small batch brookie bars

Small Batch Brookie Bars

Okay, hold the phone—what on earth are small batch brookie bars? What even is a brookie, anyway?

Brookie bars are a cross between brownie bars and chocolate chip cookies. Its “brookie” name is a portmanteau of the words “brownie” and “cookie”. Brookie baked goods can come in the shape of cookies (like these Halloween monster brookies!) or bars (like today’s small batch brookie bar recipe!).

This brookie bar recipe is made with a combination of a chewy all cocoa powder brownie recipe and a fudgy chocolate chip cookie recipe. The best part? The recipe is small batch! I instruct you to bake these in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Doing so yields 8 brookie bars, the perfect amount for a small household of 2 to 4 people!

small batch brookie bars

Why You Should Make This Brookie Bar Recipe

Now let’s talk about all the reasons why you should make these brookie bars:

These brookie bars combine two classic favorites: brownies and chocolate chip cookies.

Real talk: if push comes to shove and I could only take one dessert with me to a desert island, I wouldn’t be able to decide between a brownie and a chocolate chip cookie. Both are my favorite baked goods to eat… and make. I mean, have you seen the number of brownie and chocolate chip cookie recipes on Hummingbird High? LOL. But with these brookie bars, I don’t have to compromise! I get both my favorite treats in just one dessert!

Unlike other brookie bar recipes, this brookie bar recipe comes together easily.

I’ve been wanting to bake a brookie bar recipe for some time now. I’ve had Dorie Greenspan’s chipster-topped brownie recipe bookmarked in Baking: From My Home to Yours since 2014 (lol). I’ve also pinned my friend Cindy’s brookie cookie recipe more times than I can count. However, I’ve never actually made the leap and baked either recipe.

Why?

Truthfully, most brookie bar or brookie cookie recipes are more high effort than I would like. That’s because you need to make both a cookie dough AND a brownie batter. Most recipes instruct you to use a stand mixer to cream butter and sugar for both the cookie dough AND the brownie batter/ That means having to clean out your stand mixer in the middle of the baking process! Other recipes go even further, instructing you to melt chocolate for the brownies, or worse, brown butter for both the cookie dough and brownie batter.

So for my recipe, I developed both the cookie dough and brownie components of the brookie bars to be (almost) one bowl. What does that mean? No need to use a stand mixer at all! All you need to do for both the cookie dough and the brownie batter is to combine everything in one bowl and mix. Pretty cool, right?

This brookie bar recipe is small batch and makes only enough for a small household of 2 to 4 people.

Most brookie bar recipes instruct you to bake them in either a 9 x 13-inch cake pan, or a 8-inch square cake pan. However, since many of us are still avoiding large gatherings, I decided to make a very small batch version of traditional brookie bars. What does that mean? These brookie bars are made in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, resulting in a serving size approximately a quarter of the size of other recipes. That means 8 petite servings (or 2 generous, bakery-style ones). It’s the perfect amount for a small household of 2 to 4 people!

Small Batch Brookie Bar Ingredients and Substiutions

Now that I’ve convinced you to make these small batch brookie bars, here’s your shopping list for the recipe:

Shopping List for Small Batch Brookie Bars

  • all-purpose flour
  • baking soda
  • kosher salt
  • unsalted butter
  • light OR dark brown sugar
  • large eggs
  • pure vanilla extract
  • bittersweet, dark, or semisweet chocolate chips
  • granulated sugar
  • unsweetened cocoa powder OR Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • confectioners’ sugar
  • flaky salt

And let’s talk about some key ingredients and their substitutions:

All-Purpose Flour

You need ½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour to make the chocolate chip cookie dough for the brookies. You also need ⅓ cup all-purpose flour to make the brownie batter for the brookies.

Does a 1-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour work in these small batch brookie bars?

I’m sorry, but I don’t know. I rarely bake with those types of flour replacements because they’re expensive and my household is fortunate not to have any gluten restrictions. However, if you replace the flour in these brookie bars with any gluten-free alternatives, please leave a comment so I can update this post accordingly!

Butter

You need 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter to make the chocolate chip cookie dough for the brookies. You also need 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter to make the brownie batter for the brookies.

Can I use salted butter in these small batch brookie bars instead?

Yes, with reservations. In my cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I talk about how I sometimes like to use salted butter in chocolate-flavored baked goods. I find that the extra salt from the butter can enhance the chocolate flavor. However, if you go this route, you may want to consider reducing the salt in both the chocolate chip cookie dough and brownie batter recipes by half.

Brown Sugar

You need ⅓ cup brown sugar to make the chocolate chip cookie dough for the brookies.

Light versus Dark Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is granulated white sugar with a touch of molasses to give it its signature color and flavor. Because brown sugar contains molasses, it adds more moisture baked goods than granulated sugar otherwise would. Brown sugar is available in two varieties: light or dark. Dark brown sugar is my personal preference; because it contains more molasses, I find it to be more flavorful. However, you can use either in this small batch brookie bar recipe without altering its flavor too much.

Can I use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar?

Sadly, no. The cookie dough in the brookies are leavened with baking soda. What does that mean, exactly? Leaveners are the ingredients in baking recipes that responsible for making the baked goods rise. They do so by reacting with other ingredients to create bubbles in batters and doughs. The reaction is usually activated when an acidic ingredient is mixed an alkaline ingredient, and/or the heat from the oven.

In the chocolate chip cookie portion of the recipe, the baking soda reacts with brown sugar (which is slightly acidic, thanks to the molasses in it) to give the cookies their signature chewy texture. Unfortunately, coconut sugar does not have this same acidic quality and has a neutral pH level similar to that of granulated white sugar. What does that mean for your brookies? If you use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar in this recipe, your brookie bars will likely be crunchier than mine. The cookie dough pieces might not spread as much throughout the brownie batter. It might still be tasty, but I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it.

Eggs

You need 1 large egg yolk to make the chocolate chip cookie dough for the brookies. You also need 1 large egg to make the brownie batter for the brookies.

I don’t eat egg because of allergies and/or my diet. What can I use instead of egg?

I’m sorry, but I don’t 100% know. In general, my specialty lies in creating baking recipes with conventional ingredients. If you’re looking for an eggless or vegan pancake recipe, I suggest checking out my friends Ashlae at Oh Ladycakes and Laura at The First Mess. Both of them specialize in vegan cooking and will be able to help you out better than I can!

That being said, if you’ve used egg replacers in either chocolate chip cookie or brownie recipes before with success, it’s likely they’ll work in this brookie bar recipe. Why? The brookies are made with pretty standard chocolate chip cookie and brownie recipes. It’ll probably be pretty similar to what you’ve made in the past with the replacers. However, since I’ve never tried the substitutions myself, I cannot 100% guarantee the results. So if you replace the eggs in these brookies with any of the options I provided, please leave a comment so I can update this post accordingly!

Chocolate Chips

You need ½ cup chocolate chips to make the chocolate chip cookie dough for the brookies.

Bittersweet versus Semisweet versus Dark Chocolate Chips

Whenever I share a recipe that uses dark chocolate, many of you ask if you can use bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Many manufacturers make chocolate bars and chips that are specifically for baking; these are often labeled “bittersweet”, “semisweet”, or “unsweetened”. You’ll notice that “bittersweet” and “semisweet” typically don’t include cocoa percentages. That’s because there’s no official benchmark for each designation. Specifically: it’s up to the manufacturers to determine how much cocoa to use, and cacao percentages for each type will vary greatly between brands.

For these brookie bars, you can use the kind of chocolate chips you like best. It won’t matter too much if they’re bittersweet, semisweet, or dark chocolate chips. However, I don’t recommend using milk or white chocolate chips. It might make the brookies too sweet! Think about it: you’re already adding chocolate chip cookies to a pan of brownies. It’s already intense, lol.

Cocoa Powder

You need ⅓ cup Dutch-processed OR natural unsweetened cocoa powder to make the brownie batter for the brookies.

Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder versus Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder

Cocoa powder, when used in baking recipes, often comes in two varieties: natural unsweetened, and Dutch-processed.

Natural unsweetened cocoa powder is more typical and is cocoa powder in its purest form. It is slightly reddish brown in color and results in deeply flavored chocolate goods. Because it is slightly acidic, it is often paired with baking soda in baking recipes to help create a chemical reaction that will cause the baked good to rise in the oven.

Dutch-processed cocoa powder is natural unsweetened cocoa powder that’s been treated with alkaline to neutralize its acidity, giving it a darker color and milder flavor. It is the cocoa powder that is used for making midnight-black baked goods like Oreos.

For my brookies, I used natural unsweetened cocoa powder. But if Dutch-processed is all you have, go for it! It won’t make too much of a difference in terms of flavor. However, your brookie bars will likely come out darker than mine.

small batch brookie bars

How To Make Small Batch Brookie Bars

To make brookie bars, you need to make a chocolate chip cookie dough recipe and a brownie batter recipe. Here are the basic steps to make brookie bars from scratch:

First, make the chocolate chip cookie dough for the brookie bars.

  1. Prep your ingredients for the cookie dough. (Prep Time: 5 minutes)
    Luckily, prepping the ingredients for the chocolate chip cookie dough is fairly easy. Simply measure out all the ingredients for the dough! That’s it.

  2. Make the chocolate chip cookie dough. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
    Similarly, the chocolate chip cookie dough comes together easily. First, whisk together all the dry ingredients for the cookies in a medium bowl. Then, melt the butter in the microwave in a heatproof bowl. Once melted, mix in the brown sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. Then, mix in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Boom! You now have a really good chocolate chip cookie dough.

Next, start assembling the brookie bars.

  1. Make the chocolate chip cookie dough base for the brookie bars. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
    These brookie bars are made of three different layers: a partial cookie dough “base”, topped with brownie batter, finished with a sprinkling of more cookie dough. To make the cookie dough base, use a 1-Tablespoon cookie dough scoop to portion half of the cookie dough into balls. Drop the cookie dough balls randomly into the prepared loaf pan and gently press down on each ball to make the “base”.

    I use quotations around the word base because, well, this layer isn’t technically a base. The cookie dough won’t cover the entire bottom of the pan. Instead, it will be kind of patchy (check out the video below for a visual!), with parts of the pan still visible. This is what you want! The cookie dough won’t be a full base layer. It’s simply there to distribute more bites of chocolate chip cookie throughout the brookie bars!

Then, make the brownie batter for the brookie bars.

  1. Prep your ingredients for the brownie batter. (Prep Time: 5 minutes)
    Luckily, prepping the ingredients for the brownie batter is fairly easy. Simply measure out all the ingredients for the batter. If your cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar is particularly lumpy, sift them into a medium bowl. Then, add the rest of the dry ingredients to that bowl. Boom! You’ve already completed the first step of the brownie recipe.

  2. Make the brownie batter. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
    Like the chocolate chip cookie dough, the brownie batter comes together really easily. First, whisk together all the dry ingredients for the brownie batter in a medium bowl. Then, melt the butter in the microwave in a heatproof bowl. Once melted, mix in the large egg and vanilla. Then, mix in the dry ingredients. Finally, stir in the hot water. The hot water will smoothen out any stubborn lumps and bloom the cocoa powder in the batter—learn more in the FAQ below!

Now, finish assembling the brookie bars.

  1. Make the brownie layer for the brookie bars. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
    Pour the brownie batter into the loaf pan with the cookie dough and use an offset spatula to spread it to cover the cookie dough and smooth its top. The batter will be thick and fudgy—it might be easier to pick up the pan and tilt it from side to side to get it to spread! Don’t worry if the batter doesn’t cover the cookie dough completely. It’ll work out, I promise.

  2. Make the chocolate chip cookie topping for the brookie bars. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
    Sprinkle the top of the brownie batter with generous pinches of the remaining chocolate chip cookie dough. If you’re feeling fancy, don’t be afraid to throw in some chocolate chips, too! Gently press the cookie dough pieces into the batter.

Finally, bake the brookie bars.

  1. Bake the brookie bars. (Bake Time: 50 minutes)
    You need to bake the brookie bars for 50 to 55 minutes. I know that seems like a long time for a tiny pan of brownies. But remember—brookie bars are made with both cookie dough AND brownie batter. You’re technically baking two desserts in one pan. And anything that good is worth waiting for, right?!
small batch brookie bars

Small Batch Brookie Bars Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ

FAQ: Tools to Make Small Batch Brookie Bars

Can I bake these small batch brookie bars in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan instead of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan?

Yes! However, your bars will likely be taller and thicker than mine. You may need to add 5 minutes to the recipe’s Bake Time as well.

I don’t have a microwave. Can I melt the butter on the stovetop instead?

Absolutely! If you don’t have a microwave, melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. As I say in the baker’s notes below, be mindful when melting the butter for these cookies! I like to chop it up into 1-inch cubes then melt it in a small sauce pot over medium-low heat. I stir the butter constantly while monitoring it.

FAQ: Small Batch Brookie Bar Recipe Techniques

Can I use chopped chocolate or chocolate chunks for the cookie dough instead of chocolate chips?

Absolutely! Feel free to swap out the chocolate chips in the recipe for chopped chocolate or chocolate chunks instead.

I don’t want to make both chocolate chip cookie dough AND brownie batter in the same day. Can I make one of them ahead?

Yes! If you don’t want to do too many dishes at once, I suggest making the chocolate chip cookie dough a day ahead. Simply follow the recipe instructions to make the chocolate chip cookie dough. When done, cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Then, use the cookie dough in the brookie bar recipe as instructed. There’s no need to bring the cookie dough back down to room temperature first! However, you may need to add a few minutes to Bake Time.

Why do I need to add boiling water to the brownie batter?

Great question! In my deep-dive about the Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe, I talked about how old-fashioned chocolate cake recipes tend to use hot water in their batters. Why? According to my research, the hot water helps get rid of any stubborn lumps in the cocoa powder. Most old-fashioned chocolate cake recipes instruct you to make the batter by hand with a whisk. And if you’re a seasoned baker, you know how hard it can be to whisk lumps out of batter.

The same thing applies to this brownie batter recipe. If you didn’t sift your cocoa powder or confectioners’ sugar beforehand, you might end up with a lumpy batter. The hot water will help smoothen it out.

Furthermore, the hot water “blooms” the cocoa powder, deepening the cocoa powder’s chocolate flavor. It’s similar to how coffee and tea become more flavorful when steeped in hot water.

FAQ: How To Store Small Batch Brookie Bars

How To Store Small Batch Brookie Bars

The brookie bars can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze the baked small batch brookie bars?

Yes! To freeze the brookie bars, individually wrap any leftover bars in two layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will prevent the bars from absorbing any other flavors or odors in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to serve, transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Rewarm in the microwave or in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes before serving.

Best Brookie Bar Recipe Tips

Best Equipment Tip

  • The brookie recipe instructs you to make a cookie dough first, then a brownie batter. Both recipes require you to mix their dry ingredients in a medium bowl as its first step. Good news: you can reuse the same bowl for both the dough and batter. Save yourself from doing more dishes! In fact, you can reuse the same mixing spatulas, too. I mean… it all ends up in the same dessert anyway, lol.

Best Recipe Technique Tips

  • Be mindful when melting the butter for both the cookie dough and brownie batter! You don’t want the butter to sizzle, crackle, or pop. I chop it up into 1-inch cubes then microwave it on low at 10-second intervals. If you don’t have a microwave, melt the. butter in a small sauce pot over medium-low heat. I stir the butter constantly while monitoring it.

  • And on that note, it’s better to under-melt the butter than over-melt it. In fact, I like to pull the butter from the microwave/stovetop when there are still a couple of solid chunks left. I then stir the butter by hand to melt these chunks. Doing so ensures that my butter is warm but not overly hot. If the butter is too hot, you might risk scrambling and cooking your eggs since you’re adding them directly to the butter!

  • Make sure that the water is very hot, as close to freshly boiled as possible, when you add it to the brownie batter. This is the secret to a super chocolaty brownie! To ensure that my water stays very hot, I pour it into an insulated mug right after boiling. Then, I place a ceramic plate on top of the mug to act as a makeshift lid to trap heat inside.

Best Serving Tip

  • I mentioned throughout the post that this small batch brookie bar recipe makes 8 bars, or 2 large bakery-style brookies. To make 8 brookies, unmold the bars from the pan and slice them lengthwise. Hold the two long slices together, and slice them into quarters crosswise. This will create 8 brookie bars. For 2 large bakery-style brookie bars, simply slice the unmolded brookie bar block into two halves crosswise.

Video Tutorial for Small Batch Brookie Bars Recipe

Use the video player below to watch my Instagram Story tutorial on how to make these small batch brookie bars! The arrows to the left and right of the frame allow you to skip through the different recipe steps. You can also hit the “pause” or “enlarge” buttons on the upper right hand side of the frame to pause or enlarge the frames accordingly.


Alternatively, head to my Instagram profile to watch these Stories on mobile! The circles underneath my bio indicate saved Instagram Story highlights for various recipes. Click on one of the circles to play the video tutorial for the recipe. You may need to swipe left or right to find this brookie bars recipe.

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Get the Recipe: Small Batch Brookie Bars Recipe

These small batch brookie bars are made from a combination of chewy, all cocoa powder brownies and fudgy chocolate chip cookies! The recipe is small batch and made in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. It makes 8 brookie bars, enough for 2 to 4 people!
(4.53 stars) 21 reviews
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Ingredients

For the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

  • ½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon (2.55 ounces or 72 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 Tablespoons (1.5 ounces or 43 grams) unsalted butter
  • cup tightly packed (2.5 ounces or 71 grams) light OR dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (3 ounces or 85 grams) bittersweet, dark (between 60% to 70% cacao) chocolate, OR semisweet chocolate chips

For the Brownie Batter

  • ¾ cup (5.25 ounces or 149 grams) granulated sugar
  • cup (1.5 ounces or 43 grams) all-purpose flour
  • cup (1 ounce or 28 grams) Dutch-processed OR natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if necessary
  • ¼ cup (1 ounce or 28 grams) confectioners' sugar, sifted if necessary
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 Tablespoons (2 ounces or 57 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoons (.5 ounces or 14 grams) boiling water
  • flaky salt, for garnish

Equipment

  • a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan
  • 2 heatproof medium bowls
  • a 1-Tablespoon cookie dough scoop
  • an offset spatula

Instructions
 

For the Small Batch Brookie Bars

  • Prep your oven and pans. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the pan's two long sides. Spray the parchment, too.
  • Make the chocolate chip cookie dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • Melt the butter in a medium, heatproof bowl in 15- to 20-second intervals, using a heatproof rubber spatula to stir as needed. Pour the brown sugar over the melted butter and mix with a heatproof rubber spatula until just combined. When melted, add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix until just combined. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the chocolate and mix until evenly distributed throughout.
  • Start assembling the brookie bars. Use a 1-Tablespoon cookie dough scoop to portion half of the cookie dough into balls, dropping each ball randomly into the prepared loaf pan as you go. Gently press down on each cookie dough ball. Reserve the other half of the cookie dough for the brookie bar topping.
  • Make the brownie batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar, and salt.
  • Melt the butter in a medium, heatproof bowl in 15- to 20-second intervals, using a heatproof rubber spatula to stir as needed. When melted, add the egg and vanilla and mix until just combined. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the water and mix until just combined.
  • Finish assembling the brookie bars. Pour the batter into the prepared pan with the cookie dough and use an offset spatula to smooth the top, covering the cookie dough pieces. Sprinkle the top of the batter with generous pinches of the remaining chocolate chip cookie dough. Gently press down on the pieces to meld them into the brownie batter.
  • Bake the brookie bars. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few crumbs attached. Check the bars around 30 minutes into the Bake Time—if the cookie dough is browning too quickly, cover the pan with a loose sheet of aluminum foil. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
  • Serve and store. Run a butter knife or offset spatula along the edges of the pan and use the overhanging parchment as handles to lift the brookie bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Follow the instructions in the baker's notes to slice into 8 petite squares, or 2 large bakery-style bars. Garnish with flaky salt and serve. The brookie bars can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • The brookie recipe instructs you to make a cookie dough first, then a brownie batter. Both recipes require you to mix their dry ingredients in a medium bowl as its first step. Good news: you can reuse the same bowl for both the dough and batter. Save yourself from doing more dishes! In fact, you can reuse the same mixing spatulas, too. I mean… it all ends up in the same dessert anyway, lol.
  • Be mindful when melting the butter for both the cookie dough and brownie batter! You don’t want the butter to sizzle, crackle, or pop. I chop it up into 1-inch cubes then microwave it on low at 10-second intervals. If you don’t have a microwave, melt the. butter in a small sauce pot over medium-low heat. I stir the butter constantly while monitoring it.
  • And on that note, it’s better to under-melt the butter than over-melt it. In fact, I like to pull the butter from the microwave/stovetop when there are still a couple of solid chunks left. I then stir the butter by hand to melt these chunks. Doing so ensures that my butter is warm but not overly hot. If the butter is too hot, you might risk scrambling and cooking your eggs since you’re adding them directly to the butter! 
  • Make sure that the water is very hot, as close to freshly boiled as possible, when you add it to the brownie batter. This is the secret to a super chocolaty brownie! To ensure that my water stays very hot, I pour it into an insulated mug right after boiling. Then, I place a ceramic plate on top of the mug to act as a makeshift lid to trap heat inside.
  • I mentioned throughout the post that this small batch brookie bar recipe makes 8 bars, or 2 large bakery-style brookies. To make 8 brookies, unmold the bars from the pan and slice them lengthwise. Hold the two long slices together, and slice them into quarters crosswise. This will create 8 brookie bars. For 2 large bakery-style brookie bars, simply slice the unmolded brookie bar block into two halves crosswise.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!

This post was last updated on 10/11/2020.

Michelle holding Weeknight Baking cookbook covering her face.

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Weeknight Baking:
Recipes to Fit your Schedule

Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.