Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies & a Review
When asked if I’d like to review a copy of The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook, I was intrigued. A whole cookbook dedicated to raw cookie dough? Well it appears that the author, Lindsay Landis, is a cookie dough fanatic. I have to confess some sympathy here as I often think licking out the bowl is the best bit.
The book is spiral bound, but with a hard cover and spine which makes it much easier to file in the bookshelf. It also makes for easy use with the pages staying firmly open where you want them. There is a short introduction on cookie dough and what the book is about. Reassuringly, the first thing you learn is that the dough is eggless so there is no need to worry about eating it raw. Bearing in mind that cookie dough is the whole purpose of the book, this is just as well. There are chapters on: candy, cookies and brownies, cakes, custards and pies, frozen treats, indulgent breakfasts and party fare. Every recipe contains cookie dough either in, on top or underneath. Who would have thought cookie dough was so versatile? Peanut butter and chocolate thumbprint cookies anyone? I found the recipes fun and inventive but also well written and easy to follow.
Although not all recipes have a picture of the finished product, there is a goodly number that do. The photographs are attractive and not as artificial looking as some; they make you immediately want to cook or eat more than is good for you. They make the book a real feast for the eyes and were taken by Lindsay herself. More of her recipes and photography are available on her blog Love and Olive Oil.
I was a little surprised to see the measurements are all in cups; I hadn’t realised the book was aimed primarily at the US market. Luckily I had the wonderful measuring spoons that Jac gave me, so it wasn’t as difficult as it might have been. I was a little disappointed though.
There were several recipes that appealed to me, but I opted to try out the chocolate chip cookie dough brownies first. I made about half the amount specified, though it was hard to split the cup measures. As a result, I made slightly more than half of the brownie mixture. I also used wholemeal spelt instead of white flour in the brownies as I like the texture and slight nutty quality it brings. For the cookie dough, I omitted the vanilla as I was using cardamom sugar.
This is what I did:
- Melted 75g unsalted butter in a medium sized pan over low heat with 50g dark chocolate (G&B 70%).
- Removed from the heat and stirred in just under 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar.
- Added 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder and 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt and mixed until smooth.
- Beat in two medium eggs and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
- Stirred in 1/4 cup of plain white flour.
- Poured into a 2lb loaf mould and baked for 15 mins at 180C.
- Left to cool.
- Creamed 75g unsalted butter with 1/2 cup light muscovado sugar and 1/8 cup of cardamom (caster) sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mixed in 1 tbsp milk and 1/8 tsp salt (Himalayan pink).
- Added 3/8 cup of flour and stirred.
- Chopped 50g milk chocolate (G&B 35%) & added to the cookie dough.
- Spooned this onto the brownies and tried to spread as evenly as possible.
- Melted 25g unsalted butter in a pan over low heat with 50g dark chocolate (G&B 70%) and stirred until smooth.
- Poured this over the cookie dough and placed in the fridge to set.
- Turned out of the mould and cut into 18 1″ pieces.
I had a feeling my brownies wouldn’t look anything like as good as the ones in the book and I was right. I know part of that is my own impatience, which is perhaps why I am neither a stylist nor a photographer.
The first thing I noticed when biting into these, was that brownies straight from the fridge are not nearly as nice as those at room temperature. They have less taste and a cold hard texture – I won’t make that mistake again. I also realised that I prefer my brownies straight and not with extras on top of them. The cookie dough and chocolate were a great combination, but all three together just didn’t do it for me.
The brownies reminded CT of cake truffles. He thought they were delicious, but later admitted he preferred eating the layers separately. The brownie worked as a brownie, whereas the cookie was redolent of Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice-cream which is a firm favourite of his. So in essence, I think he agrees with me.
I will certainly be making cookie dough again, but next time I will be trying out Lindsay’s cookie dough truffles, which I think will work much better.
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Baking Addict
3rd July 2012
I love cookie dough and I can’t wait to try something from this book as I’ve only had a very quick flick through before I left. I think I’ll try the cookie dough truffle first. I suspect I would like each component separately as well.
Choclette
6th July 2012
Yes Ros, I’m going to try those next because I think the dough would work really well on it’s own covered in dark chocolate. It’s a fun book though with some fun ideas.
Juliet
3rd July 2012
How intriguing! I can’t say I understand the concept of cookie dough, but like you adore licking the bowl. But those brownies looks yum!
Choclette
6th July 2012
It’s an interesting concept Juliet and it’s worth a try I reckon 🙂
Dom at Belleau Kitchen
3rd July 2012
I know this makes me sound ancient but ‘what will they think of next’… so there’s a whole book dedicated to the concept of raw cookie dough… this is fabulous!!… I think your brownies look incredible but I too would eat them layer by layer… great review x
Choclette
6th July 2012
Ha ha, I’d rather you weren’t quite so obsessed with “ancient” and age in general at the moment Dom!!! Thanks for the kind words. I do intend to try some more raw cookie dough out though – even if it does sound a bit weird.
Working London Mummy Working London Mummy
3rd July 2012
what an idea! so fun. And your brownies look delicious. I agree with dom I would eat layer at a time!
Choclette
6th July 2012
Thanks WLM, eating they layer by layer seems to be the general consensus.
debby emadian
3rd July 2012
I think that your look yummy Choclette. I’m glad to see that you used spelt flour and it worked ok. I’ve just ordered a 25KG sack of spelt flour as I bake spelt bread every other day…It’s arrived and looks so big that I wonder if I was over zealous when ordering! So I’m on the look out for lots of new ways to use it…like you I’ll make simple ones and serve warm.
Deb
Choclette
6th July 2012
Gosh baking every couple of days is quite a big feat, but if you are doing it that often, you should get through the flour in no time. I love spelt in baking as it gives texture and a certain nuttiness and it’s less harmful than many other types of flour. I’ve been using it for years, although when it comes to bread, I make rye sourdough these days.
A Trifle Rushed
3rd July 2012
What a great idea, I love it, as I’m always telling my (just turned) 6 year old she can’t eat dough because of the eggs! She’d love this and it might be fun for all those sleepovers I have ahead of me!! Aaaah!
Choclette
6th July 2012
Oh Jude, you’ll love having those sleepovers. And yes, I can see cookie dough would be a big hit.
Alida
3rd July 2012
Look lovely Choclette like all your recipes.
Choclette
6th July 2012
Thank you Alida, you know how to cheer someone up 🙂
thelittleloaf
3rd July 2012
I’ve been wondering whether to buy a copy of Lindsay’s book – I like cookie dough but I’m not sure if I could eat a whole recipe book’s worth! These do look rather delicious though…there goes another book on the Amazon wishlist 🙂
Choclette
6th July 2012
Yes, I’m not sure there are that many recipes I’m keen to try, but I have bookmarked a couple.
Janice
3rd July 2012
Fun to see your recipe just after I made mine. I have to say I thought some of the recipes would be a bit OTT and would agree that the brownie combo was probably a step too far. The truffles being only cookie dough and chocolate were as far as I wanted to go. I do fancy making some of the icecreams though, maybe you should too, if it is the favourite of CT!
Choclette
6th July 2012
Oh bother Janice, I think you’re probably right – ice-cream it will have to be! I’m quite keen to try your truffles, but I can’t see that I will be making masses of things from the book. It’s a fun concept though.
hungryhinny
5th July 2012
I think yours look really good, I don’t see any signs of impatience!
I’ve wanted to make cookie dough brownies for a while, but straight up brownies are so good I can see how the extra layers might take away from that… I made the other half a cookie dough filled chocolate birthday cake this year though and that turned out well!
Choclette
6th July 2012
Ahh, you say the nicest things – thank you 🙂
Have I seen your chocolate cake post I wonder – my memory is atrocious so I will be over to look. I can see cookie dough would make a good filling.
wrystarr
5th July 2012
This comment has been removed by the author.
celia
5th July 2012
What an intriguing notion, to use cookie dough raw as a filling. I’ve seen it in icecream, but never in a slice or brownie. Does the rawness of the flour come through at all?
Choclette
6th July 2012
It is an intriguing notion Celia, but it does work quite well and no, neither CT nor myself noticed the flour. I think it would work best as a truffle filling with dark chocolate – it is quite sweet.
Jo
6th July 2012
A whole cookbook dedicated to cookie dough? Wow! Shame the brownies didn’t quite hit the spot for you, although I know what you mean. I like my brownies to be brownies, I’m never very sure about adding toppings or layers to them.
Choclette
6th July 2012
Yes, it’s quite an odd idea, but certainly an interesting one. I think it would work much better as truffles and in some of the other recipes.
Charlotte Pike
6th July 2012
Oh wow, these look fantastic. One worry I would have is how the finished product would look, but yours look wonderful!
You have inspired me to get cooking with spelt – I have stocked up to start using it more in my cakes : )
Charlotte
Choclette
6th July 2012
Thanks Charlotte, mine have a certain rustic charm compared to the originals 😉
I think spelt is a wonderful flour – hope you get on well with it.
Kit @ i-lostinausten
6th July 2012
These looks heavenly divine that I must give this a try! So tempting & delicious! Wish I can take these brownies out of the screen! LOL
Choclette
6th July 2012
Thanks Kit
Tamsin
6th July 2012
Now I love brownies and I love cookie dough but I’m not sure I could handle them together, I’d probably eat them separately too. That said David Lebovitz’s cheesecake brownies are wonderful; I guess I should try before making up my mind:-)
Choclette
6th July 2012
Ahh, got me there, because I love cheesecake brownies too. Always worth a try though Tamsin 😉
The Caked Crusader
8th July 2012
Looks a nice book but I’m still turned off books that only have US measurements – I have cups, but they just seem imprecise to me, compared to scales.
Your finished baking looks awesome…so maybe I should review my prejudice!
Choclette
6th February 2013
CC, I understand entirely – I too am put off when I see cups as measurements. it doesn’t mean I won’t bake, but it does mean I am a lot less likely too.
talesofpiglingbland
6th February 2013
I like the idea of cookie dough in brownies, but maybe as chunks in the batter?
Choclette
6th February 2013
I am so in love with that idea – fantastic 🙂
Tracy K Nixon
5th March 2013
omg anything with cookie dough makes my mouth water! I love it – often buy the cookie dough mix and eat it in it’s sticky and uncooked form! Naughty – soooo naughty but nice yummy!
mummy24
14th March 2013
Cookie Dough sounds great!
Tracy K Nixon
22nd July 2013
I bought this! Thanks for the recommendation!
Maya Russell
20th November 2013
That’s so unique to use cookie dough raw as a filling! Sounds yum.
Laura Caraher
28th April 2014
I love the sound of this book as I adore cookie dough, I’m off to go track it down on Amazon 🙂