This Sheet Pan Brownies recipe combines a rich, fudgy brownie base with a chewy chocolate chip cookie layer. Baked in a 10×7-inch sheet pan, it creates a thick, indulgent bar that offers the best of both worlds.
I love a dessert that doesn’t make you choose. These brookies are a genius invention that marries two beloved classics, offering a delightful contrast in textures: a rich, dense, fudgy dark brownie base intertwined with pockets of soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie dough, all tied together with the intensifying powers of flaky salt.
Instead of a big batch, this recipe is scaled to fit a 10×7-inch baking sheet, creating a thick, substantial bar that you would never guess was made on a baking sheet (I love using my Nordic Ware baking sheet for this!). In this recipe, the layers mingle perfectly without spreading out or drying up.
A Meeting of Textures
A great brookie is not about two desserts being thrown together. The textures need to work in tandem. For a brownie layer that’s rich and fudgy, our batter uses only butter and eggs as fat sources instead of oil. For the chocolate, I like to use dark, around 70%. The bittersweet chocolate cuts through the overall sweetness, keeping the bars balanced.
As for the cookie layer, a touch of cornstarch in the dough is the secret to achieving that nice chew. It keeps the cookie portions tender, ensuring they don’t turn hard or cakey while baking alongside the brownie batter.
Key Ingredients
- 70% Dark Chocolate: Using chocolate with a 70% cacao percentage ensures that your brownie base has a deep flavor profile that balances all the sweetness of the cookie dough.
- Melted Butter: Mixing the brownie batter with melted butter instead of oil yields a flavorful, dense, and tight crumb structure rather than a cake-like texture.
- Cornstarch: A small amount of cornstarch in the cookie dough interferes with gluten formation, making the cookie tender and chewy.
- Flaky Sea Salt & Extra Chips: Adding a final layer of chocolate chips and coarse sea salt right before baking adds extra richness and flavor – salt is a flavor intensifier and is only here to make your chocolate more chocolatey!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mix and Chill the Cookie Dough
The process begins with the cookie dough so it has time to firm up while you put together the brownie base. Make your cookie dough, fold in your chocolate chips, then cover and place it in the refrigerator to chill.
- Mix the Brownie Batter
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your 10×7-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the butter and combine it with the 70% dark chocolate. Whisk in your eggs and sugar until thick and pale, pour in the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour.
- Layer the Components
- Spread half of the brownie batter evenly across the bottom of your sheetpan.
- Drop flattened pieces of half the cookie dough all over the brownie layer.
- Pour the remaining brownie batter over the cookie dough pieces, smoothing it out with a spatula or spoon.
- Top the pan with the remaining half of the cookie dough.
- Finish with extra chocolate chips and a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
- The Two-Stage Bake Method
Cover the baking sheet tightly with aluminum foil. Place it in the oven and bake covered for 25 minutes. This traps steam, allowing the thick layers to cook through evenly without drying out the edges.
Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 5 to 10 minutes – the cookie dough pieces will turn golden brown. Cool completely in the pan before lifting the parchment paper to slice.
FAQs
Why do I need to chill the cookie dough?
Chilling firms up the butter in the dough. This slows down the melting process in the oven, keeping the cookie dough from completely sinking and dissolving into the brownie batter.
Why do I need to cover the pan with foil for the first 25 minutes?
Because these bars are thick, the foil traps steam and heat to cook the interior layers evenly. If baked uncovered the entire time, the top cookie layer would burn or dry out before the brownie center could finish baking.
Can I use a standard 9×13 pan instead?
Yes, but just be aware that using a larger pan spreads the batter, causing the brookies to lose some of their thick, fudgy texture, and they also bake faster.
How do I get clean slices when cutting?
Let the pan cool completely to room temperature, then place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before cutting. Use a sharp chef’s knife, and wipe the blade clean with a warm, damp paper towel between each slice.
If you make these Sheet Pan Brownies, please be sure to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you.
More Chocolate Recipes
Chocolate Mousse: Super easy, intensely dark and velvety, a dessert that’s so light and airy, it disappears quickly.
Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes: Featuring a rich outer cake that gives way to a warm, slow-pouring pool of liquid chocolate when you cut through it. Perfection!
Chocolate Mousse Pie: Pairing a rich, silk-smooth chocolate filling with a flaky crust, this dessert looks elegant on any dinner table.
Chocolate Budino: A sophisticated Italian classic that delivers a thick, spoonable pudding with an incredibly dense and concentrated chocolate flavor.
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Sheet Pan Brookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Cookie Dough:
- 163g (1 ¼ cup) all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tbsp corn starch
- ½ tsp salt
- 113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 70g (⅓ cup) dark brown sugar
- 50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping
- flaky salt
Brownie Batter:
- 113g (4oz) dark chocolate (I use 70%), roughly chopped
- 113g (½ cup) unsalted butter
- 250g (1 ¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 60g (½ cup) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt and set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the softened butter and sugars until pale and creamy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until fully combined. Fold in the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Chill the dough in the fridge while preparing the brownie batter.
- Make the brownie: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8x13-inch sheet pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Over medium heat or in the microwave, melt the butter and chopped chocolate, stirring often to combine. Set aside and let it cool.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until pale and thick. Whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla.
- Fold in the flour and salt just until combined.
- Pour half the brownie mixture into the prepared sheet pan. Top with spoonfuls of cookie dough, scattered in patches — it doesn’t need to cover the whole surface. Pour the remaining brownie batter evenly over the top. Scatter the remaining cookie dough in patches over the surface. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips and flaky salt.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5–10 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Serve.
