Fudgy Brookies

Honestly, I think having to choose between a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie and a rich, fudgy brownie is a problem no one should ever have to solve. It’s just unfair. For the longest time, I would bake one or the other, always feeling a tiny pang of “what if” for the dessert I left behind.

Then, I fully embraced the Brookie.

If you haven’t met one yet, a Brookie is exactly what it sounds like: a bottom layer of dense, dark chocolate brownie topped (or marbled) with golden, buttery cookie dough. They bake together into this incredible bar that satisfies every single sweet tooth you have.

This isn’t just a dessert; it’s a texture masterpiece. I love this specific recipe because it doesn’t compromise. The brownie layer isn’t cakey—it’s legitimately fudgy—and the cookie part stays soft and chewy rather than turning into a rock. You get that crackly brownie top peeking through mounds of cookie dough. It is, in my humble opinion, the perfect bar.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Best of Both Worlds: You get the deep cocoa hit from the brownie and the brown sugar vanilla notes from the cookie in every single bite.
• No Fancy Equipment: You don’t need a stand mixer if you don’t have one. I usually just use two bowls and a trusty wooden spoon.
• Forgiving Texture: Because we want these fudgy and soft, it’s actually better to underbake them slightly than to overbake them.
• Visual Stunner: The marbled “patchwork” look of the black and gold doughs looks like you spent hours in the kitchen (but you really didn’t).

Tools You’ll Need

Before we get our hands dirty, let’s make sure you have everything ready.

• 8×8 inch (20×20 cm) Baking Pan: Metal pans are best for sharp edges, but glass works too (just lower the temp by 25°F).
• Two Mixing Bowls: One for the brownie batter, one for the cookie dough.
• Whisk and Spatula: You need a whisk to get that brownie skin crackly and a spatula for folding in the chocolate chips.
• Parchment Paper: This is non-negotiable for me. It allows you to lift the whole block out of the pan for perfect slicing.

The Ingredients

I’ve listed both US cups and Metric grams because baking by weight is always more accurate, but I know sometimes you just want to scoop and go.

For the Brownie Layer:

• Unsalted Butter: ½ cup (113g), melted and hot.
• Granulated Sugar: 1 cup (200g).
• Cocoa Powder: ⅓ cup (30g). Tip: Use Dutch-processed if you want that dark, Oreo-like color.
• Eggs: 2 large (cold is fine here).
• Vanilla Extract: 1 tsp.
• All-Purpose Flour: ½ cup (60g).
• Salt: ¼ tsp.

For the Cookie Layer:

• Unsalted Butter: ½ cup (113g), softened to room temperature.
• Brown Sugar: ½ cup (100g), packed.
• Granulated Sugar: ¼ cup (50g).
• Egg: 1 large.
• All-Purpose Flour: 1 ¼ cups (150g).
• Baking Soda: ½ tsp.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: ¾ cup (130g).

Step-by-Step Instructions

Ready? Let’s make some magic.

1. Prep the Oven and Pan Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your square pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides. I like to use binder clips to hold the paper in place while I work (just remember to remove them before baking!).

2. Make the Brownie Batter In a medium bowl, combine your hot melted butter and the sugar. Whisk this vigorously. I mean it—whisk for a good minute. This helps dissolve the sugar, which creates that shiny, crackly top we all love.

• Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
• Fold in the cocoa powder, flour, and salt with a spatula just until the white streaks disappear. Do not overmix, or your brownie will be tough!
• Pour this batter into your prepared pan and spread it out into an even layer. Set it aside.

3. Make the Cookie Dough In a separate bowl (or the same one if you washed it quick—I won’t judge), cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until it looks creamy and paste-like.

• Beat in the egg and vanilla.
• Add the flour and baking soda. Mix until a dough forms. It will be thick!
• Fold in those chocolate chips.

4. The Assembly (The Fun Part) Here is where you get artistic. Take handfuls of the cookie dough and flatten them slightly with your palms. Place these flattened disks on top of the brownie batter.

• Don’t cover the brownie completely. Leave gaps so the dark brownie batter can peek through. It should look like a delicious puzzle.

5. Bake Pop the pan into the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

• How to tell it’s done: The cookie tops should be golden brown. If you stick a toothpick into a cookie part, it should come out clean. If you stick it into a brownie part, it should come out with moist crumbs (not raw batter).

6. The Hardest Part: Waiting I know you want to eat these right now. But you must let them cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. If you cut them hot, they will fall apart. Lifting them out via the parchment paper and letting them cool on a wire rack speeds this up.

Serving Ideas & Variations

• The Sundae: Serve a warm square with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The contrast between the hot chocolatey bar and the cold cream is life-changing.
• Salted: Sprinkle flaky sea salt (like Maldon) over the top right when they come out of the oven. It cuts the sweetness perfectly.
• Nutty: Add walnuts or pecans to the brownie layer for a crunch that breaks up the fudgy texture.
• Peanut Butter: Swirl a tablespoon of peanut butter into the brownie batter before adding the cookie dough.

Pro Tips & Mistakes to Avoid

I’ve messed these up before so you don’t have to. Here are my secrets:

• Don’t Overbake: This is the most common mistake. If the tester comes out bone dry, they are overdone. They will continue to firm up as they cool. Fudgy is better than dry, always.
• Room Temp Butter for Cookies: For the cookie layer, if your butter is melted rather than softened, your cookies will spread too much and merge into the brownie. You want them to keep their shape.
• Measure Flour Correctly: If you scoop your measuring cup directly into the flour bag, you pack it down and end up with too much flour. This leads to dry brookies. Instead, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a knife.
• The “Shiny Top” Hack: If you really want that glossy brownie surface, add the chocolate chips last to the cookie dough so you don’t overwork the oils.

Storage & Freezing

Counter: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Usually, they don’t last that long in my house!

Fridge: You can keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days, but the texture becomes much denser (almost like fudge candy).

Freezer: These freeze beautifully. Wrap individual squares in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When a craving hits, just zap one in the microwave for 20 seconds.

Recipe Specs

• Yields: 9 large squares or 16 small bites.
• Prep Time: 20 minutes.
• Cook Time: 25–30 minutes.
• Total Time: ~50 minutes.
• Calories: Approx. 380 per serving (if cut into 9).

I really hope you give these a try. There is something so comforting about pulling a pan of these out of the oven and smelling that mix of cocoa and caramelized sugar filling the kitchen.