Brown Butter Brookies-Decadent Chocolate Chip Blondie Brownie Bars

Prepare yourself for a dessert experience that truly has it all! These Brown Butter Brookies combine the best of both worlds: a chewy, nutty brown butter blondie base and a rich, fudgy brownie topping, all studded with irresistible chocolate chips. It’s an epic bar cookie that promises pure indulgence in every single bite.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (for brown butter blondie)
• 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar (for blondie)
• 2 large eggs (for blondie)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for blondie)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (for blondie)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (for blondie)
• ½ teaspoon salt (for blondie)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (for blondie)
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted (for brownie)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (for brownie)
• 2 large eggs (for brownie)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for brownie)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour (for brownie)
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (for brownie)
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder (for brownie)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (for brownie)
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (for brownie)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal, and lightly grease.
2. For the Brown Butter Blondie Layer: In a light-colored saucepan, melt 1 cup of unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns amber, smells nutty, and brown flecks appear at the bottom. This usually takes 5-8 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a large heatproof bowl. Let it cool for about 10 minutes.
3. To the cooled brown butter, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk until well combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips. Spread the blondie batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
5. For the Fudgy Brownie Layer: In a medium bowl, melt ½ cup of unsalted butter. Stir in the granulated sugar until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract until smooth.
6. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Fold in ½ cup of chocolate chips.
7. Carefully dollop spoonfuls of brownie batter over the blondie layer. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently spread the brownie batter evenly over the blondie layer, being careful not to mix the two layers too much.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, but not wet batter. The edges should be set, and the center still slightly soft.
9. Remove from the oven and let the brookies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting them out using the parchment paper overhang. This is crucial for clean cuts.
10. Cut into squares and serve. Store leftover brookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.