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Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

Chocolate chip cookie brownies with a fudgy cocoa bottom and a golden cookie top. Baked in an 8x8 pan until the top is browned and the toothpick shows moist crumbs, then cooled completely for clean squares.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

unsalted butter
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened, for cookie layer
granulated sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
eggs
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg
vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.25 cup all-purpose flour
unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 0.33 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt
brown sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar packed
baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and line the pan
  1. Preheat oven to 350F, then line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment so it overhangs for easy lifting later. This helps the brownies release cleanly after baking.
Make the brownie batter
  1. Whisk melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth, then stir in flour, cocoa, and salt. Spread the thick batter evenly into the lined pan.
Make the cookie dough layer
  1. Beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy, then beat in the egg and vanilla. The mixture should look lighter in color and slightly aerated.
  2. Mix in flour, baking soda, and salt until combined, then fold in chocolate chips. The dough will be thick enough to drop in pieces.
Assemble and bake
  1. Drop pieces of cookie dough over the brownie batter and gently press into an even layer. Cover the surface so the cookie top bakes uniformly.
  2. Bake 32-35 minutes at 350F until the cookie top is golden and a toothpick shows moist crumbs. Use the toothpick test on the brownie bottom area for best doneness.
Cool and cut
  1. Cool completely before cutting into squares. Waiting prevents the layers from smearing and helps the fudgy bottom set.

Notes

For the cleanest squares, let the pan cool fully at room temperature, then lift out using the parchment and slice with a sharp knife. Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months in a sealed container. If you want a slightly lighter cookie top, swap half the semi-sweet chips for dark chocolate chips (still melts well and keeps the texture).