Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

"Oh and Mike likes decadent desserts like you. Like...brownie sundaes with chocolate and caramel. So if you want to whip up something- that'll prob win him over real quick ;) haha."

So read the text (more or less) that I received from my best friend a couple days before I got to see her for the first time since moving back, and before I'd get to (finally) meet her boyfriend.

Decadent dessert you say, hm?? Brownies, hmmmm?

It was my duty as a BFF to make Alex's Mike (and yes, I realize our boys have the same name. He, however, is Mike. Mine is Michael. Soooo yeah.) cookie dough topped brownies. Like...I had no choice.

So that is what I did. The next day I whipped up these cookie dough topped brownies to give to Mike and Alex. In a way...it was sort of the best thing I could have made. You see...Alex and Mike have been together for like...4 years-ish. And I just now finally met him. And...you see...these brownies? One of the first blogger recipes that I bookmarked. Probably a similar amount of time ago. And I just now made them.

Kismet.

Decadence was asked for and decadence was delivered!

The brownie base is really rich and dense-so delicious. And then you top it with an eggless cookie dough?

So rich and so decadent...you really only need a tiny piece (and that's coming from me!)

I also gave some of these darlings to Michael's co-workers. It's like I'm the Mother Theresa of cookie dough brownies*. Apparently they made such an impact that they're still talking about how "Michael's 'wife' makes the best brownies!" ohhhh yeah.

*(that seems sacrilegious or some such...I apologize)

The only downside? I feel like you can't taste the cookie dough enough because the chocolate brownies sort of take over. However, I voiced this concern to Michael, Alex, and Mike and they all said I was crazy.

Well...technically Mike said "Just turn it upside down so the cookie dough touches your tongue first."

We were impressed by his genius idea. To which he stated:

"I'm an engineer."

(he really is)

So there ya have it. Endorsed by an engineer. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

From Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:

Brownie-

• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour

Cookie Dough-

• ¾ cup butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

Preparation:
Brownie-

• Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Line a 9"x13" pan with foil-leaving plenty of overhang on the 2 ends. Butter the foil. 
• In a medium, microwave-safe, glass bowl melt the chocolate in in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. 
• Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract-scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. 
• Mix in the melted chocolate until combined.
• On low, mix in the flour until just combined.
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Cookie Dough-

• In a medium bowl beat together the butter and sugars. 
• Mix in milk and vanilla until completely incorporated.
• On low beat in the flour until just combined.
• Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Spread the cookie dough, evenly, over the cooled brownies. Refrigerate until the dough is firm (at least 1 hour).
• Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice the brownies. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

OM to the NOM to the NOM!