Fudgy brownies on the bottom, chocolate chip cookie dough on top! What could be better? Cookie Dough Brownies are great as is or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have the ultimate dessert.
This dessert recipe breaks the tie of choosing between brownies and cookies. Why NOT have both?! The brownies on their own are perfection. Chocolatey and chewy.
Everyone knows raw cookie dough is a favorite. The best part? We’ve made edible cookie dough topping on the brownie. It’s an eggless cookie dough with heat treated flour so these chocolate chip cookie dough brownies are perfect for cookie dough lovers!
This is the best of all favorite desserts: fudgy brownies, chocolate chip cookies in egg-free cookie dough for a perfect cookie dough brownies recipe.
Serve them as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate drizzle on top of the cookie dough.
Brownie lovers will enjoy these as well: Nutella Brownies, Peanut Butter Brownies, Jelly Jar Chocolate Turtle Brownies and Chocolate Chip Cookie Stuffed Brownies.
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Recipe Ingredients Notes
The full list of ingredients and amount are included in the printable recipe card below.
Unsalted butter. You’ll use 1/2 cup for the brownie layer and it will need to be melted. For the cookie dough layer you’ll use another 1/2 cup which will need to be softened.
Unsweetened cocoa powder. This gives the brownies their chocolatey flavor. Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa.
Flour. Regular all purpose flour or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blends can be used. For all our gluten-free baking we use and recommend Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour.
NOTE: for the flour used in the cookie dough layer it will be heat treated in the microwave first so it’s safe to eat in the raw cookie dough. The flour used in the brownies does not need this treatment since it will bake.
Mini chocolate chips. Using mini chocolate chips better distributes in the edible cookie dough for little bites of chocolate every time.
Powdered sugar. Using powdered sugar in the cookie dough sweetens it without the grainy texture granulated sugar has.
How to make Cookie Dough Brownies – Step-by-Step
STEP 1. Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray (photo 1). Optional: Line the pan with foil or parchment paper for easier removal.
STEP 2. Making the Brownies
In a large mixing bowl, mix the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until combined (photo 2).
In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder (photo 3). Pour the dry ingredients (flour mixture) into the batter and mix until combined (photo 4).
Spread the brownie batter in an even layer in the prepared pan (photos 5-6) and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Take the brownies out of the oven and allow them to completely cool.
Once fully cooled, prepare the cookie dough.
STEP 3. Heat Treat the Flour for the Cookie Dough layer
Start by treating the flour to make it safe for eating.
Place the flour in a microwave safe bowl. Heat the flour in 30 second intervals, stirring in between intervals, until the temperature reaches 165 F (measure with an instant read food thermometer) (photo 7).
Check the temperature with a food thermometer, this will take 2-4 rounds in the microwave. Allow the flour to cool before continuing.
STEP 4. Make the Cookie Dough
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar until well combined (photo 8).
Add in the flour, vanilla, and salt (photo 9). Continue mixing until well combined. (If the mixture is dry and needs moisture, add milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency has been reached. You don’t want it to be super tough nor runny, just about the consistency that you can spread the dough onto the brownies.)
Mix in the chocolate chips (photo 10).
STEP 5. Assemble
Once the brownies are completely cooled, spread the cookie dough on top of the brownie base (photo 11). Top with a few extra chocolate chips, if desired (photo 12).
Chill, covered, for 30 minutes (photo 13). Slice and serve (photo 14).
Serve plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
Recipe Tips
Heat treating the flour. Be sure to follow the instructions to heat treat the flour in the cookie dough to ensure it’s safe to eat.
Measuring the flour. For the cookie dough spoon the flour into the measuring cup instead of scooping into the flour with a measuring cup. This will better ensure the correct amount and not too much.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze
Allow the cookie dough brownies to fully chill as instructed. Then cut them, wrap the brownies in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator.
This method allows removing them individually instead of a full batch.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are two reasons it’s not considered safe to eat regular raw cookie dough: raw eggs (which can contain salmonella) and raw flour (which can contain e. coli bacteria). Our cookie dough layer does not include eggs and we apply a heat treatment to the flour before adding it to kill any concerning germs.
You can! Use a fudgy brownie mix versus a cakey brownie mix. Make the brownies as directed by the mix and cool completely. Then add the edible chocolate chip cookie dough on the fudgy brownie layer.
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Recipe
Cookie Dough Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Cookie Dough Layer: (Follow heat treatment for flour before mixing this layer: instructions below for this part)
- ½ cup butter softened (1 stick)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend) Spoon the flour into the measuring cup, not dipping the cup into the flour
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- Optional: 2-3 tablespoons cream or milk This would be used only if needed to achieve a spreadable consistency of the dough (see instructions)
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Optional: Line the pan with foil or parchment paper for easier removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until combined.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients (butter-sugar mixture) and mix until combined.1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to completely cool.Once cooled, prepare the cookie dough.
- Start by treating the flour to make it safe for eating:
Heat treating the flour (to make it safe for eating)
- Place the flour in a microwave safe bowl. Heat the flour in 30 second intervals, stirring in between intervals, until the temperature reaches 165 F (measure with a food thermometer). This will take 2-4 rounds in the microwave. Allow the flour to cool before continuing.
Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until well combined.½ cup butter, ½ cup powdered sugar
- Add the flour, vanilla, and salt. Continue mixing until well combined. NOTE: If the mixture is dry and needs moisture, add milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency has been reached. The dough should not be super dry/thick nor runny, but a spreadable consistency.1 cup all-purpose flour (regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend), 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon salt, Optional: 2-3 tablespoons cream or milk
- Mix in the chocolate chips.1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Assemble
- Spread the cookie dough on top of the cooled brownies layer. Top with a few extra chocolate chips, if desired. Chill, covered, for 30 minutes. Slice and serve.
Steph C says
The cookie dough portion didn’t taste right to me … creamy, but not sweet enough. The sugar/flour ratio seemed off (the equivalent of 1/4 cup granulated sugar to 1 c flour) – is it supposed to have brown sugar also? Regardless, the entire pan disappeared at the potluck I took them too 🙂
Toni Dash says
The cookie dough portion calls for 1/2 cup powdered sugar (not 1/4 cup granulated sugar as you mention in your comment). In combination with the brownies which have 1 cup of granulated sugar, we found the sweetness level to be just right without being over the top sweet. Is it possible you misread the recipe (based on your comment)?
Cathy says
The brownie tastes great, but the cookie dough layer doesn’t taste like cookie dough. I think using powdered sugar instead of regular sugar results in it just tasting mostly like a buttercream frosting with chocolate chips, even with the flour and vanilla. I also prefer my cookie dough darker with some brown sugar. I think the gritty texture and the richer flavor will make this more like cookie dough but it may then need the cream/milk to make it easier to spread.
Toni Dash says
Hi Cathy. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. With the flour in the cookie dough layer we felt it does taste like cookie dough without being gritty (which seemed too much paired with the brownie). It makes a soft layer that makes layering with the brownie possible too. I think this also comes down to personal preference too; certainly if you prefer a grainier dough layer that reminds you of your favorite cookie dough you could experiment with swapping in brown sugar! We’d love to hear the outcome if you do some experimenting!