brown butter brookies

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Brookies combine fudgy brown butter brownies with chewy chocolate chip cookies! Layering the two batters in a specific way ensures that everything bakes evenly without either layer over baking.

Why you’ll love these Brookies:

Fudgy Brownie Layer – A rich layer of my fudgy chocolate brownies makes up part of this easy dessert!
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer – My chewy chocolate chip cookies recipe is layered between & on top of the brownie batter.
Feeds a Crowd – These rich bars can be cut into small slices to feed a large group! Perfect for parties.

A close-up of a stack of brookies with gooey, fudgy insides.

Ingredient Overview:

As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).

Butter – I always use salted butter because in my experience, it lends the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if that’s what you prefer. We’re using all butter in the cookie layer.
Vegetable Oil – Since vegetable oil remains a liquid at room temperature (unlike butter) it’s instrumental in keeping baked goods of all kinds tender & moist. I used to make brownies with all butter but trust me – swapping out some of the butter for oil gives huge payoff in the moisture department, without sacrificing on flavor!
Semi-Sweet Chocolate – We’re using semi-sweet chocolate so the bars won’t be too sweet.
Cocoa Powder – I like using cocoa powder with melted chocolate for extra depth of chocolate flavor in my brownies!
Eggs – Use large eggs, at room temperature.
Sugars – Using a combination of granulated sugar and powdered sugar makes it easier for all the sugar to dissolve, which is key to achieving the paper thin, shiny crust! We’re using a combo of granulated sugar and brown sugar in the cookie dough to keep them soft and chewy.
Vanilla – Use real vanilla extract for best results.
Salt – A little salt is key to any recipe (savory or sweet!). It helps balance the sweetness and bring out the flavor.
All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.

Recipe Variations:

Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of this recipe.
Dairy-free – Use your favorite dairy-free butter to make this recipe dairy-free

How to Make the best Brookies:

Step 1: Make the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. In a medium bowl, melt the butter, then whisk in the sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Divide the dough in half and press half into a parchment lined 9×13 pan – then remove and set aside. This is our middle layer of cookie dough.

Step 2: Make the Brown Butter Brownies. Brown the butter on the stovetop, then whisk in the chocolate, oil, and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Then, whisk in the chocolate mixture and fold in the flour and chocolate chips.

A bowl of chocolate chip brownie batter.

Step 3: Assemble Bars. Spread half the brownie batter in your lined pan. Lay the formed half of the cookie dough over this. Spread the remaining brownie batter on top. Top with discs of the remaining cookie dough.

A pan of the assembled dessert, ready to bake.

Step 4: Bake. Bake as directed in the recipe card below. Do not over bake!

Serving + Storing:

Allow bars to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. The longer you let them cool, the neater your slices will be (but let’s be real, these are begging to be eaten warm!)

Store cooled leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.

A top down view of a stack of the brookies.

Expert Baking Tips for Brookies:

Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.

Special Tools:

9×13 Pan – A metal 9×13 pan is essential for this recipe!

Brown Butter Brookies

Brookies combine fudgy brown butter brownies with chewy chocolate chip cookies! Layering the two batters in a specific way ensures that everything bakes evenly without one layer over baking.

Prep:35minutes
Cook:40minutes
Total:1hour 15minutes
Servings:16 to 24 bars

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Chip Cookies:

For the Brownies:

For Topping

▢flaky sea salt, optional

Instructions

Prep: Preheat your oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13 metal pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper (this makes for easy removal & slicing later).
Make the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla, and whisk until smooth and combined, about 30-45 seconds. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the chocolate chips or chunks last. Divide the dough into two equal halves (about 640 grams each). Press half of the dough into the prepared pan, then lift out that piece of parchment paper and replace with a new piece. Set your layer of cookie dough aside and leave the rest in the bowl for later.
14.5 tbsp salted butter,3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed,3/4 cup granulated sugar,2 large eggs, at room temperature,1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract,3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out,1 tsp baking soda,1 tsp baking powder,1/2 salt,1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Brown the Butter: Add cubed butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring occasionally. Once it’s melted, turn the heat to medium-low, and continue cooking the butter, stirring frequently. The butter will get foamy and bubbly, then turn a deep golden shade with a nutty, caramely aroma. (This will take about 3-6 minutes once the butter has melted.)

3/4 cup salted butter, cubed
Make the Brownie Batter: Once the butter is browned, stir in your semi-sweet chocolate until completely melted, then whisk in the vegetable oil and cocoa powder. Set aside to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, egg yolk, and granulated sugar. Whisk for about 1-2 minutes, until the sugar is fully dissolved. (Feel the mixture between your fingers – if it’s completely smooth, you’re good! If you feel sugar granules, keep whisking.) Next, whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Then, check that the chocolate mixture is no longer piping hot (it will be quite warm, though), and whisk it into the bowl of eggs/sugar/. Fold in the flour & espresso powder, then the chocolate chips.
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped,1/4 cup vegetable oil,3/4 cup cocoa powder,3 large eggs, at room temperature,1 large egg yolk, at room temperature,3/4 cup granulated sugar,1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar,2 tsp vanilla extract,1/4 tsp salt,1/2 cup all-purpose flour,pinch of espresso powder,1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Assemble: Spread slightly more than half the brownie batter (you can just eyeball it) in the bottom of your lined 9×13 pan. Lay the sheet of cookie dough on top of this, removing that extra piece of parchment paper. Spread the remaining brownie batter on top. Form large, thick discs with the remaining cookie dough and set on top of the batter. (See photos in blog post above if you need some help visualizing this!). Press extra chocolate chips into any bare spots on the cookie dough if desired.
Bake: Bake the assembled brookies for 38 to 44 minutes. The cookies will be golden and the brownies will have a shiny top. A toothpick inserted into the center of a brownie spot will have some moist crumbs, but not wet batter. Do not over bake!
Serve & Store: Allow bars to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 1 – 2 hours before slicing and serving. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired!

Store leftover bars, cooled, in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. I highlyyy recommend warming leftover slices back up in the microwave.

flaky sea salt, optional

Notes

Brownie Notes:

Brown Butter in the Brownies: You can skip browning the butter if pinched for time. But, make sure you begin with just 140 grams of melted butter, rather than 170 grams if skipping the browning step.

Cocoa Powder: Because this recipe uses no baking powder/soda, you can use any type of cocoa powder (dutch process and natural cocoa powder normally can not be used interchangeably because of how they react with baking powder vs. baking soda). You can use dutch process, natural, or black cocoa powder (black cocoa is the type they use in oreos – it makes these brownies taste a bit like oreos!).

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 667kcal, Carbohydrates: 84g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 297mg, Potassium: 274mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 56g, Vitamin A: 641IU, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.