DOUBLE-DUTY COOKIE DOUGH BROWNIES

“Why not both instead? There’s the answer if you’re clever. Have a child for warmth and a baker for bread and a prince for whatever.”

 – Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods

When my sister and I first met, that sounds a little weird, but she’s my step-sister actually, so we met when she was around 12 and I was 15, we had the awkward task of having to form a bond with each other because our parents were in love and now we were technically family. Luckily, my sister is one of the most incredible people I know, if not the most incredible person, and so it wasn’t hard for us to find common ground. And while we bonded over many things, shopping, our mutual pre-teen love of stores like Pacsun (what were we thinking?) and the tv show Family Guy, we also shared a profound connection over our love of raw cookie dough.

This love of uncooked dough was deep-seeded in both of us, and I distinctly remember us buying the little packages of break apart cookies meant to be easily slid onto a cookie sheet and thrown into the oven, simply so we could break off squares and pop them into our mouths on trips back and forth from the kitchen. However, as much as we might absolutely adore raw cookie dough, the side-effects of eating it in bulk can be a little less than appetizing, i.e. salmonella.

So, when I came across a recipe that showed me the way to a raw cookie dough without  eggs, I was over the moon! Put said cookie dough on top of warm, chocolately brownies? And I don’t even think there’s a way for me to get back to earth!

So, make an entire batch of these two-toned brownies, or simply make the cookie dough and dig in fearlessly! The brownies are made with unsweetened chocolate, and are the courageous sidekick to the superhero cookie dough in this recipe, so don’t make the brownies on their own, they have quite a bitter kick when flying solo.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH BROWNIES

Makes one 9x13-inch Pan

INGREDIENTS:

For the Brownies:

-       4 oz unsweetened chocolate

-       1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

-       2 cups light brown sugar

-       4 eggs

-       2 teaspoons vanilla extract

-       1 cup all-purpose flour

For the Cookie Dough:

-       ¾ cup unsalted butter

-       ¾ cup light brow sugar

-       ¾ cup granulated sugar

-       3 tablespoons whole milke

-       1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

-       1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

-        1 ½ cups mini chocolate chips (which is LOVE because anything in miniature form is so cute)

DIRECTIONS:

Make the Brownies first!

For Brownies:

1.     Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2.     Line a 9x13-inch pan with foil. Make sure that there is foil hanging over each of the four sides. This generally means you will have to use to pieces of foil, one going vertically and one horizontally and stack them in the pan. Butter the foil.

3.     Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each one, until the chocolate is nice and melty. Set aside the chocolate to cool. Reminder: this chocolate is unsweetened, so avoid any temptation to simply stick your finger in the chocolate and steal a bit, it is waaaaaaay bitter, but its looks are quite deceiving.

4.     In a large mixing bowl use a hand mixer set to medium to beat the butter and brown sugar until it’s light and fluffy.

5.     Then beat in the eggs and vanilla extract, making sure to scrape down the bowl when needed.

6.     Mix in the melted chocolate (with a spatula not the mixer) until combined.

7.     Once chocolate is combined with the egg mixture, use the hand mixer once again, this time on low speed, to beat in the flour and mix until just combined (you don’t want to over mix)

8.     Pour the batter into the 9x13 pan and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester comes out crumb-free.

9.     Let brownies cool completely.

For the Cookie Dough:

1.     In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium to beat together the butter and both the granulated and brown sugars.

2.     Add the milk and mix until combined

3.     Reduce the hand mixer speed to low and mix in the flour until just combined.

4.     Use a spatula (preferably rubber) to gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Putting it together! (bit by bit)

1.     Spread the cookie dough over the cooled brownies. You will probably have to use your hands to gently spread the dough out evenly, being careful not to smush the brownies flat underneath the cookie dough’s weight.

2.     Refrigerate until the dough is firm (this will be about an hour)

3.     Cut the brownies into servable squares.

4.     Enjoy them thoroughly! (I think that should come at the end of every recipe, though, don’t you?)

CUT TO AFTER REHEARSAL

These brownies were my biggest hit, thus far! Everyone went absolutely nuts over them! I’m also thinking of calling them Boy-Bait Brownies, because the guy I’m seeing constantly hints at me possibly making more of them, so, you know, bake and ye shall receive if you’re lacking in the romance department, I guess J

Anyway, I highly recommend this way easy recipe that combines two things I don’t think any person should ever have to live without!

Til next time,

D