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Brookies are the best of both worlds: soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies meet fudgy, shiny and crackly-topped brownies in one irresistible treat that everyone loves.
Brookies are the ultimate mash-up dessert—half chewy chocolate chip cookie, half fudgy brownie, all baked into one glorious cookie. You get the best of both worlds in a single bite: soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie dough meets rich, fudgy brownie dough with a shiny, crackly crust. It’s absolutely delightful, and trust me, adults and kids alike will devour these to the max! Like my husband said “We don’t have to choose between a cookie or a brownie! You get to eat both at the same time!
Why You’ll Love These Brookies
Two desserts in one—why choose between brownies and cookies when you can have both?
Perfect balance of textures: chewy cookie + fudgy brownie.
That irresistible shiny, crackly crust on the brownie side.
Kid- and adult-approved.
The doughs freeze beautifully for make-ahead treats.
Why Do Brownies Get a Shiny, Crackly Crust?
That shiny, crinkly top on brownies (and in these brookies) comes from sugar and eggs whisked together until dissolved. When you whisk them well, sugar rises to the surface during baking, forming a thin meringue-like layer. Combined with melted chocolate, this creates that signature shiny, delicate crust.
What’s The Secret to an Amazing Brookies?
Chilling the dough! Both the brownie and cookie doughs need at least 1 hour in the fridge, but if you can do overnight, you’ll be rewarded with even better flavor and texture.
Ingredients & Substitutions
For the brownies:
Dark chocolate – I use 55% dark chocolate, but go higher if you want more intensity.
Unsalted butter – just enough to give richness.
Salt – enhances flavor and balances sweetness.
Egg – 1 large egg
Sugar – plain granulated sugar or caster sugar works too
Vanilla extract – use good-quality vanilla extract
All-purpose flour – for structure. I haven’t tried this myself, but 1 to 1 measure gluten-free flour might work?
Dutch-processed cocoa powder – gives deep chocolate flavor. If you don’t have it, you can use regular unsweetened cocoa powder
Baking powder – just a touch for lift. Do not substitute with baking soda. It’s not the same
For the chocolate chip cookies:
Unsalted butter – melted, for that chewy texture.
Light brown sugar – adds caramel notes and some chewiness. You can use dark brown sugar too
Granulated sugar – balances sweetness.
Salt – always important in cookies.
Vanilla extract – flavor booster.
Egg – half a large egg (about 25 g). I know it’s annoying to use 1/2 and egg, but well, you won’t regret it. You can always save the other half for other use or add it to your morning scrambled eggs, etc
All-purpose flour – for structure. I haven’t tried this myself, but 1 to 1 measure gluten-free flour might work?
Baking soda – gives the right spread and lift. Do not substitute with baking powder, it’s not the same
Semi-sweet chocolate chips – plus extra for topping (you can also use chunks).
Storage Tips
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
Freezer (unbaked): Freeze dough balls on a tray until firm, then transfer to a bag/container. Bake straight from frozen (add 1–2 minutes to baking time).
Freezer (baked): Freeze baked brookies for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature or reheat at 320°F for 3–5 minutes for that fresh-baked feel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need to chill the dough? Yes! Chilling controls spread, improves texture, and deepens flavor. At least 1 hour is a must, overnight is best.
Can I double the recipe? Absolutely. Just keep the doughs chilled until ready to bake.
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark? Yes, but your brownies will be sweeter and less intense.
Can I mix the doughs together instead of half-and-half? You can swirl them, but the classic brookie look (half cookie, half brownie) is the most fun.
My cookies didn’t spread much. What happened? They may have been too cold or your oven slightly under temperature. You can press them gently before baking to encourage spreading.
65gsemi-sweet chocolate chipsplus more for topping
Instructions
This recipe requires at least 1 hour of chilling the cookie doughs for the best result and flavor. If you can do overnight, you will be rewarded with an even more amazing taste and texture
Prepare the brownie dough:
I use chocolate chips. If you use chocolate bars, cut into smaller pieces. Fill a small saucepan with about 1–2 inches of water. Place a heatproof bowl (glass or metal) on top, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Bring the water to a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil. Place chopped chocolate or chips and butter in the bowl and stir with a silicione spatula until the just last few bits of chocolate chips still visible, remove from the heat and continue to stir until all of the chocolate and butter are melted
Take the bowl off the pot once melted to prevent overheating. Keep water out of the chocolate, or it will seize and become grainy. Let the chocolate down while you prepare the rest
In a mixing bowl, combine egg, salt, sugar, and vanilla. Use a balloon whisk to whisk vigorously until the sugar dissolves.
Then add the melted chocolate and whisk again until the mixture is shiny.
Sift in all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Use a spatula to fold to combine everything. You will get a very sticky dough.
Cover with a plastic wrap and let it refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour. I let it chill overnight for 8-10 hours, or even up to 2-3 days is fine too if you don't have the time to bake it yet
Prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough:
Combine melted butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously for about 1 minute until the sugar dissolves.
Add the egg and whisk again and you can see the mixture will emulsify because the egg helps emulsification.
Sift in all-purpose flour and baking soda. Use a spatula to fold and combine.
Before it's fully combined, add the chocolate chips and continue to fold until you no longer see dry bits of flour mix.
Cover the bowl or wrap the dough with a cling wrap and refrigerate in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour. I let it chill overnight for 8-10 hours, or even up to 2-3 days is fine too if you don't have the time to bake it yet
Shaping the dough:
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) for conventional oven. Please lower the temperature by 20 F (15 C) if using convection oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
The doughs are cold now and easy to work with. Use a spoon to scoop about 1 tablespoon of brownie dough, about 15 grams if you weigh (I did).
You can roll it into a dough ball. Repeat with the rest. I get about 19 dough balls
Portion out 20 grams of chocolate chip dough (a bit over 1 spoonful). You can roll it into a dough ball. Repeat with the rest. I get about 19 dough balls
You can take one brownie dough and one chocolate chip cookie dough and put them together and roll into a dough ball
Or you can divide the brownie dough into 2 and the chocolate chip cookie dough into 2. Arrange them in a criss-cross pattern. Then roll them into a dough ball
There is no right and wrong here. I just keep the dough half and half for each cookie
Place them on the baking sheets, about 2 inches apart because they will spread some
Press on few more chocolate chips on the dough. Sprinkle with a bit of flaky sea salt if you want
To freeze unbaked cookie dough:
Place the unbaked dough balls in the freezer for about an hour to let them harden but not fully frozen yet. Then transfer to a freezer container or freezer bag. They can be kept frozen for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, do not thaw and bake from frozen. Just need to add a minute or two to the baking time
Bake:
I strongly suggest to bake one tray at a time. Place the baking pan in the middle rack. I keep the other tray in the fridge while waiting for the oven
Bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be just lightly brown. Do not overbake these cookies. They appear very soft when they just come out from the oven
If the cookies are not round in shape, you can use the back of the spoon to push the edges of the cookies to make it rounder. This has to be done immediately while they are still warm
Cool down:
Let the cookies cool down on the baking pan. The cookies are puffy when they are just out of the oven.
They will flatten a bit as they cool down, creating some shiny crackles on the brownie portion
Storage:
They can be kept in an air-tight container for 2-3 days at room temperature. They also freezes very well after baked. Simply let them cool down completely and then place them on a baking sheet, not touching each other and put them in the freezer for about 1 hour. This will harden the cookies. Transfer to a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 1 month.
Simply thaw at room temperature for a few minutes. If you want that fresh-baked cookies feel, I reheat in a toaster oven at 320 F for 3-5 minutes to let the chocolate melt slightly
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you like this recipe and consider rating it! Tag me @whattocooktoday I’d love to see your photos/videos on Instagram
