Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
These chocolate chip cookie dough brownies start with my favorite basic brownie recipe, and are topped with an egg-free cookie dough.

I posted a version of this recipe nearly six years ago, and while the concept (brownies + cookie dough!) is amazing, many of the reviewers thought that the recipe was a bit lacking, both in flavor and texture. Since this has been an incredibly popular recipe, I wanted to do it right and have updated it to include new-and-improved versions of both the brownies and the cookie dough, yummmm…
Brownies are sort of like cheesecake, aren’t they? There’s nothing better than the perfect dense, fudgy brownie, just like not much can beat a classic piece of creamy cheesecake. Yet with both of these desserts we’re always fiddling around with different versions, swirling things in and layering things on the top and the bottom (incidentally, peanut butter goes well with both!). It’s an endless merry go round of dessert experimentation, where there really can never be a bad result. I mean, chocolate chip cookie dough brownies? Nothing but good comes from these babies.

Hello beautiful bowl of cookie dough I can eat guilt-free with a spoon…
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When I first saw these chocolate chip cookie dough brownies years ago on RecipeGirl I stopped in my tracks. Aside from looking amazing, they were pure genius. I had done the whole chocolate chip cookie/brownie combo, but chocolate chip cookie dough?! SO much better! The topping for these brownies is very similar to the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip that a friend passed along to me years and years ago, which is always a huge hit. The cookie dough is egg-free, so no raw egg consumption. (Your mom just breathed a sigh of relief.) This cookie dough is a little stiffer than the dip, so it holds up well to slicing and eating with your hands – no fork needed!
For this revised version, I turned to a combination of favorites – the better-than-box-mix brownies, which are fabulously simple and my favorite brownie recipe to dress up with other flavors. On top I used the cookie dough from my chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, which hails from The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook (written by Lindsay from Love & Olive Oil). The combo is a total home run – dense and fudgy brownies with intense chocolate flavor, along with the best edible cookie dough money can buy!
You know how milk and cookies go well together? How it’s great to wash down a rich brownie with a glass of milk? Yeah, you’re going to need at least one glass of milk after one of these babies – they are sweet and rich, and everything that is right with the world.

One year ago: Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa
Two years ago: Top 10 List: Favorite Main Dishes
Six years ago: Crunchy Good-For-You Granola Bars
Seven years ago: Raisin Bran Muffins
Nine years ago: Cheesecake Truffles

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
Ingredients
For the Brownie
- ⅓ cup (28.67 g) Dutch-processed cocoa
- ½ cup (125 ml) + 2 tablespoons boiling water
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (109 ml) + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 1¾ cups (218.75 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) salt
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (59.5 ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (180 g) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make the Brownies: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk cocoa powder and boiling water together in a large bowl until smooth. Add the unsweetened chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the melted butter and oil (the mixture may look curdled at this point, that’s okay!). Add the eggs, yolks, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in the sugar until fully incorporated. Add the flour and salt and mix with a rubber spatula until combined.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: Combine the butter and both sugars in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream, vanilla and salt, and mix for another minute or so, until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour, mixing just until incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the cookie dough evenly over the cooled brownies. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about an hour. Transfer the brownies to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut the brownies into squares. The brownies should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at cool room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!

This recipe was originally published on July 21, 2011.




It took me 2 tries to get these good, but once I did they were great! Perfect for the holidays and just baking in general. Thank you very much for sharing!
This is honestly the ultimate combination of goodness! lol I have made these several time and they are always a hit. These are definitely some of my favorite.
Wow! Awesome recipe and tasted delicious
I noticed the flour isn’t baked and I’ve read that raw flour needs to be baked at 250°F for 8-10 minutes prior to adding to “no bake” recipes in order to be safe for consumption. Just thought I’d pass on that info in case anyone wanted to research it for themselves.
I made these and topped them off with chocolate frosting just to make sure I was maxed out on calories! They were delicious!! I wished I hadn’t eaten them so fast so I would still have some. Sad face.
Hello! I just made your brownie bars, and they have a great flavor! I couldn’t find dutch processed cocoa powder so I used unsweetened cocoa powder with baking soda to correct the pH as the internet told me to do. I’m kind of new to the brownies from scratch thing. When you say “put the pan on the cooling rack” you mean to upend the brownies onto the cooling rack, not place the entire pan on a cooling rack right? Or did I totally mess that up?
Hi Emily, So glad you enjoyed them! The entire pan should be place on a cooling rack, and the brownies allowed to cool completely in the pan. I hope that helps!
I was looking at the recipe and realized something: the cookie dough isn’t baked. Wouldn’t that give the topping a “raw” flour taste (I note the recipe specifically *doesn’t* call for eggs, so there’s no worry about salmonella)
Hi Jesse, I definitely do not think these taste like raw flour, as there are enough of other ingredients that’s not what you’re tasting.
Hi lovely! These are SO. GOOD! I made them for a bake sale for my sister tonight and they were so easy and the end result was incredible! I will definitely be making these again for my friendship circles. Thanks so much for the recipe! xx
Love this combination! Cookie dough brownies look absolutely delicious ????I’m definitely going to Gabe to make these as a special treat. My kids would be so excited.
Can this be made 1 day ahead? Should it be kept in the fridge or room temp?
Hi Sally, Yes, definitely these can be made a day in advance. You can keep them at room temperature as long as you have air conditioning and it’s not too humid in the house, otherwise I would store them in the refrigerator.
Can this recipe be made the day before? Would you recommend storing in fridge or at room temp if it’s just for a day? Thanks!
Can you freeze these?
Hi Gloria, Yes, these freeze well! Enjoy! :)
I made these for our office potluck today and there were about 40 thumbs up on this one.
Two of my favorite things in one dessert. Can’t go wrong with that!!!
I’m in the process of making these scrumptious-looking bars. In the directions it states to add chocolate chips following the flour and salt. I do not see chocolate chips listed in the ingredient list. What might that amount be? Thank-you so much
Sorry! I see now!
Recipe says: Add the flour and salt and mix with a rubber spatula until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
What chocolate chips?
My error, I don’t include the chocolate chips when I use that brownie recipe for layering. I’ve fixed it above.
Yummm! My weekend just started early looking at these, they look delicious and combine my two favorite food groups;-)
These sound ridiculously delicious!!
I would love to make this but need some clarification first. There are no chocolate chips listed in the brownie part of the ingredients. Yet at the end of Step 2, it says to fold in chocolate chips. So I’m confused. Can you sort this out so I can make these?
Thanks!
Hi Amy, My error, I don’t include the chocolate chips when I use that brownie recipe for layering. I’ve fixed it above.
Hi!
This recipe looks amazing! I was wondering if you heat treat your flour for the cookie dough. I’ve read several recent articles that it’s becoming dangerous to consume raw flour due to possible E. coli contamination. If so, how do you prep yours? Thanks!
Hi Rhiannon, I don’t heat treat my flour. I’ve heard the same things recently, but I don’t do anything to the flour, a little walk on the wild side, lol.
Recipe sounds great… but, you left out the amount of chocolate chips in the list of ingredients for the brownie portion of the recipe… at the end of the directions for the brownies, you say to mix in the chocolate chips… what chocolate chips???? Please correct this….
Hi Geri, My error, I don’t include the chocolate chips when I use that brownie recipe for layering. I’ve fixed it above.
I may have commented on this recipe already, but this is one of my go-to desserts for whenever my son and his buddies come over for a visit (age 29). He loves Mama’s baking, especially these goodies, and he always sneaks a half batch of these brownies to take home. Good flavor, nice combination of chocolates. Good stuff!
I’m so happy to hear your son and his friends love these! What a good Mama you are :)
made these tonight – amazing! my boyfriend loves them. made a few changes: only 1 cup of brown sugar and added some salt! always love your recipes. thanks for sharing!
Very fun recipe:) Brought some to the office and received many compliments. I love cookie dough!
Wow! Those look awesome!!!
OMG!!! How can this be possible?!?! I am in heaven while eating these!
I made this entire recipe without realizing that there is no salt in it–erg. To my taste, it really needs salt, especially the cookie layer.
These look incredible! just one thought, in the vein of cheesecake and brownies, instead of using this cookie dough recipe, i think you published a cream cheese based cookie dough dip that i imagine would work really well too.
This sounds amazing, thank you for posting up this recipe.
Simon