Brownies with Cookie Dough Frosting are two decadent desserts combined into one! A fudgy brownie base is frosted with a smooth, creamy cookie dough frosting. Each bite will have you guessing: is it a brownie or a cookie?! BOTH! This is a dessert that you aren’t going to be able to resist!
Making homemade brownies can seem like a hassle compared to a boxed brownie, but it is SO worth it. Let’s break it down:
First, you make the brownie batter. Nothing fussy here, just good ol’ chocolatey goodness. A combination of butter, sugars, flour, cocoa powder and baking soda do the trick. Then, they are baked to perfection. These brownies are scrumptious on their own, but you can’t say no to a cookie dough frosting!
Up next: the cookie dough frosting. Brown sugar gives this frosting the classic “cookie dough” taste along with some vanilla extract and, of course, chocoalte chips.
Finally, the best part! Frosting the brownies! In all honesty here, I may have taken a few finger swipes through the frosting before putting it on the brownies. You have to make sure it’s safe to eat, you know?
Slice these brownies and serve. But, fair warning, they disappear quickly!
These brownies are so fun to me because they do combine two classics that you can’t go wrong with. Can you imagine gliding your fork through a sea of cookie dough frosting down into a brownie bottom? I can and I’m drooling.
Brownies with Cookie Dough Frosting are perfect for any dessert to wow a crowd or to make in your jammies. Either way, they are bound to disappear!
Brownies with Cookie Dough Frosting
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
Description
Brownies with Cookie Dough Frosting are two decadent desserts combined into one! A fudgy brownie base is frosted with a smooth, creamy cookie dough frosting. Each bite will have you guessing: is it a brownie or a cookie?! BOTH! This is a dessert that you aren’t going to be able to resist!
Ingredients
For the brownies:
- 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (Dutch processed preferred)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the frosting:
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, softened
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
For the brownies:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about a couple minutes. Reduce the speed to low and mix in one egg at a time, making sure to wipe down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt on low speed until a thick batter forms. Fold the chocolate chips in with a rubber spatula. Gently press the brownie batter into a greased or parchment lined 9×9 pan. Its ok if the batter is thick and this may take a moment to gently push it into a flat layer in the pan.
- Bake for 35-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before frosting.
For the frosting:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about a few minutes. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the powdered sugar until smooth. Mix in the flour and vanilla extract until smooth.
- With the mixer speed on low, add in the heavy cream and mix until just combined. The purpose of this is to achieve a frosting consistency. If it’s still a little too thick, add in a little bit more heavy cream until creamy enough. Fold the chocolate chips in with a rubber spatula.
- Once the brownies are completely cooled, frost with the cookie dough frosting. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are concerned about consuming raw flour in the cookie dough frosting recipe, simply spread the flour out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for a few minutes. Resume the frosting recipe as normal.
- Dutch processed cocoa isn’t required, but does really deliver a “full” chocolate flavor! It’s my favorite!
Share the love!
If you make this recipe and love it as much as I do, I’d love to hear from you! Comment below, rate the recipe, or share a picture tagging @kjandcompany or using #kjandcompany so that I can see your fun pictures 🙂
Thanks for following and cooking along with me!
Do these need to be refrigerated?
To get the most life out of them, I would recommend wrapping them with plastic wrap and refrigerating them! The frosting will set in the fridge, so I would bring them to room temp before eating for the best bite!
Can you make the frosting without the flour?
I haven’t tried this particular frosting recipe without the flour! I find that it gives it the true “cookie dough” feel.
These turned out terribly for me. The middle of the brownies completely sunk in. They’re way too buttery. Also that much cream made my frosting soup.
Hey Sarah! I’m sorry your batch didn’t turn out as expected. When making the brownie batter, I recommend making sure that you are creaming your butter and sugars together until light and fluffy – this could help trouble-shoot the buttery aspect! As for the frosting, the cream is added in to achieve the desired “frosting” consistency, so you could always try a little less. I appreciate your feedback and hope that you will give another recipe a try!
Can I mix by hand if I don’t own an electric mixer?
Hey Emily! You can, but it might take a little extra work! 🙂 The main thing is getting the light and fluffy consistency.
I’m trying not to eat the whole batch of frosting before my brownies come out of the oven! 🤣 22 minutes and counting! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Self-control is the hardest part haha! So glad you like them!
Do you think these would freeze ok? In case we want to save half for later!
I’ve never frozen them before so I’m not sure! If you try it out, I’d be interested in hearing how they turn out! 🙂
If I don’t have heavy cream for the frosting can I use whole milk?
Yes you can give it a try! I would recommend adding in less to begin with as milk might thin it out more.
Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda? I am not a huge fan of baking soda in baked goods. Please let me know by e-mailing me at midnight0675@suddenlink.net
Hey Heather! I do not recommend using baking powder instead of baking soda because they are two different ingredients. I have only tested this recipe with baking soda. Thanks!
Wow! Those were so rich and delicious! What a treat. I was worried that the batter was too thick, but the brownies turned out perfect. The frosting is fabulous – better than cookie dough. I loved that this is a relatively quick and easy recipe, but tastes like it should have taken lots of time and talent.
I’m so glad you liked them, Rebecca! Thank you for your kind review!
Kate would you like to make some and drop them off at my house tomorrow before the NYE party I’m going too.😜
Haha I wish I could’ve! Happy New Year! 🙂
Can I use my own brownie recipe or no?
How many days can it stay at room temperature???
Hey Katerina! I would recommend storing these in the fridge due to the frosting and setting out to room temperature to eat 🙂