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Easy Brookie Bars: square brookie bars stacked on a sheet of crinkled parchment on a light wooden board, fudgy dark…

Easy Brookie Bars

A fudgy brownie layer topped with a chewy chocolate chip cookie layer, baked in one 9x13 pan and cut into neat squares. Two simple batters, one pan, and no mixer needed for the brownie layer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 36 minutes
Cooling time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 56 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Brownie layer
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter 170 g, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300 g
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 65 g
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 95 g
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips 90 g
Cookie layer
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 113 g, softened
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar 100 g, packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 g
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 155 g
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 175 g
  • flaky sea salt for the top, optional

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13-inch metal pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches hanging over the long sides so you can lift the bars out later.
Brownie layer
  1. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar for about 1 minute. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Keep whisking for another 30 seconds until the batter looks glossy and a little lighter in color.
  2. Sift in the cocoa, flour, and salt. Fold with a spatula until you can't see any dry streaks, then stir in the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly into the pan.
Cookie layer
  1. In a second bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes by hand or 1 minute with a mixer. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
  2. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined, then fold in the 1 cup of chocolate chips. The dough will be thick.
Assemble and bake
  1. Pinch off walnut-sized pieces of cookie dough and drop them all over the brownie batter. Flatten each piece a little with your fingers. Some gaps are fine, since the dough spreads as it bakes.
  2. Bake for 32 to 36 minutes, until the cookie top is golden and a toothpick in the center comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter. If you'd like, sprinkle flaky salt on top as soon as the bars come out of the oven.
  3. Let the bars cool completely in the pan, at least 2 hours. Lift them out by the parchment and cut them into 24 squares with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts.

Notes

Use a metal pan. If you only have glass, lower the oven to 325°F and add 5 to 8 minutes. Don't overbake: moist crumbs on the toothpick mean the bars are done. Cool the melted butter before adding the eggs so the brownie layer doesn't turn greasy. Wait the full 2 hours before slicing, or chill the pan for 30 minutes if you're short on time. Natural and Dutch-process cocoa both work. Store the bars airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days, in the fridge for about a week, or wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months (thaw about 1 hour on the counter). Don't eat the raw dough, since it contains raw eggs and flour.