Brown Butter Brookies-Decadent Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Mashup

Prepare yourself for a dessert experience that will redefine your sweet cravings! These aren’t just any brookies; they’re Brown Butter Brookies, a masterful mashup where the fudgy decadence of a brownie meets the chewy delight of a chocolate chip cookie, all elevated by the nutty, complex notes of brown butter. Get ready to bake pure bliss.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, divided
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips, melted
• 1 ¾ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting, and spray lightly with non-stick spray.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the 1 cup of unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and nutty fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to burn it. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl to stop the cooking process. Divide the brown butter evenly into two separate bowls.
3. For the Cookie Layer: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
4. In one of the bowls of brown butter, whisk in ½ cup granulated sugar and ¾ cup packed light brown sugar until combined. Beat in 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, then 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Set aside.
5. For the Brownie Layer: In the second bowl of brown butter, whisk in ½ cup granulated sugar until combined. Beat in 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the melted semi-sweet chocolate until fully incorporated.
6. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients for the brownie batter, mixing until just combined. Fold in ¾ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
7. Press the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread the brownie batter evenly over the cookie dough layer.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Avoid overbaking for a fudgy brownie layer.
9. Let the brookies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out by the parchment paper and cutting into squares. This is crucial for clean cuts and perfect texture.