Fudgy Brownie Bars

These fudgy brownies will make the perfect dessert for any night of the week! And the best part is that this dessert brings together two amazing desserts!

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Fudgy Brownie Bars combine two fabulous desserts: brownies with cookies! How did this come about? A co-worker brought me in a box of Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies… (which is how all fabulous stories start, right?)

What Are Fudgy Brownie Bars?

I drove home with them in the car, went to the gym and by the time I got home they had heated ever so slightly and then stuck together. When I tried to pry them apart I got nothing but Thin Mint dust. I love Thin Mints and was not going to let this go to waste. #nothinmintleftbehind

What to do, what to do? Mix into a cookie dough, make cookies out of cookies? Press into a pie crust? Or combine with brownies.

I decided not to make the typical brownie batter and just fold it in, like my Junior Mint Brownies, but instead to make a thick, rich, chewy brownie bar.

I based my recipe off Nestle Toll House Brownies and the rest is history! Cake-like brownies spread thick with a layer of heavenly cream cheese whipped with your favorite cookie crumbs and capped with a crunchy layer of chocolate.

You can use whichever cookie you want! Oreo‘s, Nilla Wafers, Grasshoppers- anything you can pulse into dust in a food processor will make amazing cookie brownies! You can even use crushed candy like Rolos, Snickers or Butterfinger. 

overhead shot of sliced fudgy brownies

Why You’ll Love the Best Fudge Brownies

What’s better than box mix brownies? These homemade brownies! And here’s why:

  • Simple ingredients – most, if not all of the ingredients on this list you probably already have on hand in your pantry!
  • Three layers – With three layers of goodness including a ganache and cookie layer, these brownies can’t be beat.
  • Perfect texture – Perfectly chewy, a warm brownie would taste great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
overhead shot of hand holding brownie

Fudgy Brownies Ingredients

It really only takes simple ingredients to make the best homemade brownie recipe, most of which you probably already have on hand!

Brownie Base

  • Granulated sugar – Just plain white sugar is all we need for this fudgy brownie recipe.
  • Butter – I always prefer to use unsalted butter when cooking or baking. That way I can control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe.
  • Eggs – Whenever a recipe calls for eggs, always assume they mean large eggs. It also helps if they are room temperature.
  • Vanilla extract – I like to use a good quality vanilla extract. It makes all the difference for these perfect fudgy brownies.
  • Flour – All purpose flour is what we need here. I have not tried gluten free flour.
  • Cocoa powder – I also like to use a good quality cocoa powder. It helps to make the best brownies
  • Baking powder – Baking powder acts as a leavener and helps to create the rise we need in out brownies.
  • Salt – If using salted butter, omit this altogether. Salt just helps to bring out all of the flavors.

Cookie Layer

  • Favorite cookies – Maybe my favorite part about this easy brownie recipe is the cookie layer. You can mix up which cookies you use too.
  • Cream cheese – Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature. When mixed with the cookies, it makes the most delicious, creamy layer for these brownies.

Chocolate Ganache

  • Semi sweet chocolate chips – You could use milk chocolate, but I prefer semi sweet. 
  • Heavy cream – It’s super simple to make a ganache with bold chocolate flavor. The heavy cream thins out the melted chocolate to make it pourable. 
straight on shot of plate of brownies

How to Make Fudgy Brownies

You are going to love how easy it is to make these perfect brownies!

  1. Prepare oven and pan. Preheat oven and lightly coat a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray or parchment paper.
  2. Cream butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together sugar and butter until light, fluffy and pale.
  3. Add eggs, vanilla and water. Add eggs, vanilla and water, blending until fully incorporated.
  4. Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Gradually add to wet ingredients.
  5. Add chocolate chips. Fold in 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips by hand.
  6. Bake. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Remove and allow to cool fully.
  7. Make cookie layer. Place cookies into a food processor and pulse into crumbs. Blend together cream cheese and cookie crumbs. Spread in an even layer over cooled brownies.
  8. Make ganache. Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream, stirring continuously. As soon as it reaches a spreadable consistency, pour over cookie layer. Spread out evenly and place into the refrigerator to set.
  9. Slice and enjoy. Run a sharp knife under hot water to slice. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.

Fudgy Brownies Variations

We love these easy homemade brownies exactly as is, but there are plenty of ways to make fun variations too.

  • Bold flavor – If you want something with a little more oomph, try adding a tablespoon on espresso powder.
  • Frosting – Instead of the ganache topping, you could add some chocolate brownie frosting on top instead.
  • Mix ins – We like to add a cup of chocolate chips into the batter, but switch it up by adding peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips instead.
  • Crackly top  – If you like your brownies to have the signature crinkly top, simply leave off the last two layers.
close up of fudgy brownie

Storage and Freezing

Storage: You can store these chocolate brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last up to one week.

Freezing: These fudgy brownies also freeze well. Make sure to wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe bag.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes brownies fudgy?

Fudgy brownies have more fat than cakey brownies. Things that add more fat to brownies are things like butter and chocolate.

What makes brownies too dense?

If you like your brownies to be a little lighter and airy, mix the batter a little longer than normal. It allows more air to be incorporated into the batter.

What is the secret of moist brownies? 

The secret to keeping them moist is to store them correctly. Make sure to keep them wrapped and refrigerated. 

collage of fudgy brownies for pinterest

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Almond Coconut Macaroons are light, fluffy coconut biscuits dipped in chocolate and almonds. Perfect as a dessert, for tea for as a an afternoon snack.
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angled shot of plate of fudgy brownies with text overlay for pinterest
straight on shot of plate of brownies

Fudgy Brownie Bar Recipe

5 from 8 votes
Fudgy Brownie Bars are an easy dessert recipe with layers of brownie, cookie and chocolate ganache, the ultimate chocolate lovers dream!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 16

Ingredients

Brownie Base:

Cookie Layer:

  • 10 ounces favorite cookies
  • 8 ounces cream cheese , room temperature

Chocolate Ganache:

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Brownie Layer

  • In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the sugar and butter until light, fluffy and pale.
  • Add the eggs, vanilla and water, blending until fully incorporated.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Gradually add to wet mixture.
  • Fold in 1 cup of the semi sweet chocolate chips by hand.
  • Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Remove and allow to cool fully.

Cookie Layer:

  • Place the cookies into a food processor and pulse into crumbs.* In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a medium mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, blend together the cream cheese and cookie crumbs. Spread in an even layer over cooled brownies.

Chocolate Ganache:

  • In the microwave or a double boiler, combine the remaining chocolate chips and heavy cream, stirring continuously. As soon as it reaches a spreadable consistency, pour over cream cheese layer. Spread out evenly and place into the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set.
  • Run a sharp knife under hot water to slice. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.
  • If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Notes

  • If you do not have a food processor, put cookies in an airtight plastic bag and smash with a rolling pin. The crumbs won’t be as uniform or small, but it will do the trick. 

Nutrition

Calories: 566 kcal, Carbohydrates: 62 g, Protein: 6 g, Fat: 33 g, Saturated Fat: 18 g, Cholesterol: 71 mg, Sodium: 254 mg, Potassium: 349 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 41 g, Vitamin A: 610 IU, Calcium: 61 mg, Iron: 4.9 mg
Author: Chef Jessica Anne
Calories: 566
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brookie bars, brownie bars, chocolate dessert recipe
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

5 from 8 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    Whipped up a batch of these for an afternoon treat, and they did not disappoint! Turned out, perfectly light, fluffy, and delicious! Exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth!

  2. 5 stars
    In addition to being delicious, I love how these bars are so convenient. The brownie bars can be easily portioned and enjoyed on the go, which make them a great snack option for me and my family.

  3. 5 stars
    I like how this brownie recipe has different layers! So unique. I can’t wait to experiment with different types of cookies for the cookie layer.