Brownie Bites with Cookie Crust
Published Jul 24, 2020•Updated Feb 20, 2024
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Brownie Bites or “Two-Bite Brownies” are chewy brownies baked in a mini muffin pan. This version has a chocolate chip cookie crust so you get the best of both worlds worlds in an easy, no-mixer-required dessert.
Before we go on vacation this week, I wanted to leave you with one of my all-time favorite dessert recipes. Chocolate Chip Brownie Tarts! This is an updated version of a recipe that I first shared here on the site in 2015 (when my now six-year-olds were just 9 months old). Over the years, I’ve received so many comments and questions about this fun recipe that I wanted to revisit it. The post below has been completely updated to answer all of the most commonly asked questions. I’ve also added all new photos! And if you love chocolate chips, don’t miss my most popular dessert recipe (with over 800 positive reviews), Crispy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies or my incredibly Easy Banana Bread.
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Pin It NowThe biggest change to the recipe is that I updated it to create 24 mini tarts. The original version made only 12 mini tarts which I heard over and over, just wasn’t enough! This has been re-worked from the ground up to give you a brand new version of the brownie bites that is even better than the original.
Here’s how to make these sweet bite-sized brownie desserts.
Step 1: Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust
The base of these tarts is a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe. To keep things simple, I wanted to be sure that you could dive right into baking these. No need to wait for butter to soften. The cookie crust starts with melted butter. You can easily mix this all by hand – no need to pull out the mixer.
In order to make the crust easy to work with, refrigerate it while making the brownie filling. There’s no set time required for refrigerating the crust, but cold dough is much easier to work with, making the crust easier to form.
Step 2: Make the Brownie Filling
The filling for the tarts is a rich, chocolate brownie. You’ll need a saucepan to melt the butter and can mix all of the other brownie ingredients right inside the saucepan. Just be sure to follow the instructions provided to give the batter some time to cool off before adding the egg. You don’t want the egg to start cooking before these get transferred to the oven!
And don’t sneak any spoonfuls of the brownie batter! This recipe makes exactly enough to fill the tarts.
Step 3: Assemble the Brownie Bites
This step is the only one that takes a bit of time, but they’ll come out great with these steps and tips:
- To start, divide the chocolate chip cookie dough between all 24 spaces of the pan, moving dough around as needed until it looks even.
- Next, roll all of the chocolate chip cookie dough into balls (this will set you up to easily form the tart shells).
- Using your fingers press down on the center of the dough balls until they are spread out over the entire inside of the muffin tin spaces. If the dough is too sticky to work with, dip the tips of your fingers in water.
- Fill the cookie crusts evenly with brownie batter. There is just enough batter to fill the tart shells about ¾ full. It will rise nearly to the top of the shells during baking.
- Look to the center of the brownie filling to tell if these are done baking. The center should look a tiny bit shiny and wobbly but will set up as it cools.
FAQs
It’s important to use unsalted butter in these desserts so that you have control over how much salt they contain. If all you have is salted butter, you can definitely still make these, but skip the pinch of salt in the cookie crust and be aware that the finished Chocolate Chip Brownie Tarts may not be as sweet.
Yes! One of the most common questions I get about these brownie tarts is if they can be baked in a regular muffin tin. If you don’t have a mini muffin tin, I’ve got you covered! See the notes section in the recipe for alternative baking instructions, but the ingredients and process for shaping the tarts is the same. You’ll need to make a single batch of chocolate chip cookie crust but a double batch of brownie filling.
This makes 12 tarts in a regular muffin tin (below is an image of the recipe in a regular muffin tin).
More Bite-Sized Recipes
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Brownie Bites with a Cookie Crust
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Small Saucepan
- Mini Muffin Tin
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust:
Brownie Filling:
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 cup White Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (not Dutch process)
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- Flaked Sea Salt, for topping (optional; but I like Maldon Sea Salt Flakes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a mini muffin tin (you’ll need one that has 24 spaces or will need to bake these in batches; see note if using a regular muffin tin).
- Prepare Crust: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together butter (just the portion for the cookie crust) and both sugars until smooth. (Note: you can do this by hand or using a mixer.) Add egg and vanilla and stir to combine. Add flour and salt and mix well. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
- Put the chocolate chip cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill while making the brownie filling (chilling the dough briefly will make it easier to work with).
- Prepare Brownie Filling: In a small saucepan, heat butter (portion for the filling) just until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar and cocoa powder until smooth. Whisk in egg and 1 Tbsp flour. Set mixture aside until cool enough to touch (this should take about 10 minutes; you can transfer the batter to a mixing bowl and put it in the refrigerator if you want to cool it more quickly.)
- Assemble the Brownie Bites: Divide the cookie dough evenly between the spaces of a muffin tin. (Just drop the dough into the spaces to start, and rearrange as needed utnil each space contains about the same amount.) Roll each ball of dough into an even round. Use your fingers to press the dough out into the sides of the muffin tin, creating a thin tart shell. (Note: if the dough sticks, dip your fingertips in water first.)
- Divide brownie batter evenly between tart shells.
- Bake until the brownie filling is puffed and just barely set in the middle, 9 to 11 minutes.
- If you'd like, add a tiny pinch of flaked sea salt (like Maldon) to the top of each tart as soon as they come out of the oven. (This is optional, but I always love the balance and texture that comes from a tiny pinch of salt on sweet baked goods.)
- Let tarts cool in the muffin pan.
- Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Saw these and was so interested in making a sugar free version. Using Splenda, the brownie component seemed whipped and not in a pour like form. Once baked, they resembled the tart…. DELICIOUS!
Is it normal for the brownie part to betas but gooey even after cooled?
Yes, Rosie – the brownie part should be just barely set – quite gooey. If they’re still like batter, the tarts may have needed a minute longer in the oven.
Made these, had no trouble popping them out of the tray once completely cooled but I did not push the cookie dough hard enough into place. The brownie over filled the cup and flowed over the cookie edge and tray in places.
I made these in chocolate so I would have a better idea how to modify this to a Salted Caramel flavour. Chipits has a new Sea Salted Caramel chip for the cookie then a blondie center.
I am using a new convection oven, where leaving the inside less cooked is easy to do. Must adjust the temp and time.
If in a larger format would par/pre baking the cookie help?
Hi Don. I LOVE the salted caramel idea. I tested these by par baking the cookie, but didn’t love the finished product. The cookie got a bit too dry for my taste, but it certainly might work, especially if the blondie center is more soft or cooks faster. Definitely let me know if your new flavor profile turns out – I’d love to try it!
Hi There,
I am wanting to make these super cute treats for my co-workers. However, one of them has a gluten intolerance. Could you tell me how I could tweak this recipe in order to make them gluten free? Thank you much.
Hi Lauren – unfortunately I’ve never tried to make a gluten-free version of these, so I’m not even sure where to begin! There are lots of great resources out there with good GF brownie and cookie recipes, so it might be worth finding those and then forming them in the same way I show in the pictures here.
Woow Amazing recipe… I love it
Thank you for posting and sharing it.
I wish for you a happy day.
I am trying to make these for a party and wanted to know if you can freeze these brownie cookie tarts? I only need to freeze them for a week.
Hi Tracy – you certainly can freeze them. Make sure to slightly underbake them so they don’t dry out. Then just defrost at room temp about 4-6 hours before serving.
I made tgem tbey were delicious..just wanted to ask xan we freeze them
Yes – these definitely freeze well. I prefer to underbake them slightly so they don’t dry out in the freezer and then just defrost on the counter at room temp a few hours before serving. Glad you enjoyed them!
Looks awesome! Have you ever made this in a large tart shell instead of mini muffin tins? Thanks
Hi Rebecca – I haven’t tried that, but I love the idea! I can’t be sure it would cook all the way through, but if it works, it would be delicious.
Look super good, I’m going to make some soon. Thanks for the great help. 🙂
These seem a little bland or something…not sure if it’s because there’s no vanilla in the cookie part?
Did you add the pinch of salt on top Audra??