Pioneer Woman Brookies Recipe

Part fudgy brownie, part chewy chocolate chip cookie, these Pioneer Woman Brookies are made with dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and a hit of instant coffee in the brownie batter, all swirled together with a buttery vanilla cookie dough in one 9×13 pan. The whole batch takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes from start to finish.

One pan gives you 16 thick brookie bars that slice cleanest after a few hours in the fridge. If you love Pioneer Woman brownie cookies, this recipe takes the whole idea further.

What Are Brookies

A brookie is exactly what it sounds like: a brownie and a chocolate chip cookie baked together in the same pan. You make the brownie batter and the cookie dough separately, then drop spoonfuls of each side by side.

The two batters bake into each other without fully blending, so every bite has a different ratio of fudgy to chewy. That’s the whole point, and it’s what makes this Pioneer Woman brownie recipe worth the extra bowl.

Chocolate Chips or Chopped Chocolate

Since the cookie dough calls for chocolate, you’ve got a choice here. Chips hold their shape better after baking, so you get distinct pockets throughout. Chopped bar chocolate melts into bigger, gooier pools.

Use whatever you’ve got on hand. If you want the prettiest bars, save a small handful of chips to scatter across the top right before they go in the oven.

Brookies Ingredients

For the Brownie Batter:

• 3/4 cup salted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
• 5 ounces dark chocolate bars, chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

For the Cookie Dough:

• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

How To Make Pioneer Woman Brookies

1. Prep the Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on the long sides for easy lifting later.
2. Make the Brownie Batter: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat, then whisk in the chopped dark chocolate until smooth. Stir in the cocoa powder and instant coffee. Let it cool 5 minutes, then fold in the sugar, vanilla, eggs, flour, and baking powder.
3. Make the Cookie Dough: Beat the softened butter with both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, then mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips and set the rest aside.
4. Swirl the Batters: Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough and brownie batter into the prepared pan, alternating between the two. Tap the pan gently on the counter to settle everything in, then sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips on top.
5. Bake: Bake for 20 minutes, then tent loosely with foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 more minutes. They’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, not wet batter.
6. Cool and Slice: Let the brookies cool completely in the pan for about 1 hour. Use the parchment overhang to lift them onto a cutting board. For the cleanest slices, chill the whole slab in the fridge for a few hours first.

How To Know When They’re Done

That toothpick test in the last step is everything. Pull them when you see a few moist crumbs clinging to the pick, not wet batter. The center will look slightly underdone, but it firms up as the bars cool.

If you overbake them, the cookie layer dries out and the brownie loses its fudgy center. Err on the side of pulling them a minute early.

How To Get the Cleanest Slices

Once they’ve cooled, chill the uncut slab in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Cold bars hold their shape and won’t crumble or smear when you cut through them.

Transfer the whole sheet to a cutting board using the parchment overhang, then use a sharp knife. Wipe the blade clean between cuts for the neatest edges.

Can You Make Brookies Ahead

Since they need all that chilling time anyway, brookies are a perfect make-ahead dessert. Bake the full pan, let it cool, and store it uncut in the fridge for up to two days.

Slice right before serving so the edges stay fresh. You can also freeze individual bars between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

How To Store

Keep brookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, cut the bars first, layer them between parchment paper in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 427 kcal
• Total Fat: 21 g
• Saturated Fat: 11 g
• Cholesterol: 64 mg
• Sodium: 198 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 54 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Sugar: 39 g
• Protein: 4 g

Try More Recipes

• Chocolate Hazelnut Oatmeal Bars
• Chocolate Hazelnut Bars
• Salted Caramel Cheesecake Squares