Home > Recipes > Bars and Brownies > The BEST Brookies

The BEST Brookies

Pin Recipe Comments

It doesn’t get much better than these two classics combined – fudgy and rich brownie with soft and buttery chocolate chip cookie. These brookies are the best of the best with the most tender and rich textures baked perfectly thin. It’s all about getting the ratios just right with a brookie, and these definitely hit the mark!

stacked brookies

What makes these brookie recipe so good?

I’m SO picky when it comes to brookies! Or just cookie bars in general. They must be perfectly buttery and soft and bake completely even. No lumpy overdone edges. Thickness is also a major factor. They can’t be too clunky because every bite should be smooth and uniform.

When it comes to brookies, it’s hard to hit these marks because you’re essentially baking two bars on top of each other. So for this recipe, I made sure to make JUST enough dough and batter for each in order to fill the pan easily but not overtake in volume.

The tricky part was figuring out how to achieve these distinct and uniform layers. Sometimes, brookies are made by dropping globs of cookie dough on top of brownie batter. While effective, I dislike the fact that each bite is either all cookie or all brownie. For my brookies, each bite should have an even mix of both!

To make this happen, the brownie batter is spread into the pan and chilled to allow it to firm up just a bit. That way, it can take the weight of the cookie dough on top. To layer, globs of cookie dough are flattened between your hands and placed on top. They’re pieced together to completely cover the brownie batter.

You might be wondering why not layer them in reverse – cookie dough on bottom and brownie on top. Personally, I just like the look of the cookie layer on top! It’s much more enticing. This little extra bit of effort is worth it in the end.

process shot of cookie dough layer in a pan

How to Bake Bakery-Worthy Brookies

These brookies are ALWAYS a crowd pleaser because who wouldn’t want brownie cookie bars? But to really blow them away, here are a few tips to ensure they turn out extraordinary:

  1. Flour – When measuring the flour, I always suggest going by grams rather than cups. If you don’t have a food scale, spoon the flour into your cup and level it off with a flat edge for light and fluffy cups. Too much flour can cause both layers to bake a tough and dry.
  2. Chocolate – Both layers use chocolate chips, so I suggest going with the good stuff! Avoid Nestle and instead go for Ghirardelli or Guittard chocolate chips. If you’re near a Trader Joe’s, their chocolate chips are my absolute favorite!
  3. Pan – For perfect squares all around, use a square edged 9×13 pan. My favorite is this one from Williams Sonoma. I also like this one from USA Bakeware. Either way, these light-colored metal pans will leave you with the most even bake.
  4. Topping – Before baking, sprinkle with even more chocolate chips. This makes them look extra special. I actually like to do a mix of regular and mini chips to give them so dimension.
  5. Sea Salt – Sprinkle a good pinch of sea salt on top of the bars when they’re fresh from the oven. This really allows all the flavors to pop! This is the flaky sea salt I use for baking.
  6. Slicing – Instead of 24 squares, slice into 12 large squares. This is definitely optional, but these big squares give that bakery look. Just make sure to slice them once they’ve cooled or are just BARELY warm. If they’re too warm, it’s difficult to peel them off of the paper.
close up on sliced brookies top

Brookies FAQs

Can brookies be made gluten free?

Although I haven’t tested it, I’ve found that bars and brownies work really well with gluten-free baking flour so theres a very good chance these will turn out just fine! Just swap the all-purpose flour with a cup for cup gluten-free baking flour. I like Bob’s Red Mill (the blue bag) or King Arthur measure for measure.

Can I cut the recipe in half?

Half the recipe is still a little too much for an 8×8 pan! While not as standard, half the recipe should be ok in a 9×9 pan. I suggest baking for 25-30 minutes.

Do you have a recipe for just cookie bars?

Yes! My brownie butter chocolate chip cookie bars are a reader favorite.

Can I substitute the coconut oil?

The coconut oil adds extra fat to the brownie, thus creating a fudgier texture. You could try vegetable or olive oil, but it could alter the flavor of these bars. I wouldn’t suggest substituting it with more butter as they are not the same.

How do you store brookies?

Keep the cooled and sliced bars in a container at room temperature where they’ll keep for about 3 days. Otherwise, store in the refrigerator for about a week. I like to revive a bar by microwaving for 10-15 seconds.

Can you freeze brookies?

Absolutely, just store the cooled and sliced bars in a freezer-safe bag. They’ll keep for a few months.

sliced brookies

For more bars and brownies recipes, check out my:

Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram if you make this brookie recipe. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
stacked brookies

The BEST Brookies


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Description

These are truly the best brookies you will ever make! The brownie and cookie layers were tested to bake completely even so each bite as just the right amount of both. They also have a soft and fudgy texture from edge to center and are sliced into large squares, making them absolutely bakery-worthy!ย 


Ingredients

Cookie Dough

  • 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, melted (can be warm but not hot)
  • 3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 cups (256g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided (I do half mini half reg)ย 
  • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top

Brownie Batter

  • 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, sliced
  • 1/4 cup (54g) refined coconut oil
  • 3/4 cup (75g) regular unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup (120g) dark chocolate chips
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled


Instructions

Cookie Dough

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until well combined.
  2. Vigorously whisk in the egg and vanilla for a good minute or until the mixture turns creamy and a shade lighter.
  3. Whisk in the baking powder, salt, and cornstarch to evenly incorporate.ย 
  4. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the flour. About halfway through, add in 1 cup of chocolate chips and fold to fully bring the dough together. It will be thick and sticky.ย 
  5. Place in the refrigerator uncovered.

Brownie

  1. Add the butter and coconut oil to a medium saucepan and stir to melt over medium heat.
  2. Once melted and hot, whisk in the cocoa powder and allow to bubble for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate chips until smooth. Set aside.
  3. In a separate large bowl, vigorously whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, and eggs for a good minute or until creamy and a shade lighter.
  4. Whisk in the vanilla and salt, followed by the chocolate mixture.
  5. Add in the flour and whisk just to combine.
  6. Grease and line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper, allowing some paper to hang over the sides for easy removal.ย 
  7. Spread the batter in the pan and place in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350F.
  8. Once the brownie batter is chilled and feels firmer to the touch, itโ€™s time to add the cookie dough on top.ย 
  9. Take spoonfuls of the chilled dough and press flat between your hands. Lay on top of the brownie layer to cover the surface in patches of cookie dough. Near the end, use any remaining dough to fill in the gaps to fully cover the surface.
  10. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and gently press into the surface.ย 
  11. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the bars are evenly puffed and lightly golden on the surface.ย 
  12. Drop the pan a couple times right when itโ€™s fresh from the oven to deflate the bars. Then sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
  13. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for an hour or until just barely warm.ย 
  14. Once cooled, lift out of the pan and slice into 12 large squares or 24 smaller squares. I suggest running a knife under the bars to help release from the paper. Enjoy!ย 
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cooling Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

Join Our Community

Meet Jenna

I’m the creator, baker, and photographer behind Butternut Bakery. Here I share desserts for every diet because I believe everyone should have a chance to indulge!

Leave a Rating and a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star