Description

Indulge in decadence with these Cookie Dough Brownies, featuring a rich fudge brownie base topped with a luscious layer of edible cookie dough studded with mini chocolate chips and colorful mini M&M’s. Perfectly baked and chilled, these treats offer a delightful contrast of textures and flavors, combining the classic fudgy brownie with safe-to-eat cookie dough for an irresistible dessert experience.

Ingredients

Scale

Brownie Layer

16.3 ounces box of Betty Crocker fudge brownie mix
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water

Cookie Dough Layer

1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
⅓ cup mini M&M’s candies

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch straight-sided metal baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring the paper overhangs the sides for easy removal. Spray the pan lightly with baker’s spray and set aside.
Make Brownie Batter: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brownie mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water by hand for 1-2 minutes until smooth and well combined.
Bake Brownie Layer: Spread the brownie batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 30-33 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick; it should come out just barely clean with a few moist crumbs to avoid overbaking and toughness.
Cool Brownie Layer and Lower Oven Temperature: Remove the brownies from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Let the brownies cool completely at room temperature on the counter as you prepare the cookie dough.
Heat Treat Flour: Spread the all-purpose flour evenly on a parchment-lined 9×13-inch quarter sheet pan. Bake for 5-7 minutes at 300°F, watching closely to avoid burning. This process kills any bacteria in the raw flour. Allow the flour to cool completely before use.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer on medium speed to beat the softened butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add Cream and Salt: Reduce mixer speed to low and incorporate the heavy cream and salt into the butter and sugar mixture until fully combined.
Mix in Flour: Add the cooled, heat-treated flour to the wet ingredients in ½ cup increments, mixing on low speed just until no white streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix.
Fold in Chocolate Chips: Stir in the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
Spread Cookie Dough over Brownies: Once the brownie layer is completely cooled, use a large cookie scoop to dollop the cookie dough evenly over the brownies. Gently spread the dough into an even layer with a small offset spatula without pressing too hard to prevent mixing layers.
Add M&M’s Topping: Sprinkle mini M&M’s candies evenly over the cookie dough layer and press lightly to adhere them to the dough.
Chill and Slice: Refrigerate the layered brownies for 30 minutes to firm up the cookie dough. Use the parchment overhang to carefully lift the brownies from the pan, then slice and serve.

Notes

Storage: Store brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days to maintain freshness.
Freezing: Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw thoroughly in the refrigerator before serving.
Brownie Mix: Use the Betty Crocker brand fudge brownie mix or follow the box directions for your preferred brand, adjusting ingredient quantities and baking times accordingly.
Parchment Paper: Lining the pan with parchment ensures easy removal and clean slicing.
Don’t Overbake: A toothpick with a few moist crumbs indicates perfect brownies—overbaking will make them tough.
Heat Treat Flour: This step is crucial since the cookie dough is edible and contains raw flour which must be treated to eliminate bacteria.
Butter Temperature: Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for proper creaming with sugars.
Homemade Brownie Substitute: You can use a homemade fudge brownie recipe as a substitute but avoid cake-like brownie recipes for best results.
Do Not Bake Cookie Dough: The cookie dough layer contains no leavening and is not intended to be baked.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 piece (approximately 2 inch square)
Calories: 290 kcal
Sugar: 22 g
Sodium: 160 mg
Fat: 16 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 33 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 35 mg