Brownie Heart Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prepare to embark on a truly extraordinary dessert experience with these incredible **Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies**. Imagine the ultimate chocolate chip cookie: perfectly golden, irresistibly chewy edges, a soft, yielding center, and generously studded with melty chocolate chips. Now, elevate that vision by tucking a rich, fudgy brownie core into its very heart. This isn’t just a cookie; it’s a delightful surprise, a textural marvel, and a chocolate lover’s dream come true, all wrapped into one glorious bite.

The Ultimate Chocolate Fusion: Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

These aren’t merely cookies with a brownie on the side; they are a seamless, decadent fusion where two beloved desserts intertwine. Each bite offers the comforting familiarity of a classic chocolate chip cookie, followed by the luxurious discovery of a warm, gooey brownie center. It’s a culinary journey that begins with a crisp edge, transitions to a tender cookie, and culminates in a rich, molten brownie core.

Crafting these treats is surprisingly straightforward, making them a fantastic project for bakers of all skill levels, and especially a fun activity to share with family. Children particularly enjoy the hands-on process of shaping the cookie dough around the brownie pieces, transforming baking into a playful adventure. Whether you’re planning a birthday celebration, a holiday gathering, or simply want to add a touch of extra sweetness to an ordinary day, these brownie-stuffed cookies are guaranteed to be a showstopper and a crowd-pleaser.

While the recipe excels with readily available store-bought fudgy brownies for convenience, feel free to elevate the experience with your favorite homemade fudgy brownie recipe. If opting for homemade, remember to bake them a day in advance. This crucial step allows them ample time to cool completely and firm up, ensuring they are perfectly pliable for stuffing and hold their shape beautifully within the cookie dough.

Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

These brownie stuffed chocolate chip cookies are the perfect chocolatey treat. Soft and chewy cookies filled with decadent brownie bites!

Prep:
15 minutes

Cook:
18 minutes

Total Time:
43 minutes

Chill Time:
10 minutes

Servings:
24 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter (slightly melted, 2 sticks)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips (divided)
• ½ pound prepared brownies (soft middles only*)

Watch a video demonstration on how to make these delicious brownie stuffed chocolate chip cookies:

Equipment

• Kitchen Scale (optional)
• Hand Mixer
• Cookie Portion Scoop
• 2 Baking Sheets

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
   
   
2. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until combined.
   
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low just until mixed.
   
5. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Set aside the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips for now.
   
6. Using a 1½-tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, scoop out 48 cookie dough balls. Each cookie dough ball will be about 26 grams.
   
7. Take two cookie dough balls and flatten them with your hands.
8. Take about 1 tablespoon of soft brownie and squish it into a tight ball using your hands.
9. Place that brownie ball on top of one flattened cookie dough ball and place the other flattened cookie dough ball on top. Pinch the sides of the two flattened cookie dough balls together and roll this around in your hands until the brownie is completely covered by cookie dough. Repeat steps with the rest of the cookie dough. You’ll end up with 24 stuffed cookies in total.
   
10. Once all cookie dough balls are stuffed with brownies, use the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips to press chocolate chips into the tops of each cookie. The cookies can be close together on a lined baking sheet now – but not touching – so you just have one tray to place into the freeze for the next step.
11. Place cookies in freezer for 10 minutes before baking.
12. While the cookies chill, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a second baking sheet with parchment.
13. Take some cookies out of the freezer and place them on the prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches apart from each other.
    
14. Bake each tray of cookies for 18 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies slightly brown. The tops may not look completely set yet but that’s okay.
    
15. After removing the baking tray from the oven, leave the cookies on the hot baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. During those 15 minutes on the hot baking tray outside of the oven, the cookies will finish baking.

Notes

*It’s important that the brownies you use to stuff inside the cookies are soft. If the brownies are too crumbly (like crunchier edge pieces), you won’t be able to squish them into balls to stuff into the cookies.

Tips:

• Once the wet and dry ingredients have been mixed, be careful not to beat the dough too much or the cookies will lose that chewy texture.
• If the cookie dough starts sticking to your hands while rolling cookies into balls, simply wash your hands after every few cookies or very lightly spray your hands with non-stick cooking spray.
• If you want to get creative and colorful, place mini M&Ms on top of your cookie dough before they go into the freezer to chill for another dimension of chocolate and fun!
• Only bake 1 tray of cookies at a time to ensure an even baking temperature.

Storage: Store brownie stuffed chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, in the refrigerator for up to 6 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)

Calories 293
Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g
20%

Saturated Fat 7g
44%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 35mg
12%

Sodium 113mg
5%

Potassium 90mg
3%

Carbohydrates 40g
13%

Fiber 1g
4%

Sugar 23g
26%

Protein 3g
6%

Vitamin A 261IU
5%

Calcium 30mg
3%

Iron 2mg
11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author:
Becky Hardin

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Step-by-Step Guide to Making Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Creating these delightful cookies is an enjoyable process. Follow these detailed steps to ensure perfectly baked, fudgy-centered treats every time.

1. Gather and Prepare Your Ingredients

Before you begin mixing, ensure all your ingredients are ready. Slightly melt the butter by warming it in the microwave for about 30 seconds; it should be softened but not fully liquid. Crucially, allow your eggs to come to room temperature. This helps them emulsify better with the other ingredients, leading to a smoother, more uniform cookie dough.

2. Cream Butter and Sugars

In a generously sized mixing bowl, combine the slightly melted salted butter with both the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat these ingredients together on high speed. Continue mixing for approximately 3 minutes, or until the mixture becomes visibly light and fluffy. This aeration process is vital for the cookie’s texture. Next, incorporate the room-temperature eggs one at a time, followed by the pure vanilla extract. Beat until all components are well combined, ensuring no streaks of egg remain.

3. Prepare and Incorporate Dry Ingredients

In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. This ensures that the leavening agents and cornstarch (which helps create that desirable chewy texture) are evenly distributed throughout the dry mixture. Gently add these dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Beat on low speed just until the ingredients are combined and a cohesive dough forms. It’s crucial not to overmix the dough at this stage; overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, resulting in tougher, less chewy cookies.

4. Fold in Chocolate Chips

Now, it’s time for the chocolate chips! Gently stir in 1 cup of the semisweet chocolate chips into the cookie dough. Reserve the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips for later; these will be used to press onto the tops of the cookies before baking, adding a beautiful bakery-style finish and extra bursts of chocolate.

5. Portion the Cookie Dough

Using a 1½-tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, portion out 48 uniform balls of cookie dough. Each dough ball should weigh approximately 26 grams. Consistency in size is important for even baking. Arrange these portions on a clean surface or a parchment-lined baking sheet, preparing them for the stuffing process.

6. Stuff with Brownie Goodness

This is where the magic happens! Take two of the portioned cookie dough balls and gently flatten each one with your hands into a disc shape. Next, take about 1 tablespoon of your soft brownie (remembering our tip to use only the fudgy middles!) and gently squish it into a tight, compact ball. Place this brownie ball onto the center of one flattened cookie dough disc. Carefully place the second flattened cookie dough disc on top of the brownie, essentially creating a brownie sandwich. Pinch the edges of the two cookie dough discs together firmly, sealing the brownie inside. Roll the entire ball between your hands until the brownie is completely encased and the cookie is smooth. Repeat this process with the remaining cookie dough and brownie pieces until you have 24 beautifully stuffed cookies.

7. Chill for Perfection

Once all the cookie dough balls are stuffed with their brownie centers, it’s time for a crucial step: the chill. Take the reserved ¼ cup of chocolate chips and gently press a few onto the tops of each stuffed cookie. Arrange all the cookies on a single parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring they are close together but not touching. This will allow you to freeze them efficiently. Place the entire tray of cookies into the freezer for 10 minutes. This chilling period is vital as it helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking, ensuring they retain their thick, chewy texture. While the cookies are chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a second baking sheet with parchment paper.

8. Bake and Cool

Remove some of the chilled cookies from the freezer and arrange them on your prepared baking sheet, making sure there are at least 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for even baking and spreading. Bake each tray of cookies for approximately 18 minutes. Look for the bottoms of the cookies to be lightly golden brown; the tops may still appear soft and not fully set, which is perfectly normal and contributes to their ultimate chewiness. Once baked, remove the baking sheet from the oven, but resist the urge to immediately transfer the cookies. Let them rest on the hot baking sheet for an additional 15 minutes. This carryover cooking on the hot tray will allow the cookies to finish baking gently and set properly without becoming overdone. After 15 minutes, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. This final cooling process will further enhance their texture and flavor, yielding a truly irresistible treat.

Expert Tips for Flawless Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Room Temperature Eggs: Always use room temperature eggs. They incorporate more easily into the butter and sugar mixture, creating a smoother, more emulsified dough. This leads to a better texture in your final cookies.
• Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can result in tough, dry cookies instead of the desired soft and chewy texture.
• Sticky Dough Solution: If the cookie dough becomes sticky while you’re rolling the balls, simply wash and dry your hands after every few cookies. Alternatively, a very light spray of non-stick cooking spray on your hands can help.
• The Power of Chilling: The 10-minute chill time in the freezer is non-negotiable! It solidifies the butter in the dough, preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking and ensuring they remain thick and chewy.
• Even Baking: For consistent results, bake only one tray of cookies at a time. This ensures that the oven temperature remains stable and evenly distributes heat, resulting in uniformly baked cookies.
• Cooling is Key: Don’t rush the cooling process. Letting the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for 15 minutes after baking allows them to continue cooking gently and set up properly, ensuring they are firm enough to handle without crumbling.

Delicious Variations to Try

While classic brownie stuffed chocolate chip cookies are perfect on their own, don’t hesitate to experiment with these exciting variations:

• Caramel Swirl Brownies: Use brownies with a caramel swirl for an extra layer of gooey sweetness.
• Nutty Crunch: Add chopped walnuts or pecans to your cookie dough for a satisfying textural contrast.
• White Chocolate Dream: Swap out semisweet chocolate chips for white chocolate chips in the cookie dough for a milder, creamier flavor.
• Double Chocolate Indulgence: Use dark chocolate chips in the cookie dough and a rich, dark chocolate brownie for an intensely chocolatey experience.
• Mint Chocolate Magic: If using homemade brownies, add a touch of mint extract to the brownie batter, or use mint chocolate chips in your cookie dough for a refreshing twist.
• Holiday Sprinkles: Add festive sprinkles to the top of your cookies before baking for a touch of seasonal cheer.

How to Store and Serve

These magnificent brownie stuffed chocolate chip cookies are best enjoyed warm, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for an extra-decadent treat. For storage, ensure they are completely cooled before placing them in an airtight container. At room temperature, they will stay fresh and delicious for up to 4 days. If you need to extend their shelf life, store them in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. For longer-term enjoyment, these cookies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. When ready to serve from the freezer, simply thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, then bring them to room temperature or warm slightly in the microwave for a fresh-baked feel. The brownie center will become wonderfully gooey again!