chewy thanks to melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and a little oil, which helps keep the texture extra fudgy even after cooling.
I also chose to use chopped baking chocolate in the brownie batter instead of relying on cocoa powder alone. Melted chocolate creates a richer flavor and a denser texture that pairs perfectly with the soft cookie dough topping.
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Eggs: Let them come to room temperature so they incorporate more easily. I place mine in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Canola oil: Vegetable oil or another neutral-tasting oil works well too.
- Vanilla extract
- Unsalted butter: Salted butter also works. Just reduce the added salt.
- Semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate: Use a quality baking chocolate bar for best flavor. I don’t recommend chocolate chips here.
- Dutch-process cocoa powder: Creates a deeper chocolate flavor, but natural cocoa powder can be substituted.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the Cookie Dough
- All-purpose flour: Be sure to heat-treat the flour before using.
- Unsalted butter: Use room-temperature butter for a smooth cookie dough.
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Whole milk: Start with the smaller amount and add more only if needed.
- Salt
- Mini chocolate chips
How To Make Cookie Dough Brownies
1. Prepare the pan and oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides. This will make it much easier to lift the brownies out later for slicing.
2. Combine the dry ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisking now helps evenly distribute the leavening and prevents pockets of baking powder in the finished brownies.
3. Mix the wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Whisking the sugars with the eggs helps dissolve some of the sugar and creates a shiny brownie top.
4. Melt the chocolate and butter
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chopped chocolate together. Stir frequently to prevent the chocolate from scorching.
Once smooth, remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder. Adding the cocoa powder while the mixture is warm helps bloom the cocoa and deepen the chocolate flavor.
5. Finish the brownie batter
Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk until combined.
Add the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, which can lead to tougher brownies.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Bake the brownies
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 22 to 27 minutes. The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. If the toothpick comes out completely clean, they may be overbaked.
Cool the brownies completely in the pan before adding the cookie dough layer.
7. Heat-treat the flour
To make the cookie dough safe to eat, spread the flour onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, then allow it to cool completely before using.
Do not skip this step, as raw flour can contain harmful bacteria.
8. Make the cookie dough
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the vanilla extract and milk and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cooled heat-treated flour and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
9. Assemble the brownies
Once the brownies are completely cool, spread the cookie dough evenly over the top.
For clean slices, chill the brownies for 20 to 30 minutes before cutting.
Recipe Tips
- Use a quality chocolate bar. Melted baking chocolate creates a richer, fudgier brownie than cocoa powder alone.
- Don’t overbake the brownies. Look for a few moist crumbs on the toothpick. Overbaked brownies can turn dry and crumbly.
- Heat-treat the flour. This step makes the cookie dough safe to eat and shouldn’t be skipped.
- Let the brownies cool completely. Warm brownies will melt the cookie dough layer and make spreading difficult.
- Use room-temperature butter for the cookie dough. It creams more easily and creates a smooth, fluffy texture.
- Chill before slicing. A quick 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator helps create cleaner layers and neater cuts.
- Line the pan with parchment paper. The overhang makes it easy to lift the brownies out and slice them evenly.
Storage
Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Wrap individual brownies tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Brownie Recipes To Try
If you’re as obsessed with brownies as I am, there are plenty more chocolate desserts to try. My walnut brownies are the perfect mix of sweet and salty, while my Small Batch Brownies are ideal when you don’t want a full pan sitting on the counter all week.
If you’re a fan of nostalgic desserts, you’ll love my Cosmic Brownies topped with rainbow chips.
Cookie Dough Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies:
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (½ stick, 57 g) unsalted butter
- 4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
- ½ cup (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the cookie dough:
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour heat-treated
- 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks, 170 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup (213 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tablespoons whole milk
- Pinch salt
- 3/4 cup (127 g) mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prep oven and pan. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8×8” pan with parchment paper, or grease with non-stick cooking spray. See note below about using a metal or glass pan.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) all purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla. 2 large eggs ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar ¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar ¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Combine butter and chocolate. In a small saucepan on the stove, over low heat, melt and stir together the butter and chopped chocolate. Stir frequently to keep the chocolate from burning. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder, whisking to combine. ¼ cup (½ stick, 57 g) unsalted butter 4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate 2 Tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
- Add chocolate mixture to sugar mixture. Whisk the chocolate/butter mixture into the sugar/egg mixture until smooth and combined.
- Add dry ingredients. Stir using a spatula or wooden spoon in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. ½ cup (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Assemble brownies. Spread the brownie batter into an even layer in the prepared pan.
- Bake brownies. Bake for 22 to 27 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into bars and serve.
Make the cookie dough:
- Heat-treat the flour. Preheat the oven to 350℉. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread out the flour. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before using. 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- Cream butter and sugar. In a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on high speed for 2 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and milk and mix until combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed. 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks, 170 g) unsalted butter 1 cup (213 g) packed light brown sugar ¼ (50 g) granulated sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1-2 Tablespoons whole milk
- Add dry ingredients. Sift together the heat-treated flour and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture. Mix on medium until fluffy and combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the chocolate chips, and mix for an additional 30 seconds. Pinch salt 3/4 cup (127 g) mini chocolate chips
- Once cooled, spread the cookie dough on top of the brownies.
Notes
- Storage: Keep brownies, stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up t0 3 days. You can store in the fridge but if you do keep in mind this will result in a firmer brownie and may dry them out a bit.
- Freezing: Brownies freeze wonderfully. Once they are cooled, store them in a freezer plastic bag for up to 3 months. When ready to eat I let them sit at room temperature for a bit before enjoying. They will thaw quickly.
- Pan: You can use either for this chocolate brownie recipe however you will notice some differences. Brownies baked in a metal pan will bake faster, and have crispier edges. If you bake brownies in a glass pan, you may need to add on an extra 5 minutes of baking time.
- Dutch Cocoa Powder – You could substitute Dutch cocoa powder with natural unsweetened but Dutch cocoa powder is less acidic and will create a darker, richer chocolate taste.
- Chocolate – The key to these brownies being ultra rich and fudgy is because melted chocolate gets stirred in with the cocoa powder. I use either semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate and then chop it so it melts into the butter easily. I love Ghiradelli – it’s quality and always available in my grocery stores. I don’t recommend using chocolate chips as they have stabilizers in them that might prevent them from melting into the butter as nicely.
- Canola Oil – I always use canola oil, or sometimes vegetable oil. Just keep in mind any oil will work but some may impart flavor to the brownies.
