Cookie Dough Brownies (& Ice Cream!)

What is better than a pan of rich chocolate brownies? Cookie dough-topped brownies, of course!

These brownies are delicious, and even more so when cut into bite-sized chunks and tossed into homemade cookie dough ice cream. I highly recommend making a batch of these, cutting half into small pieces to share, and hoarding the remaining brownie bites in a ziplock bag for the ice cream. Honestly, Husband really liked the brownies as-is, but I definitely preferred them in the ice cream. Just a note: as far as brownies go, I like the intensity of my 5-Star Brownies better than this base, and if I made them again, I'd probably use those as the base of the brownie bars.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Yield: 32 brownies

• Prep Time: 30 min + cooling time
• Cook Time: 25 min
• BROWNIE:
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• COOKIE DOUGH (EGG FREE!):
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

1. Prepare the brownies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray. In a medium glass bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave in short bursts of 30 seconds; stir after each burst and remove from microwave when melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Mix in melted chocolate. Blend in flour and mix just until combined (don't over-mix). Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 35 minutes. Watch closely and remove from oven when toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

2. Prepare the cookie dough: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix in milk and vanilla. Mix in flour just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Spread cookie dough over the cooled brownies. Refrigerate until the dough is quite firm. It's okay to speed up the process and place it in the freezer too. The firmer the dough, the easier it will be to cut into neat squares. Use a sharp knife to cut the brownies.

Cookie Dough-Brownie Ice Cream (No photos. This stuff went fast!)

Use this recipe from Annies-Eats and add those delicious Cookie Dough Brownie Bites!