Description
Valentine Brookies are a delicious dessert combining rich, fudgy brownie layers with soft, colorful sugar cookie swirls. Perfectly marbled and festive with pink hues and optional Valentine-themed sprinkles, these brookies bake into a tender, gooey treat ideal for sharing on special occasions like Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients
Scale
Brownie Layer
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Sugar Cookie Layer
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Pink or red gel food coloring, to desired hue
Optional Decoration
- Valentine sprinkles or heart confetti
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides to easily lift out the finished brookies.
- Make Brownie Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until smooth and shiny. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Gently fold in the cocoa powder, flour, and salt until there are no visible flour bits; avoid overmixing to keep the brownies tender.
- Pour Brownie Batter: Evenly pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it out gently.
- Make Sugar Cookie Dough: In a separate bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar using a mixer at medium speed for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl sides, then beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the flour and baking powder, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Gradually add the pink or red gel food coloring drop by drop until the dough reaches your desired vibrant color.
- Add Cookie Dough to Brownie Batter: Drop spoonfuls of the colored sugar cookie dough randomly over the brownie batter in the pan.
- Swirl the Batters: Using a butter knife or offset spatula, gently swirl the two batters together with figure-eights, loops, and zigzags to create a marbled effect. Take care not to overmix to maintain distinct swirls.
- Add Sprinkles (Optional): Sprinkle Valentine-themed sprinkles or heart confetti over the top if desired for a festive look.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. At 25 minutes, check for doneness: edges should be set and the center slightly soft but without wet batter. Insert a toothpick; it should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.
- Cool: Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 hours.
- Chill and Slice: For cleaner, neater slices, refrigerate the cooled brookies for 30 minutes before cutting. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the brookies from the pan and cut into 16 even squares with a sharp knife. Wipe the blade between cuts for clean edges.
Notes
- Using room temperature eggs helps achieve a smooth batter and better mixing.
- Do not overmix batter to keep brownie texture fudgy and cookie dough tender.
- The gel food coloring provides vibrant color without thinning the dough.
- For best results, allow brookies to cool completely and chill before slicing to prevent crumbling.
- You can customize the sprinkles to match any occasion, not just Valentine’s Day.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Valentine brookies, brownie and sugar cookie swirls, marbled brookies, Valentine dessert, pink cookies, fudgy brownies
