Do you prefer the crispy-chewy edges of a brownie or the cake-like center? Me?? I am obsessed with the edges. This Brownie Cookies recipe gives you the best of both worlds! Some people call these Brookies!
I will admit that a few times I have gone a little bit crazy and cut away more than my fair share of the edges of a pan of brownies (I mean who hasn't??).
The crispy edges of a brownie are just too good not to! I like a good fudgy brownie with crisp edges. My husband likes the cake-like center, so we get along just fine, lol!
The kids take what they can get. Or, maybe WE take what we can get with a teen boy in the house, he's the one I have to hide the brownies from!!
This Brownie Cookies recipe hits the spot whether you want a brownie or a cookie!
My son Connor seriously loves brownies, to the point that for his First Holy Communion, I made an 8-pound brownie cake on a huge sheet pan (since he's not into any cake). Boy was that something!
My son is also a cookie monster (just like his momma). So over the years, I have made more brownies that I can count, homemade brownie brittle (which I wrote and shot for a Disney publication years ago) and of course these cookies which keep my boy very happy!
Table of Contents
Why you will love these Brownie Cookies
- If you like brownies are a chocolate lover, or are a fan of cookies in general then you will love this Brownie Cookies recipe.
- They deliver on the taste of a brownie in a cookie form.
- These cookies store well in a cookie jar or container.
Variations
- You can choose to bake these less or more, depending on what you want them to be. Less bake time = a gooier (is that a word??) center, more bake time = more crunch. You can also cut down the chocolate by 2-4 oz to make them less rich.
- Choose to use traditional cocoa or dark chocolate cocoa if you are a dark chocolate fan like I am.
- Add chocolate chips if you wish (I don't think they need them, unless you typically like your brownies with chips in them)
Ingredients
- Butter
- 60% cocoa chocolate could be chips or bars broken up
- Eggs
- Sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Optional: Corn syrup
Tips
- Allowing the batter to chill for 20 minutes BUT not for much longer or batter become fudge-like making it hard to scoop.
- Top with a bit of Maldon flakey salt (YUM!!)
- For an crispier edge add a heaping ½ TBS corn syrup
- Spray your cookie scoop with baking spray before you begin to make batter come out easier.
- Cool on a cookie rack.
- Once fully cooled store in an airtight container.
- These pair deliciously with a nice Cabernet Sauvignon!!
Dessert Recipes to try
- Check out my Prize-winning Key Lime Pie. THIS recipe is SO easy and honestly, you just can't mess it up! This may become your signature dessert!
- Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Cake(my fav!!) Such a delicious way to enjoy blueberries!
- Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cannoli easy & different! Hello, delicious!
- Chocolate Chip Biscotti always a hit!
I hope you enjoy these cookies that taste like brownies! XO - Colleen
Recipe posted 2018, updated October, 2023.
Brownie Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 12 oz 60% cocoa chocolate could be chips or bars broken up
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 TBS vanilla
- ¾ cup flour, Plus 2 TBS
- 3 TBS cocoa powder often I use Special Dark by Hershey's but you can you which you choose
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- Optional For a crisper edge add in a heaping ½ TBS corn syrup
Instructions
- In a small pot, melt your butter over med-low heat. Add in your chocolate YOu don't need to leave it on the heat too long. it will begin to melt, use a small whisk or a spoon to stir until smooth, taking it on and off the heat as you do being careful to not burn it. (At no point do you want it bubbling) You want the butter-chocolate mixture to be smooth and combined.
- Remove the pot from the heat and set aside.
- In your mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Mix until combined and then mix another solid 4-5 minutes...allowing the batter base to thicken. (Important)
- Add in the melted butter and chocolate mixture and mix until just combined.
- Add in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and mix just until incorporated.
- Allow batter to chill for 20 minutes. (not much longer or batter will become fudge like)
- When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 and line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Us a small cookie scoop (or a tablespoon) and drop equal amounts of dough 1 ½ inches apart on your baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until brownie cookies cracked on top.
- Allow them to sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then using a small cookie spatula, move them to a cooling rack.
- Enjoy!
- These keep well for a week in an airtight container (but they won't last that long, lol!)
Notes
Sometimes I add in a little red (cayenne) pepper for a spicy brownie cookie, mmmm! Top with flakey salt for that chocolate-salt flavor. These go GREAT with a glass of red wine, just saying!
Angel Henson says
Hello Colleen, when do we add the chocolate and butter that we melted over the stove. Thank you. It looks so good I will like to make them.
Sincerely
Angel
Colleen says
Hi Angel. My brain got ahead of me and I left it out. It's step 4. Thanks for proofreading the steps for me! Enjoy!
Angel says
Thanks You very much but I still don’t know when to add he melted chocolate ?
Angel says
Thanks I just noticed that you updated the recipe. Thanks dear
Colleen says
🙂
Sheryl says
My cookies puffed up while cooking but fell flat while cooling. Did I do something wrong? Thanks for your help!!!
Colleen says
Hmmm, is your baking powder fresh (not expired)? Did you allow the mixture to sit for a bit before making the cookies (since the butter and chocolate are melted together, that mixture is initially warm)? Maybe one of those two reasons? The cookie do settle, however, they are not "flat".
Teresa says
This is my now favorite food site for sure. Absolutely amazing!!!!
Jennifer Hensley says
Before you add the flour according to the instructions. 🙂
Jen
Janet says
I made the mistake of doubling the recipe. Followed ev step by step. The cookies were puddles of goop. I wasted a ton of food chocolate making making this recipe. You should remove it from the site. Total flop through and through
I would not recommend anyone making this.
Colleen says
Janet so sorry to hear that and honestly after years of putting recipes out there, you are the first to ever be upset. I have made these multiple times and received feedback from others who made them as well. I never want something on this site that doesn't work. I'm even going to make them tomorrow yet again and double it (which I have never done) just to see what happens when doubled.
Julie says
Totally agree....actually chilled for an hour and was worried it was too long.....one big goopy mess. Would not recommend to anyone.
Linda Foster says
I did a single batch, and they were delicious! I've learned the hard way that you can't always double recipes that use baking powder or baking soda and expect them to turn out right, and there are a lot of reasons why double baking recipes may not turn out. Some bakers suggest you use 1.25 tsp of leavening for each cup of flour when you double or triple a recipe.
Another issue when you double or triple is accuracy of volume measurements. A single batch has more forgiveness for small measurement errors than when you double or triple volume measurements. That's why a lot of recipes show weight and volume measurements.
Also, baking more than one tray of cookies in the oven at one time can be an issue, because when you have two pans in, the circulation is not as good, and having one pan above the other can cause the bottom one pan to cook more from the bottom while the other one cooks more from the top. A convection oven might help with that, but you would have to test it.
Finally, with 2 pans in the oven at the same time, if you rotate the pans you lose heat when you do open the door and move them, which can also have a negative affect the finished product.
Colleen says
Thanks so much for your feedback and insight Linda!
Nukinka says
I also made a single batch and they turned out delicious! I followed the measurements and instructions and they turned out like the pictures....
Colleen says
Great to hear Nukinka!
Laura says
Curious to know if this recipe does work? 3/4 cup flour seems to little?
Sandy says
I just made them and it worked. I even added in more framboise along with at least 1/4 cup of raspberry preserves. However, I would like more of a chocolate raspberry flavor than what I got. But great cookies!
LaVonne Iverson says
I made these cookies today. They are so absolutely delicious that I am giving most of them away for fear I will eat them all! LOL Followed the directions to the T and they turned out wonderful!
Tina says
Can you advise on what you used as the 60% cocoa
Renee says
I’m at high altitude (5059 feet), so adding 2 TBSP additional flour should be right? These look amazing and I need to make them for my son.
Shauna says
My cookies turned out flat and unattractive. The taste was nice, but I definitely wouldn’t give them away due to their undesirable appearance.
JANET RAINEY says
Best cookies I have ever made! Family hovers around the cooling rack waiting for them to be cool enough to eat.
Only wish this recipe made more...not sure how they would turn out if I doubled the recipe..
Colleen says
Great to hear! I have not doubled it...afraid we err I mean I will eat them all lol!
Lisa says
So you never did double it? Just curious if doubling it did make it "goopy" or not.
Colleen says
May 8, 2018 at 12:34 am
Janet so sorry to hear that and honestly after years of putting recipes out there, you are the first to ever be upset. I have made these multiple times and received feedback from others who made them as well. I never want something on this site that doesn’t work. I’m even going to make them tomorrow yet again and double it (which I have never done) just to see what happens when doubled.
Monica says
All purpose or self-rising flour
Pat Yahnke says
Followed receipt to the letter! All fresh ingredients and they still come out flat! Last recipe I make from a post on Facebook!
Laura C Beck says
Step 3 mix until solid 4-5 min batter base to thicken it never did. I did not understand this step should I have used a hand mixer. Cookies came out flat.
Ann Noonan says
What flour do you use all purpose or self raising ?
Colleen says
All purpose.
Colleen says
Just a 2-3 shakes on part of the batter since my kids don't want that type of heat in a cookie.
Colleen says
Wonderful! Glad to hear it!
Cheryl says
When you add red pepper, how much do you use?
Jeannine Fraser says
The cookies taste delicious.But..the cookies I baked in a silicon mat were flat compared to the ones bakes on the parchment paper.Very strange.I will make these cookies again!
lei says
i just wanna say these cookies are BOMB. If you follow the recipe step by step (even do mise en place to make it easier) AND cool the dough for 20 min like the recipe says; you will get the most amazing brownie cookies. 2nd time making these (dough currently chilling) and I'm addicted. You will be too 🙂
Jenna says
Why are mine such a mess?? I wanted these to work out so bad! Any tips???? Like others say mine turned out so goopy. Might try again if I get some good tips 😊
Jenna says
I followed recipe to the dot
Colleen says
I wish I knew, maybe it has to do with where people live like the altitude and moisture (I am in PA)?? This is the only recipe on my site that has had inconsistent results from people (and I have hundreds of recipes posted). All I can think to say is if your batter looks too runny after chilling, add in some extra flour.
Laurie says
I just made these they weren't goopy but cooled out a little flat, but they are still great!
Krys says
I made these cookies. I added some orange marmalade, orange zest, orange extract, and some instant coffee. I topped the cookies with pink Himalayan salt before baking them. I baked them for 3 minutes, turned the tray and baked them for 3 more minutes. Excellent.
Colleen says
OMGosh Krys, they sound amazing! Send some over lol!
Mary says
Is your son and my son related? My son also does not do cakes. He does like cookies. Make some brownies and they don't last long at all. As a matter of fact, for his birthday the last 2 or 3 years, he wanted his own pan of brownies. Which of course he got. I like cookies and brownies as well so I will be trying this. With my daughters help of course. She takes after her dad in the baking department.
Colleen says
Haha, love it! Boys!! My daughter is the one I cook more often with as well. Hope he enjoyed these!
Audrey says
Is it dark brown sugar or light brown sugar ??
Colleen says
I always use light.
Sally says
If you double some of these recipes, sometimes they fail. I don’t know why. We have a family chocolate cake from the 1800s...everyone makes it. It flops for me. Then realized when I stopped doubling it, it was a success. One person here wrote that these cookies failed her...that may be it plus ingredients being fresh and temperature.
Colleen says
Thanks Sally, I agree. Now I want to hear about that cake! I love vintage recipes!
Lorraine K St Clair says
Can you freeze these cookies? I will cook longer as I don't like gooey centers. I'm making them for Christmas. Also have you doubled the recipe yet?
Thank you
Colleen says
I have not frozen them and I have not doubled the recipe. The centers shouldn't be "gooey" just moist like a brownie center. You can add an extra TBS or so of flour after you bake a few to test them out for consistency if they are not the texture you enjoy.
Becky says
I heated my oven to 375 I opened a box of Duncan Hines brownie mix I added one egg quarter of a cup of oil in 3 tablespoons of water I used a small scoop from Pampered Chef I broke that scoop into two pieces and put a York mint Peppermint Patty in the center and put one half on top 1/2 on the bottom and bake them for 12 minutes they came out beautiful I also used Russell Stover's peppermint bark from the dollar store that also turned out wonderful
Colleen says
OMGosh Becky that sounds amazing!!
Debbie says
Have made these several times and delicious every time! Everyone loves them!!
Colleen says
Good to hear! Thanks for the comment!
Martha Grant says
Mine did not raise either and I completely followed directions. They were flat and crunchy with brand new baking powder
Lexy says
So I made these today, next time I'll be trying to add more flour cuz I followed the recipe exactly. And it was looking great... Until I stuck them in the oven, they've melted so much they've become one big flat cookie brownie thing, still tastes good though lol
Colleen says
Hi Lexy, depending on the day and the chocolate I use...I too add additional flour sometimes. I just look for the batter to be like a cookie dough batter.
Jolandi says
TO THOSE WHO HAVE FAILED.
Okay. So here's the just of it. This recipe is NOT trash. It's honestly awesome. Abit on the sweet side even when I cut off on like 2 oz of chocolate. Secret to succeeding after you've failed?.. Common sense. I don't know much about baking.. So much so I had to Google the conversation of everything in that recipe!, but I ended up tweeking here and there and tested alot to make it work. In short not everyone's fridges chill the same and ovens don't always bake the same. It should but hey I live in south africa and got a oldish oven and a modern fridge. Man did I have to improvise! But I changed nothing in the recipe. Only the way I baked it even kept the same temperature! After I followed the steps and DIDN'T DOUBLE THE RECIPE! Even though that was my original idea till I read the comments. Everything was all good. Till I chilled for 20 minutes. My mixture made a really hard outside and it was tough to get it to do what I wanted. It also made hard pieces in the mixture. So I played with the dough a little bit just enough to work out that hard pieces. I ended up rolling balls with my hands and making the cookies as big as the recipe said. So my fridge chilled it too much in 20 minutes but easy fix. Now came the oven. It took my first tray 20 minutes!!.. I took it out after 8-10 like the recipe said but I could see it wasn't ready to cookies almost immediately started falling flat. So I quickly put it back. 20 minutes later I took them out and they were awesome. But not quite what I wanted. They were too big and too sweet for one portion. My idea was to hand them out to colleagues so this wasn't working. I tried to make them smaller and reduce the baking time to finish Abit faster except now they actually did fall flat. Too small. Hmmmm.. Okay let's keep the size BUT let's make the cookies less flat. So I built them up kind of like a Toblerone chocolate piece except flatter still trying to keep the cookie part. It had abit of a tower effect to it. So that way even if it falls flat it might still be fudgy inside!.. Man oh man the results were satisfying. But still not fudgy enough. It still fell flat around the edges. Which made it crunchy but I wanted more fudgy!.. So I built my last tray almost exactly like a Toblerone piece. A nice tower. And that was exactly the way I wanted it! It came out nice and moist inside, only baked like 10 - 12 minutes and the size was a nice bite size for the amount of sweetness and everyone could have some with a size like that. My oven and fridge let me down at first but after testing and testing different sizes and styles I ended up succeeding without changing anything in the recipe. My advice is do one in the oven and time it, see how it comes out after a certain amount of baking time and a size that works for u and ur oven. After a few tests you can figure out what the best way to make this according to ur location and altitude and ur oven and fridge. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this amazing recipe only the way ur appliances and altitude works with it. Don't just dead follow a recipe and blame it on the person who made it when you fail. Instead work with ur head and common sense and find a way to make it work for u! If ur dead set on amazing brownies then try it. If it's just something that u feel like u want to try once.. Do it and if it doesn't work for u it doesn't. But if u want to make this over and over its best to figure out a size and baking time that works for you and ur oven.
Goodluck and happy baking!
Colleen says
Wow Jolandi! Thanks for that amazing walk-through of what you did. Glad they worked for you! And yup, everyones oven, fridge, moisture, and altitude can be different/ Those can all affect any baking.
Tiff says
I love this! Thanks for all the insight and I wanted to add to it. I live in sort of high altitude (4800ft) and unfortunately am gluten free. I always assume the worst and hope for the best when it comes to changing a recipe to make it GF. Knowing these cookies seemed tricky to begin with, I took your advice and did a few small batches. The only thing I changed was the swapping out of reg flour for king Arthur’s all purpose GF. I also only had organic cacao powder on hand, so I used that for the cocoa powder. I only bake cookies on a stoneware cookie sheet because even disastrous cookies usually are edible on stoneware. But my trick is to cook everything about 10 degrees Fahrenheit hotter, and usually cookies take A few minutes longer. I wish I could share a picture of the cookies on my stoneware vs on a regular light cookie sheet... they were unrecognizable. You wouldn’t have believed they were from the same batch of dough. Anyways, if you want to make these gluten free, use a good all purpose flour, chill the dough, and use a trustworthy pan - even a pizza stone would be better than a metal pan for these. I cooked mine at 360 for exactly 14 minutes and took them out while cracked but still bubbling to finish cooking and cool in the stoneware. Mine did spread more than yours, but again that’s typical of GF converted recipes in my experience. They were still crisp and chewy... I actually enjoyed the thinness. Thanks for the recipe! We are already thinking of fillings to make brownie cookie sandwiches 🙂
Colleen says
Thanks Tiff for the great insight and detail! I have always lived here in the Philly/Philly suburbs so when it comes to high altitude baking, I am clueless 🙂
Brynn says
I just made these but used my baking stone instead of parchment or silicone mat...would that be why they fell flat? They taste and smell good but it's like the middle didnt cook enough...when I went to take them off the stone the middle was goo. I want to try them again but am worried I'll get the same result...I'm also super high altitude so should I try adding more flour?
Colleen says
Hi Brynn, I am at a low altitude (260) so I do not know a thing about high altitude baking. I would say King Arthur Flour is an authority on the matter. Maybe this will help for reference - https://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/baking-101/welcome-to-baking-101/high-altitude-baking. Good luck!
Jessica says
I made these, and AMAZING!
I also substituted the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips, and cocoa powder for peanut butter powder.
Fourth batch in oven now.
I use organic sugar and King Arthur Gluten Free 1 to 1 flour.
I do cook mine for 14 minutes. (Houston, TX sea level and barometric pressure)
Making sure you beat egg and sugar mixture for full 6 minutes, and refrigerating dough until chilled through are most important parts.
Colleen says
Sounds ah-mazing! Thanks so much for the feedback Jessica!
Mary says
I followed this recipe to the T and they came out great. When I bake cookies, I always do a cookie test. I baked one cookie and go from there. If I have to adjust I do just that. Great recipe.
Colleen says
Fantastic Mary and great advice! Thank you for the feedback!
Pamela says
Is this bittersweet chocolate 60%?
Colleen says
Hi Pamela, yes that is what I use.
Jen c says
I just wad the comments and made this just to see. If you follow the recipe exactly not cutting corners they are amazing. The 5 minutes whipping the egg and sugar made the batter perfect. I used a small cookie scoop to measure them out and they came out beautifully. I wish I could post a pic because they were amazing.
Colleen says
Great to hear Jen! If you are on Instagram, tag me with anything you make. I love sharing peoples photos!
Nina Mannino says
Cookies were great ! But had bake at least 14 min because 8 to 10 min were not cooked in middle
Kali says
Just made these cookies. Followed the recipe to a T and they turned out amazing. Not sure why people’s are turning out a gooey mess. These will definitely be getting made more. We got 26 cookies out of a medium cookie scoop 😋 thank you for the amazing recipe!
Colleen says
Great to hear Kali! Thanks for the comment!
Pam Brand says
I think the problem with the double batch is that they need additional chilling, too. More like an hour. I doubled it before reading comments. So learned the hard way. Extra chilling worked for me.
Colleen says
Good to hear Pam and thanks for the tip!
V. Williams says
My family loved these 😋 I chilled the dough in the freezer for about 20 mins as I started baking these late in the evening and they turned out perfect at about 10 mins.
I am going to bake another batch today and am going to add some Skor toffee bits! Can't wait to try them!
Colleen says
Fantastic! And YUMMMM to the toffee bits!
Mary Oney says
Worst waste of ingredients ever! I bake a lot and this is the biggest failure ever!
Wasted time and cost, wound up with a gloopy mess after adding several more minutes to the baking time.
Colleen says
Sorry to hear that. Did you allow the cookie dough to chill? That is a necessary step. Just checking. I often wonder if altitude may have something to do with this. I am at only at just under 250 feet.
Colleen says
With the dry ingredients.
Renee Y. says
Oh maaa goodness... I used unsweetened chocolate and I added 12 Oz. of dark chocolate chips. I think because of that, my batter really stiffened up in the fridge so I didn’t get a nice spread and crackle on the top. I faked it - I used a glass to flatten the first batch when they were hot and the second batch before I baked them. Next time I will chill the dough for only as long as the oven takes to get to temp. I also added some flaky sea salt on top. My goal was to make the most chocolatey cookies ever and this recipe does it! For those who want these cookies less chocolatey - you are weird 😉
Colleen says
Ha-ha, that last sentence, love it! And yummmmm for the flaky salt on top!! Thanks for the comment Renee!
Karen says
you didn't mention the cream of tartar in your mixture, when does it get added
Colleen says
With the dry ingredients.
Pam says
Looking forward to making this recipe...i did notice in the ingredients list 1/4 teaspoon of creme of tartar..but did no mention of adding it in with the recipe directions...was this a typo?
Colleen says
add with dry ingredients, I will adjust. TY
Jackie says
Wondering where the cream of tartar goes in? With dry ingredients?
Thanks!
Colleen says
Yes
Barbara says
I have made these cookies a few times and they always come out amazing!! Thank you for the wonderful recipe. It's a keeper!! I have someone who just wants brownies. Would there be an issue just to bake this batter in a pan?
Colleen says
Great to hear Barbara! I am not really sure how they would come out. Maybe if you spread them out over parchment on a baking sheet and kind of made it like brownie bark (although it would not be as brittle I guess unless it was spread thin). Let me know how it goes 🙂
Deanna says
I have to admit, after reading the comments, I was skeptical. For years, I’ve searched recipes and even concocted my own (okay, they failed lol) looking for THE perfect brownie cookie, so I’ll try anything once. I always follow recipes exactly as written the first time. No changes necessary here. This mixture was, as others said, “goopy” but after an hour in the frig, they were perfect for scooping. My search for the perfect brownie cookie recipe has finally ended. These are IT. I’ve saved this recipe, printed it, emailed it to myself and written it down in longhand so I’ll never lose it, lol. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for sharing!
Colleen says
So fantastic to hear Deanna!!
ella says
Hello!! I made a double batch the first time I tried these and they turned out amazing! I added a little more vanilla and baked them for longer, but I had no troubles with "goopy" dough. I refrigerated it for 20 minutes too, and it was perfect. I was sad to see comments telling you to take this down. I think if one follows the recipe really well, it should turn out great. For those wanting to make a double batch the first time, its okay! It'll turn out fine, and its very easy! Love this recipe overall. Thank you!
Colleen says
Awesome Ella, thanks for the feedback and glad you enjoyed! I feel like this particular recipe must be an issue for some due to altitude or not sticking to the instruction (I am at 232, so I have no concept of higher altitude and baking).
Kayla B says
I love brownies, chocolate, & these cookies. I am wondering if there is a way I can use less sugar without changing the consistency of the cookie? I felt it was a little too sweet for me. Thank you 🤗
Andrea says
A new family favorite! Everyone loves these cookies. This recipe will also be added to our annual Christmas cookie list. I made a double batch that was scarfed up. Thank you!
Colleen says
Glad you enjoyed!!
Emily says
I would like to make these today but don’t have 60% chocolate. I only have semi sweet chocolate at 51%. Will that be OK or should I not attempt without 60% chocolate? Has anybody made these successfully using a different % chocolate? Thanks!
Colleen says
Hi Emily, that will be fine!
Barbara says
We had fun making these. We added 1 tsp espresso powder, it brings out more chocolate flavor. They were a bit flat, but tasted amazing. We will try the adjustments with size of cookie and time refrigerated next time, but flat or puffy, they are amazing chocolate cookies!
Colleen says
Good to tear Barbara, love the addition of espresso powder!
Emily says
I had been making these for a while years ago, and I’m making them today for the 1st time in a long time to bring to a gathering. I always reread the comments in case someone makes a great discovery! There were a couple comments about cream of tartar (asking when to add it) but I don’t see it anywhere in the ingredient list. What does it do, and should I add it if I didn’t add it before and the brookies were still great? Thanks in advance! I love the recipe.