Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Topped Brownies and The Secret Recipe Club

This is my first month to join in The Secret Recipe Club!  The idea is that each participating blogger is assigned one of the other participating blogs (much like a Secret Santa). No one reveals whose blog they have, they just visit, pick a recipe, and make it!  If you'd like more information about joining in, just pop on over and visit Amanda at Amanda's Cookin. 

My assigned blog this month was Greens and Chocolate!  I was thrilled from the first moment I visited her blog!  It is full, FULL, of mouth watering recipes :)  I had waaaay more fun with this challenge than I had anticipated.  See, it's like this:  there was no way I could choose only one of Taylor's recipes.  So I chose 4!!  And then I had a girls' night in at my house and prepared her lovely recipes to share with my friends.  Did I mention we had a lot of fun?!  So stick around because this entire week is going to be devoted to each of her recipes that I tried!! :) 

But for today, let's talk about these brownies!!  Ordinarily, I would have opted for a boxed brownie mix and then added the toppings.  But in the spirit of the challenge, I decided to be true to her recipe and make the brownies from scratch.  It really wasn't difficult at all and they turned out delicious.  But, oh my goodness, the chocolate chip cookie dough topping stole the show!!  It was easy to whip up as well, and contained no raw eggs.  Y'all know I have strict rules about raw eggs, right? 

I'd be remiss if I didn't warn you about this ingredient list you are about to read.  Surely it should come with a warning from the Surgeon General!  :) Five sticks of butter for starters. Yipes!  By the time I had completed this recipe I was laughing hysterically at the sheer volume of dessert I had just cranked out.  I took this awesome picture with my phone of the pan of brownies atop my kitchen scale weighing in at just under 10 pounds!  So, uhm, just make sure you have plenty of people to share the goodies with when you make this recipe! :) 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Topped Brownies
Recipe from Greens and Chocolate as seen on Beantown Baker

Brownies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips


Cookie dough:
3 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
9 tbsp milk
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray 9x13" pan with baking spray.  


For brownies:  Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat.  Once melted, add sugar and and stir to combine.  Keep mixture over heat about 3-4 minutes longer, stirring constantly.  Transfer butter and sugar mixture to a mixing bowl, and stir in cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.  I whisked these dry ingredients together first before adding them to the sugar mixture.  


Next, add the eggs and whisk to combine completely.  Lastly, add the flour and stir with spatula or wooden spoon to combine, then stir in chocolate chips.   Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean in the middle.  The edges should appear set and center should appear moist but not uncooked.  Cool completely.  


For cookie dough:  In large bowl, beat together butter and sugars with electric mixer until creamy.  Beat in milk.  With mixer on low, add flour and mix until well combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  


To assemble, spread cookie dough onto cooled brownies.  I put my brownies in the refrigerator for about an hour to speed up this process.  Chill the brownies until the cookie dough is firm, then cut into bars.  Enjoy!