Salted Cookie Crinkle Top Brownies.
The very BEST Salted Cookie Crinkle Top Brownies. Homemade chocolate chip cookie dough, layered with homemade fudgy brownie batter for the truly ultimate cookie bar. Sweet chocolate chunks are swirled throughout the brownie batter before baking to perfection. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. There’s nothing not to love about these chocolate layered brownie cookie bars. Each bite is filled with doughy chocolate chip cookies and fudgy molten brownies…with an extra crinkly top. The best of both worlds.
These brownie cookie bars may not be my most creative recipe yet, but they’re truly one of my most delicious. I’m not sure I’ve met a cookie bar that’s better. A soft delicious cookie layer on the bottom and extra fudgy, molten brownies on top. Two most loved desserts combined into one.
So. Very. Good.
And perfect for these last days of February. Yes, the month flew by, but I’m excited to welcome in March on Sunday. February wasn’t the easiest month, but that’s life. The bad months help you appreciate the good ones! You just keep pushing forward. And I have a really exciting week ahead of travel…plus an insanely delicious dessert to talk about today…all very good things!
Now, these bars? They took me almost no time at all to get just right. They were oddly one of those recipes that worked pretty well the very first time I made them. I knew instantly that I would be sharing the recipe as soon as possible. Of course, while the recipe is delicious, the photos gave me some trouble. In an effort to get the photos just right, I’ve now made these brownies more than a handful of times over the last couple of weeks. Thankfully these brownies are delicious and I’ve been sharing them with everyone who turns up. It’s probably safe to say that I have this recipe pretty much perfected.
Which is great, because you absolutely need to make these, preferably tonight as an end of the workweek celebration treat. We all deserve a little indulgence every once in a while throughout the week.
The details…start with the cookie dough.
These bars start with the cookie layer. This is my go-to cookie base. Made with the classic list of ingredients…butter, sugar, an egg, lots of vanilla, flour, and plenty of chocolate chips. Very much the classic recipe, and so delicious!
Once mixed, press the cookie dough into a square brownie pan.
Let’s talk about the brownie batter.
Now, move onto the brownie batter, which I find to be extra special.
This is the brownie recipe I shared in the HBH Super Simple cookbook, it has only five very simple ingredients.
The secret lies in a generous amount of chocolate hazelnut spread, better known as Nutella. The Nutella is mixed with a couple of eggs and a touch of melted butter, then whisked until smooth. Then just add the flour and chocolate chunks. The Nutella keeps the brownies sweet and chocolatey without having to add any additional sweeteners or cocoa powder. SIMPLE, but SO GOOD.
If you don’t enjoy Nutella I’m still going to urge you to give this a try because the hazelnut flavor doesn’t really come through. On the other hand, if you simply can’t eat Nutella due to an allergy, I provided an additional brownie recipe in the notes sections of the recipe.
Once the batter is made, spread it directly over the cookie dough….
Now bake the bars.
There are a couple of things I want to note while baking. First, these brownies take longer than your average brownie to bake up since they’re thicker than your average brownie. They’ll need to bake for about thirty minutes. I then tent them with foil and continue to bake for another ten to fifteen minutes, until the brownies are just barely set in the center.
Using foil prevents the tops of the brownies from becoming too brown and preserves their beautiful crinkled top. And yes, I do think that crinkle top is beautiful, it’s what I strive for in a brownie. I love a crinkle top…with sea salt on top…of course.
Let the bars cool off a bit, then lift them out of the pan. At this point, you should really let the bars cool completely before cutting. Trust me I do understand if you need to steal a corner or two while the bars are still warm. They’re warm, gooey, and very messy, but SO very GOOD.
My only suggestion? Bake these salted cookie crinkle top brownies as soon as you get home from work today. Enjoy them just a smidge warm, maybe while snuggled up on the couch, and in full on weekend mode.
Hey, I’m convinced. Happiest (sweetest) Friday to you all – ENJOY!
A few of my favorite bar recipes.
Fudgy Avocado Brownies with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
5 Ingredient Triple Decker Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Lastly, if you make these Salted Cookie Crinkle Top Brownies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Salted Crinkle Top Brownie Cookie Bars
Homemade chocolate chip cookie dough layered with fudgy brownie batter...two most loved desserts...combined into one!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Crinkle Top Brownies
- 1 cup Nutella
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks (optional)
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
-
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 inch square baking dish and line it with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until combined. Add the egg, beating until combined and creamy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour, baking soda, and saltbeat until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Press the dough into the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
3. To make the brownies. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Nutella, eggs, butter, and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the flour and mix until just combined, 1 to 2 minutes more. Fold in the chocolate chunks (if using). Evenly spread the batter over the cooker layer. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Then cover the pan with foil and continue baking another 10-15 minutes, until the brownies are just set. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and let cool.
4. Eat warm (a little messy, but delicious) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. ENJOY!
Recipe Notes
Alternative Brownie Recipe: https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/crinkle-top-brownies/
Our Favorite Recipes
Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.
So, I have made your other brownies using Nutella from your cookbook and they’re brilliant. My question though is do you have thoughts on substitutions for the Nutella? My daughter has a nut allergy so she can’t eat them. I love the simplicity of using Nutella – it just doesn’t work for our family. Thoughts?
Hi Robin! I am so glad you enjoyed the brownies from the book! Have you tried making nut-free nutella? Let me know! xTieghan
Hi, awesome recipe and beautifully described.
Neeti https://www.bakingnfrosting.com
Thank you so much! xTieghan
Do you see any reason this recipe couldn’t be doubled and baked in a 9×13” pan?
HI! The baking time will just be much longer. If I had to guess, closer to an hour. Otherwise, I think it will work well. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Mmmm, these look and sound amazing! I can’t think of a better way to start the weekend than with these! Thanks Tieghan!
Thank you Lauren! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Ahh, how fabulous do these sound! It can be a challenge for me to find a brownie recipe I like, but this one sounds incredible!
Hi Melissa! I am so glad you are loving this one and I hope they turn out amazing for you! xTieghan
deliciuos & ….this looks fabulous…can’t wait to try it.
Thank you Rewari! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Do you think white rice flour would work okay as a GF flour substitute?
Hi Danielle! I do not feel comfortable recommending it, since I have not tried it. If you do need a GF substitute I would recommend cup4cup! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I really wanted this to be amazing but it wasn’t. Maybe I did something wrong but the brownies wouldn’t set and then the cookie dough was really overcooked. Maybe I overcooked the whole thing and if so, I feel like there may need to be more specific instructions for when it’s done.
Usually love these recipes but this one was a fail for me.
Hey Annie, so sorry you had some trouble. Did you test the brownies by using the toothpick or knife method? If the knife comes out clean the brownies are done.
Was there anything you did differently at all? Any ingredients different? Method of baking this? Any info will be helpful to help me problem solve and figure out what might be happening for you. It’s hard to know without knowing any details. Hope I can help you! xTieghan
This is the first time an HBH recipe did not turn out for me. I always follow the recipe exactly as stated (and even cross-checked this one with her IG stories) but the center is raw to the point that, even after cooling, it’s just batter, and the cookie bottom is overdone and lost the delicious taste it had as dough. I’ve made her Nutella brownies before as well as her Salted Cowboy Chocolate Chunk Pretzel cookies, both which turned out AMAZING and are similar to what goes into these brownies. Not sure if it was the tinfoil tenting that messed with the temperature or if the Universe just didn’t want me to experience their deliciousness, but it wasn’t meant to be. Might try again in the future or just opt for her other tested and successful bakes.
Hey Daisy! So sorry for the trouble. Did you bake these in the center of the oven? Was there anything at all about the recipe that you changed? Do you know if you oven runs warm by chance? Hope I can help problem salve! xTieghan
I also had a bit of a failure. The texture is dryIsh and takes more like a brownie cake. It’s good but not fudgy brownie like although I followed the recipe.
Hi Deb! I am sorry to hear that! Is there anything that could have gone wrong while making? I would love to help, just need a bit more info! xTieghan
Recipe question… the ingredients list kosher salt for the cookie recipe but the instructions never say to add the salt at any point. Am I missing a step?? I have these in the oven and never added any salt to the cookie dough batter so I’m hoping they still turn out okay!!!
Hey! Recipe is all fixed now. Did the brownies turn out ok? If you used salted butter it should be fine! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
I made these with a half batch of your crinkle top brownie recipe with the melted chocolate chips instead of the nutella ones. They’re excellent and my family is now obsessed with them. Thanks for the recipe. It’ll be in high rotation in my household.
I am so glad these turned out so well for you Natasha! Thank you for trying them! xTieghan
I was so excited to make these for my husband, a more chocolate the better type of guy. I followed the recipe to the letter, but I had a cooking issue. The brownies would not set. I ended up adding 20 more minutes uncovered. The brownie finally set and the cookie dough was not overcooked. These are delicious. My husband loves them, but I could only eat a small bite due to how rich they were.
Hi Elizabeth! I am so glad you both enjoyed these so much! Thank you for trying them! xTieghan
Made these tonight and was a little bummed… very dry and loafy- not fudgy at all. I followed the recipe to a T, didn’t change anything. From the comments it sounds like I’m not the only one who had some issues, though I find it interesting lots of people had the opposite where it wasn’t cooked all the way through.
Hi Barbara! That is so odd.. Are there any questions I could help you with? Please let me know! xTieghan
Had the same issues as other commenters. These were dry, loafy and never crinkled for me. Couldn’t be further away from “fudgy”. Just sorta puffed up and weirdly “sweat” a lot — When I took them out there were puddles of butter on top. I used a glass 8×8 and I don’t *think* my oven runs too hot – I bake a lot and normally don’t have issues with it. Only thing I can think I may have done different was use Whole Foods Brand nutella?
Hey Jessica, is the Whole Foods brand Nutella oilY? What are the ingredients? So sorry you had trouble, but hope I can help you get these right!!
I don’t see the alternative brownie recipe if Nutella can’t be used due to an allergy?
Hey Lauren! Linked to the brownie recipe bellow. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/crinkle-top-brownies/
Tried these last night as a last minute dessert for some unexpected guests! These rocked! Ate them while they were still warm with a little scoop of ice cream. But part of me wonders if a peanut butter cookie bottom also might be worth a shot (cause who doesn’t love peanut butter and chocolate!) Thanks for the awesome recipe. 🙂
Yes yes yes! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! PB bottom sounds amazing! xTieghan
oh my god!!! definitely trying this out… specially cause in in quarantine and that means COOKING ofc to try to pass by time
stay safe!!
https://dorky-and-weird.blogspot.com/
Beijinhos Jessy
Love it! I hope this turns out amazing for you Jessica! xTieghan
I made these tonight and they were so easy and very delicious! I only had a glass 8×8 pan though so did have to bake an extra 20 minutes longer! Will definitely be making again!!
Hi Catie! I am so glad these turned out so well for you!! Thank you so much for trying them! xTieghan
Your recipes are so easy to follow. And your photos always look so Devine!
I made this recipe yesterday to the T with no substitutions or alterations. I found it needed about 15 minutes of cook time more than specified in the recipe so the brownies would set. I thought the entire thing was more bready texture than cookie/brownie texture.
Not bad- definitely still edible, but just not in a sweet-toothed desserty way.
Hi Christine! Please let me know if you have any questions on this recipe! I am sorry it did not turn out the way you hoped! xTieghan
These are AMAZING. I even accidentally baked them at 380 instead of 350 (?! Ha) and they were still gooey blobs of heaven with a tasty cookie bottom. Holy crap. We actually need to hide these because I ate half the pan already.
Thank you for this recipe!
Haha I am glad these still turned out so well! Thank you so much Athena! xTieghan
I absolutely love your recipes! Will try this tonight! Are there any substitutes for the brown sugar though? Maybe maple syrup?
Thanks!!! 🙂
HI! I worry using maple will leave you with a cakey brownie, but you could certainly try! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Hey, Nutella is super expensive here in and I don’t always have it on hand. If I want to do the substitute recipe for crinkle top brownes, but I saw it needs a bigger pan (9×13) should I cut it in half or could I just layer the entire brownie butter over the cookies ?
Hi Maria,
I would cut the recipe in half. I hope they are delicious! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTeighan
Is it correct there is no sugar in the brownie layer?
Hi Lauren! Yes, that is correct! The nutella will make it sweet enough! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Hey Tiegan! This is in response to YOUR response to my comment around the sugar 😛 For some reason it would not let me “reply” to your response. But I wanted to say…. I LOVE that there is no “added” sugar… we will just ignore the sugar in the nutella 😉 I will be trying these today!!! Have loved baking up a bunch of your recipes since the pandemic. Did pretzel bagels yesterday! YUM!!
Hi Lauren! I am glad the pretzel bagels turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying them! Also, hope you love these brownies! xTieghan
Made these exactly as instructed and they turned out perfectly. Fudgey, crinkly, the best way to cure mid-week quarantine blues.
Thank you so much Sofia! xTieghan
Hey – I wrote a review previously and didn;t love it when it was freshley made (blasphemy). Going back for a bite the next day, I thought the brownies were delicious – there was something about letting them sit and cool that made the flavors intensify and the texture was also more brownie-like the next day! I’d totally make this again.
Also, I wanted to “reply” to my prior comment, but for some reason I couldn’t get the reply function to work.
Thanks for the awesome content!
Hi Christine! I am really glad these turned out well! Thank you for leaving another comment! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, I don’t have an 8×8 inch square baking tray but a 9x9inch instead. How should I adjust the cooking time or the ingredients to make it work? Thank you! I’m really looking forward to making these 🙂 x
Hi Holly! That should work fine! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
These are amazing, however, I totally over cooked them and did not get the coveted crinkle top! I don’t know what I did wrong. Also the cookie ingredients list 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, but I don’t see it anywhere in the cooking instructions. Thanks!
Hi Crystal,
Sorry add the salt with the flour and baking soda. The key to the crinkle top is to really beat the eggs. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These just didn’t turn out for me. I am an experienced baker and followed the instructions. I didn’t have a problem with the cook time or anything. But, the cookie layer was very greasy and the whole thing had a very weird, cake-y texture. I tried putting them in the fridge and eating them the next day. It didn’t help. I tried heating them up, even put them with ice cream. Didn’t help. Usually with desserts, if one element is off I can still eat them. But I am so sad.. I couldn’t eat these 🙁 I have no idea where I went wrong! Maybe it was just not meant to be.
Hi Elle! I am really sorry to hear that! Is there anything you changed about the recipe? I would love to help you out! xTieghan
I baked these yesterday and they turned out brilliant, I followed the recipe exactly an didn’t have any issues, they were super quick and easy! The crinkle top came out great and it was perfectly cooked. Will definitely be doing them again! Thanks for an excellent recipe!!
Amazing!! I am so happy these turned out so well for you, Reigan! Thank you! xTieghan
Hello 🙂 I think I found a possible reason why some other reviews may have had faulty brownies? There’s no step indicating when to add the salt for the bottom layer. Maybe other reviewers missed the salt due to that? I know I missed it until I tasted the batter and noticed it was missing. Delicious brownies, mine turned out perfect! 🙂
Thank you so much for catching that, Lindsay! I will add it in to make sure it gets added! I am really glad these turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
These were a huge hit with my Nutella-loving husband. I saved this recipe for his birthday, and he was so happy! I went the extra step and added those chips to the brownie layer as well. Totally worth it.
Thank you so much Jen! xTieghan
Just finished eating my first piece. I’m slightly disappointed. I followed the recipe exactly. My brownie didn’t look set so I added another 5 minutes and they weren’t much better but I was okay with that. I did not get that beautiful crinkle, mine just looked puffy. After cutting them, you can see my cookie bottom is a little overcooked. They tasted yummy, but definitely more cake like that fudgy. Definitely agree the Nutella does not overpower the brownie flavor. I don’t hate them, I mean, I’m certainly eating the rest of them, but might not make again.
Thank you Kelly! Is there anything I can help you with? Or anything that may have gotten changed on accident? xTieghan
Takes brownies to the next level, so so good
Thank you so much! xTieghan
I didn’t have any nutella, so I used peanut butter. Still amazing! can’t wait to try the recipe with nutella next.
I am so glad you loved these! Also, hope they turn out even better with the nutella haha! Thank you Emma! xTieghan
I have made these a few times now, and each time I get so many compliments and requests to have them again! I’m not a baker by any means, but these were easy to make and SO worth it. They have become a staple in my family!
I am so happy to hear that, Natalie!! Thank you so much for trying these brownies! I hope you continue to love these and other recipes of mine! xTieghan
Looks like you have solved my problem for my baby girl’s birthday. I am going to suggest my wife make these brownies and will share her experience.
Amazing! I hope you love these brownies! Thank you so much! xTieghan
These were a hit! First time making a “layered” cookie/brownie/cake. Easy and fantastic!
Thank you Abby! I am so happy to hear that! xTieghan
Just took mine out of the oven and oh my goodness!!!! These are DELICIOUS! Thank you Tieghan for helping me get comfortable in the kitchen making delicious recipes! I feel a lot more confident in taking on recipes your recipes are so easy to follow. My brownies didn’t crinkle like yours on the top but they were amazing nonetheless. Thank you!
Aw that is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much Lucy! xTieghan
Omg i really want to make these brownies!! Though can u give substitute for eggs as i am allergic to them.
Hey Nisha,
I am so sorry I have not tested this recipe without the eggs. You could certainly try a chia or flax egg, but again I am unsure of the results. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! I’ve tried this recipe and let me tell you, I’m not a sweet tooth and I really like this!! Just wondering, if I decide to use your other Crinkle Top Brownies recipe for this one, should I halve it or just make it as is?
Thank you so much!
Hey Nadine,
I am so glad you have been enjoying the recipe! I would just use half of the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Awesome post.
Thank you! xTieghan
Hello there, You’ve done a great job. I will definitely digg it and personally suggest to my friends.
I’m sure they will be benefited from this website.
Thanks so much!
Is the crinkle top recipe the same proportion as the Nutella brownie recipe? Seems like the crinkle top recipe is a lot more batter and to cook all the way through, would cause the cookies to overcook!
Hey Jess,
No, those are two completely different recipes:) xTieghan
How do we use the crinkle top recipe as an alternative to the Nutella recipe? They are two different quantities of brownie!
Hey Jess,
They are two different recipes, I would pick the one that you want to follow:) I hope you love the brownies! xTieghan
Followed the recipe to the tee and still turned out very wrong. My oven also doesn’t run hot, if anything I have to leave things in a bit longer. The main problem, as others have pointed out, is that the brownie does not come close to being edible/remotely firm in the 30 minutes. And when you leave them in longer to finish, the cookie turns into a hard, dusty cookie.
I really wanted to like these, but for some reason none of the half baked harvest brownie recipes work for me. I am almost wondering if it’s an issue that comes from me being slightly above sea level on the west coast and these recipes are created at a higher elevation? I’m at a loss
Hi Ag! I am sorry you had trouble. Was there anything you did differently at all? Any ingredients different? Method of baking this? Any info will be helpful to help me problem solve and figure out what might be happening for you. I know you said you followed the directions, but it’s hard to know without knowing any details.
I am at an elevation, but a write my recipes for sea level. Most people don’t have issues, so I am hoping I can help you! xTieghan
Where are you getting the flakey sea salt?
Hey Joye,
I order Maldons flaky sea salt from Amazon. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan