Brown butter Brookies Recipe

Looking for the ultimate dessert mashup? Brown Butter Brookies are the perfect treat for those who can’t decide between a cookie or a brownie. Combining the chewy goodness of chocolate chip cookies with the fudgy richness of brownies, this indulgent dessert is made even more flavorful with the addition of nutty brown butter. This recipe promises layers of texture and flavor that will satisfy any sweet tooth.

Ingredients Breakdown

For the Cookie Layer:

Butter and Sugars: Using a combination of melted unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar gives the cookie base a perfect balance of chewiness and sweetness.

Flour and Baking Soda: Classic cookie staples for a soft and slightly risen structure.
Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips provide little pockets of chocolatey goodness throughout the dough.
Vanilla and Salt: Vanilla extract enhances the flavor, while flaky sea salt adds a contrasting hint of savoriness to balance the sweetness.

For the Brownie Layer:

Brown Butter: The star of this layer! Brown butter deepens the flavor, adding a rich, nutty essence to the brownies.
Cocoa Powder and Chocolate: Cocoa powder gives the brownies their intense chocolate flavor, while chopped chocolate and chocolate chips add decadence.

Sugars: A mix of light brown sugar and powdered sugar ensures the brownie layer is both rich and sweet, while also helping create that classic crackly top.
Olive Oil: Used to balance the richness of the butter, it also adds moisture to the brownies.

Step-by-Step Method

1. Preheat and Prepare

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang for easy removal later.

Start by mixing the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and sea salt in a bowl, and set them aside. In another bowl, whisk the melted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy and smooth. This process should take around 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, ensuring everything is well combined. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until just incorporated, and finally, stir in the chocolate chips. Set this cookie dough aside while you prepare the brownie batter.

3. Prepare the Brownie Layer

Brown the butter by melting it in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir regularly, and after 6-8 minutes, the butter will foam and the milk solids will turn golden brown. The aroma will become nutty, signaling it’s ready. Transfer the browned butter to a heatproof bowl to cool slightly.

Add cocoa powder, vanilla extract, olive oil, and chopped chocolate to the brown butter, mixing until smooth and silky. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and light brown sugar for 5-6 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. This step is key to achieving a glossy, crackly top on your brownies.

Add the powdered sugar to the egg mixture and mix for another minute. Then, incorporate the browned butter mixture into the eggs, stirring until smooth. Fold in the flour and chocolate chips, making sure everything is well combined.

4. Layer and Bake

Now comes the fun part: layering! You can get creative here. For a traditional brookie, start by spreading the brownie batter in an even layer in your prepared pan, then top with the cookie dough. Alternatively, you can reverse the layers or even swirl them together for a marbled effect.

Once layered, place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Keep an eye on the edges, which should turn golden, while the center remains slightly jiggly. Don’t worry — the brookies will continue to set as they cool.

5. Cool and Serve

Allow the brookies to cool completely in the pan before cutting them into squares. This ensures that both layers hold together well, creating a perfect slice every time. The contrast of the chewy cookie layer and fudgy brownie center is truly irresistible.

Pro Tips for the Perfect Brookies

Brown Butter Care: Be sure to watch the butter closely while it browns, as it can go from golden to burnt quickly.
Crackly Brownie Top: Dissolving the sugar in the eggs thoroughly is the secret to achieving that iconic shiny, crackly top on your brownies.

Layer Customization: You can experiment with the layering based on your preference. Want more cookie in your brookies? Add a thicker cookie layer, or if you’re all about the brownies, make that layer more prominent.

Conclusion

Brown Butter Brookies are the ultimate fusion dessert, delivering the best of both worlds — a chewy, buttery cookie layer paired with a rich, chocolatey brownie base. The addition of brown butter elevates these brookies, adding complexity and depth to every bite. Whether you serve them at a party or keep them all to yourself, these brookies are sure to impress!