Brownie Cookie Dough Sandwich Cookies: A Decadent Dessert Delight Recipe

I combined fudgy brownie cookies with a creamy cookie dough center to create Brownie Cookies that hide a surprising twist you’ll be eager to uncover.

I can’t stop thinking about these Brownie Cookie Dough Sandwich Cookies. They make you question whether you want a brownie or a cookie, because fudgy brownie cookies meet a pillowy cookie dough center.

With rich unsalted butter and deep unsweetened cocoa powder in the cookie base, the contrast of textures is kind of scandalous in the best way. If you like Cookie Dough Brownies or have a soft spot for Brownie Cookies, this will blow your expectations.

I swear they disappear fast at parties, and honestly I often hide a batch for myself. Curious?

You should be.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter: Rich source of fat, adds moistness and flavor, high in calories.
• Brown sugar: Adds sweetness and caramel notes, gives chewiness, supplies simple carbs.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Deep chocolate flavor, low sugar, some antioxidants, contributes bitterness.
• Eggs: Provide protein and structure, help bind batter, add moisture and richness.
• All purpose flour: Main carb and structure, mostly starch, not much fiber or protein.
• Chocolate chips: Add melty sweet chocolate, extra sugar and fat, fun texture pops.
• Vanilla extract: Small amount boosts flavor, makes sweet taste rounder and more complex.
• Powdered sugar (filling): Adds sweetness and smoothness, higher in carbs, no real nutrients.

Ingredient Quantities

• Brownie cookie ingredients:
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks, optional
• Cookie dough filling ingredients:
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, more if needed
• 1 cup all purpose flour, heat treated for safety
• 3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• pinch of salt

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. While oven heats spread the 1 cup all purpose flour for the filling in a thin layer on a small baking sheet and bake 5 to 7 minutes to heat treat it for safety, let it cool completely before using; a quick kitchen thermometer check to 160F is ideal but not required.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 1 cup melted cooled butter, 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar and 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar until smooth. Add 2 large room temp eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla, beat until combined, dont overbeat.

3. Sift or whisk together 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just combined, a few streaks are ok — you dont want a tough cookie. Stir in up to 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks if using.

4. Chill the brownie cookie dough 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge if it feels too soft; this helps them hold shape and stay fudgy inside. Meanwhile keep the oven ready.

5. Scoop dough with a
1.5 tablespoon or medium cookie scoop onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten each mound with your fingers or the bottom of a glass so they bake into cookie shapes.

6. Bake 9 to 11 minutes at 350F until edges are set but centers still look soft and fudgy. Rotate sheets halfway if needed for even baking. Let cookies rest on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before sandwiching.

7. While cookies cool make the cookie dough filling: beat 1/2 cup softened butter with 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until fluffy. Add 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt, beat again. Add the cooled heat treated 1 cup flour and 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream and mix until spreadable, adding a little more milk if it’s too thick. Fold in 3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips.

8. If you want neater sandwiches chill the filling 10 to 15 minutes so it firms up slightly or transfer it to a piping bag. Match cookies by size, pipe or spoon about 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling onto the flat side of one cookie and top with a second cookie, press gently to spread to the edges.

9. Optional finishing tips and storage: roll edges in extra mini chips, press a few chips onto the outsides, or dust with a little cocoa or powdered sugar if you like. Store sandwiches in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days or in the fridge up to a week; bring to room temp before eating for the best texture.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven, preheat to 350F
2. Two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Small rimmed baking sheet (for heat treating the flour)
4. Mixing bowls (one large for dough, one small for filling or pre-meating ingredients)
5. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy whisk (for creaming and beating)
6. Measuring cups and spoons (or kitchen scale for more accuracy)
7. 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop (medium) or a tablespoon + your hands to portion
8. Wire cooling rack (let cookies cool before sandwiching)
9. Rubber spatula and wooden spoon (or an offset spatula for spreading)
10. Piping bag or a zip-top bag with corner snipped (for neater filling)

FAQ

Brownie Cookie Dough Sandwich Cookies: A Decadent Dessert Delight Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Unsalted butter (cookies): use melted coconut oil 1:1, works great but gives a faint coconut note, or use a vegan stick butter 1:1. If you use salted butter just skip the 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• All purpose flour (cookies): swap for a gluten free 1:1 baking blend that contains xanthan gum for a direct swap, or try whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 — cookies will be a bit denser and might need a tablespoon more liquid.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: you can use Dutch process cocoa 1:1, but Dutch is less acidic so omit the baking soda or add about 1/2 teaspoon extra baking powder, or in a pinch use 3/4 cup chocolate baking mix and reduce other cocoa.
• Heat treated flour (filling): use heat treated oat flour 1:1 for a slightly chewier cookie dough filling, or use almond flour (start with 3/4 cup then add to texture) for a gluten free option, just cut back on the milk a bit since almond flour absorbs less.

Pro Tips

1) Chill the brownie dough if it feels too soft, then bake from cold. It helps the cookies keep a thick fudgy center and not spread into flat discs. If you over-chill, let the scooped balls sit 5 minutes at room temp before baking so they still rise a bit.

2) Don’t skip properly heat treating the flour for the filling. Spread it thin, stir once or twice while it warms, and pull it before it starts to brown. If you rush it and it smells toasty you’ll notice a cooked flour flavor in the filling.

3) Be gentle when combining the dry and wet for the cookie dough. Stop when you still see a few streaks, overmixing = tougher cookies. Same thing with the baking time, pull them when edges are set but centers look soft, they’ll finish on the hot pan.

4) Get the filling texture right by adjusting chilling and liquid. If it’s floppy, chill 10 to 15 minutes or add a bit more powdered sugar or heat treated flour. If it’s too stiff add a splash more cream. For neater sandwiches put filling in a piping bag and match cookie sizes before you fill.