Dark Mocha Caramel Brookies

Dark Mocha Caramel Brookies 

A few weeks ago, I gave my friend Sarah a baking lesson-not that she needed it. She was a more than capable co-chef! Together we made one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted. Not even exaggerating. I was thinking of making dark mocha caramel brownies. I had thought those up because Goetze's Caramel Cream candies had been on sale at CVS so I had picked up a bag, I was in the mood to try baking with coffee, and I have a new(ish) obsession with Hershey's Dark cocoa...well at this point maybe it would actually be better classified as a persistent obsession. 

Anyways, if my idea didn't sound good enough, right before we were about to start baking the brownies, Sarah asked me how you would make brookies, which are brownies baked with a chocolate chip cookie underneath that are sold in a lot of the Vandy Dining locations. I figured I might as well take this dessert to the next level by showing her how! So, now imagine a dessert with chocolate chip cookies, creamy caramel filling, and gooey dark chocolate mocha brownies...it just sounds too good to be true, right?! Well, whenever you imagine a dessert and that's the case, you know it's time to get your bake on!

First step: Make the cookie dough

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2-1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix the ingredients above in the order they are listed and pat dough the down on the bottom of a greased 9 x 9 pan or 13 x 9 pan, depending on how thick you want your brookies to be.

Second step: Lay down 16 – 20 Goetze’s Caramel Cream candies on top of cookie dough layer 

Third step: Make the brownie batter

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 cup Hershey's Dark cocoa
2 tbsp Maxwell House International Cafe French Vanilla

Mix ingredients in order and then pour brownie batter over caramels 

Bake on 350 for approximately 30 minutes if using a 13 x 9 pan and 40 minutes if using a 9 x 9 pan, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Spread your love of your favorite activity, and when in doubt, bake!

<3 Dena