Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Be prepared to taste one of the most amazing desserts of your life!  This dessert blew me away! These brownies are definitely one of my top 10 favorite desserts of all time. You will not believe how amazing this tastes! The brownie layer is just perfect. Chewy, chocolately, heavenly. The cookie dough layer is outstanding. The cookie dough is just the perfect cookie dough ever! Perfect texture and a taste that is so addicting. You'll be tempted to eat it all before you use it to top the brownies!  Then to top all this amazing-ness off is a gorgeous decadent layer of chocolate. It's something special.

This recipe comes from my new favorite cookbook, The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook by blogger Lindsay Landis. I love this cookbook so much I am giving away a copy! (Update 8/211: Giveaway is now over)

 It's not even a lot of work. It all comes together pretty quickly. The hardest part is the chilling and waiting time because you will not be able to wait to bite in!

If you don't like to make brownies from scratch you can use a box but make sure it's for an 8x8 dish, if not double the cookie dough and chocolate glaze. Another note, these brownies and the chocolate glaze call for using a bar/block of chocolate chopped. As amazing as that makes these brownies if you want to save on money here is my favorite cocoa brownie recipe (you can substitute regular or Dutch cocoa powder for the dark cocoa powder if you want), and for the chocolate glaze you can use 2/3 cup chocolate chips. I would recommend dark chocolate chips.

Be prepared to share these because you will want to eat them all!

One Year Ago: Zucchini Bread
Two Years Ago: Perfect Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
Slightly adapted from The Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook, by Lindsay Landis
Make 16 brownies
For Brownies:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 ounces (bar or block) dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla

For Cookie Dough:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For Chocolate Glaze:
*3 1/2 ounces (bar or block) dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  **Line the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on two sides.

To make brownies, sift together flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.  Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler or a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.  Stir until sooth then remove from heat.  Add brown sugar and whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture has cooled slightly.  Whisk in eggs and vanilla.  Using a large rubber spatula, fold flour mixture into chocolate mixture until just incorporated.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the cookie dough, in a large mixing bowl beat together butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.  Mix in milk and vanilla.  Add flour and salt and stir until incorporated.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Gently spread dough onto cooled brownies, soothing the top into an even layer.  Freeze for about 15 minutes.

For the glaze, gently melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or a small saucepan set over low heat.  Stir until smooth.  Pour over cookie dough, carefully spreading into a thin, even layer. Return pan to refrigerator and chill until set, about 30 minutes. (Note, at this point I put it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes before cutting to help it cut smoothly.)

To remove brownies from pan, grasp the edges of the parchment paper and lift out the entire block.  Place on a cutting board and use a large sharp knife to cut into 2-inch squares.  Refrigerate in an airtight container, brownies will keep for up to 3 days.

* Or 2/3 cup chocolate chips (dark or semisweet)
** To line a square pan, cut two strips of parchment paper to the width of the pan.  Layer the strips perpendicular inside the pan, creasing the corners.  If your parchment slips around, butter the pan and between the parchment layers to keep it stuck in place.