Recipe: Brownie Pillow Cookies

Recently, I've had Richmond on the brain. Maybe it's been watching VCU play it's way to the Final Four, Carter being on a boy's weekend with his MCV buddies, seeing everyone's status updates about the Monument 10K or missing the cherry blossoms this time of year. Cassie had been telling me about all of the great recipes on The Picky Palate. I checked it out the other night and stopped drooling long enough to notice the Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies. I immediately thought back to my husband's favorite cookie when we lived in Richmond: Brownie Pillow Cookies from The Fresh Market. There was a borderline raging addiction to those cookies in our household. Carter and I could not figure out how on earth they got the brownie inside of the cookie. Did they inject the brownie batter into the cookie dough?? How do they DO it?? It seemed so magical. Turns out we completely over-analyzed it and I can't believe the recipe is so simple. Isn't that how it always works? We rack our brains overthinking a problem and end up overlooking an easy solution. My husband was out of town this weekend, so I thought I'd surprise him with his favorite cookies and glass of milk when he got home :)

To make these more like the brownie pillow cookies, I made sugar cookies instead of chocolate chip. I also added a few walnuts to the brownies.

**Warning: NOTHING about this recipe is remotely healthy or good for you. Zero. Zilch. Nada. But it's soooo goooooood and gooey :)

Start by making your regular favorite brownies. You can make these ahead of time so you don't have to wait for them to bake and cool. Remember to adhere to the high-altitude instructions if you live in Colorado.

 Next, make your cookies. The sugar cookie recipe I used holds up better in high altitudes. You can either use this one or follow your favorite.

Mix 1 cup softened butter and 1 cup sugar

Add 1 egg and 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Add 3 cups flour and 1.25 tsp baking powder in intervals

Whip it good

Perfect :)

 Refrigerate cookie dough for an hour

Next, make sugar cookie/brownie sliders

Smooth the sugar cookie around the brownie and seal shut

Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes

Shhh....there's a brownie surprise inside!

Serve warm with a tall glass of cold milk :)

Fortunately, I made a very small first batch since it was a bit of an experiment. They turned out like the first pancake - a little busted. Since sugar cookies don't spread out the same as chocolate chip when they bake, I needed to make some modifications. Some tips: use only enough sugar cookie batter to cover the brownie. I used too much the first time and it just tasted like way too much cookie. For the second batch, I used about half as much sugar cookie batter than what's shown in the picture where it looks like a slider. Smoosh down the cookie/brownie patty a bit before you cook it. Also, flatten down the sugar cookies after they've cooking for about 15 minutes. I ended up cooking each batch for about 21 minutes. They are super delicious and yummy! I think we'll also have to try the brownie stuffed chocolate chips cookies sometime to compare. You know, in the name of science. ;)