You want dessert that makes people stop talking mid-sentence? This is it. Thick, shiny crinkle-top brownies fused with gooey, chewy chocolate chip cookies in one outrageous bar—aka browkies.
No bakery flex, no weird techniques, just strategic mixing and a few power moves. Bake these once and your group chat will become a waiting list. You’ve been warned.
The Secret Behind This Recipe
The magic is in contrast: a dense, fudgy brownie base topped with a chewy cookie layer that stays soft.
We use melted butter + cocoa + chocolate for deep brownie flavor and a touch of espresso powder to amplify the chocolate without tasting like coffee. For the cookie dough, brown sugar and a chill-friendly ratio of flour to butter keep it chewy, not cakey. Finish with a staggered bake so neither layer overcooks.
It’s controlled decadence.
Ingredients Breakdown
- For the Brownie Layer:
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 4 oz (115 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped or chips
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (35 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process preferred)
- 1/2 cup (64 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder (optional, recommended)
- For the Cookie Layer:
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (110 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 3/4 cup (130 g) chocolate chips or chunks
- Finishing: Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional but elite)
Cooking Instructions
- Prep the pan: Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment, leaving overhang. Lightly grease. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Make brownie batter: In a heatproof bowl, melt butter and chocolate until smooth.Whisk in sugars. Add eggs one at a time, whisking 30 seconds after each for that shiny top. Stir in vanilla, espresso, cocoa, salt, then fold in flour just until combined.
- Make cookie dough: Beat softened butter with brown and white sugar until creamy, 1–2 minutes.Mix in egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Layer it: Spread brownie batter evenly in pan.Crumble the cookie dough over the top in flat chunks, lightly pressing to mostly cover while leaving some brownie peeking through.
- Bake: Bake 24–28 minutes until edges are set and the center has a slight jiggle. A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. If your oven runs hot, start checking at 22 minutes.
- Finish and cool: Sprinkle flaky salt.Cool completely in pan (1–2 hours). For clean cuts, chill 30 minutes before slicing.
Preservation Guide
- Room temp: Store in an airtight container up to 3 days. They stay fudgy.
- Fridge: Up to 1 week; let sit 10 minutes before eating or warm 10–15 seconds.
- Freezer: Wrap bars individually and freeze up to 2 months.Thaw at room temp or microwave briefly.
- Re-crisp edges: A quick 300°F (150°C) toast for 3–4 minutes perks them right up.
Benefits of This Recipe
- Two-for-one dessert: Brownie intensity plus cookie chew—no compromises.
- Foolproof texture: Melted butter + whisking equals glossy tops, chewy centers. Science, but tasty.
- Pantry-friendly: No fancy equipment or rare ingredients.
- Scales easily: Double for a 9×13 pan (add 4–6 minutes to bake time), party solved.
Don’t Make These Errors
- Overbaking: Dry town. Pull when the center is slightly under; carryover heat finishes the job.
- Overmixing flour: Tough, cakey bars happen when you beat the batter.Fold gently.
- Skipping salt: Salt sharpens chocolate flavor. Don’t fear it.
- Hot layering: Don’t add cookie dough to scorching-hot brownie batter or it melts into a blob.
- Wrong pan size: A 9-inch pan thins the layers; adjust bake time down if you must use it.
Recipe Variations
- Peanut Butter Swirl: Dollop 1/3 cup warmed peanut butter over brownie batter before adding cookie dough; swirl lightly.
- Triple Chocolate: Use dark chocolate in brownies, milk chocolate chips in cookies, and add 2 tbsp cocoa to cookie dough.
- Salted Caramel: Layer 1/3 cup soft caramels or caramel sauce between brownie and cookie layers; sprinkle flaky salt.
- Nutty Crunch: Fold 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans into the brownie batter for texture.
- Gluten-Free: Swap a quality 1:1 GF flour blend; bake time may increase by 2–3 minutes.
FAQ
How do I get the shiny, crinkly brownie top?
Whisk the sugars into the warm butter-chocolate, then beat in eggs vigorously. That emulsifies and dissolves sugars, creating the coveted gloss.
Can I use cocoa only without real chocolate?
Yes, add 2 extra tablespoons butter and increase sugar by 2 tablespoons to balance.
Flavor won’t be as deep, but still delish.
Why just an egg yolk in the cookie layer?
It ups fat and chew while avoiding excess moisture that could steam and turn cakey. TL;DR: chew city.
How do I know they’re done?
Edges set, center slightly wobbly, toothpick with moist crumbs. If it’s clean, you went too far—sorry, still tasty though.
Can I halve the recipe?
Use a 9×5 loaf pan and start checking at 18–20 minutes.
Works great for small-batch cravings, IMO.
Do I need espresso powder?
No, but it quietly boosts chocolate flavor. You won’t taste coffee—promise.
The Bottom Line
If brownies and cookies had a power couple, this would be their viral offspring: rich, chewy, dramatic, and ridiculously easy. Follow the simple ratios, avoid the classic mistakes, and you’ll get bakery-level browkies with zero drama.
Make a pan tonight and prepare for applause—or at least suspiciously empty plates.