Cookie or Cake: What Is a Brownie?

Life is full of unanswered questions. Who built Stonehenge? Did Oswald act alone? (OK, maybe not that one anymore.) And my favorite: Who let the dogs out?

When it comes to baked goods, one question still sparks debate: Is a brownie a cookie or a cake?

The classification of this chocolate square delight has been shrouded in controversy. Even though everyone can agree that brownies are glorious treats, the answer to what they are lies in their texture, ingredients, and baking method.

Brownies keep raising the ‘bar’ on baked goods

Brownies are not quite cookies, nor are they fully cakes. Instead, they belong to a unique category of bar cookies, which are denser than cakes but softer than traditional cookies. (My brain hurts trying to comprehend this.)

The main distinction is in their texture: Brownies can be fudgy, chewy, or cakey, depending on the recipe. Unlike cakes, which are typically light and airy due to a higher ratio of flour and leavening agents, brownies have a denser structure, similar to cookies. You still following me?

READ MORE: A Brief History of the Brownie

What are the different types of brownies?

Brownies come in various styles, including:

• Fudgy brownies – Rich and dense with a high fat-to-flour ratio, often containing more butter and chocolate than flour.

• Cakey brownies – Lighter in texture due to more flour and leavening agents like baking powder. The type of flour is very important, says food scientist Brenda Mortensen, director of product and development at Cheryl’s Cookies and sister brand Harry & David. “A cake flour, with less gluten, will yield a cakier brownie.”

• Chewy brownies – A balance of fudginess and cakiness, often incorporating brown sugar for a chewy texture.

• Blondies – A brownie-like dessert made without cocoa, often flavored with vanilla and brown sugar.
  

How are brownies made?

Brownies are made by combining simple ingredients: melted butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and cocoa powder (or chocolate). Unlike cakes, which require whipping, cookie ingredients are creamed to incorporate air. The brownie batter is usually mixed more gently, resulting in a denser texture.

Some recipes use baking powder or soda for slight leavening, but not enough to create the airy structure of a cake. Brownies are baked in a single pan and cut into squares. This further differentiates them from cakes, which are typically layered or frosted. (Though, if someone gave me a frosted brownie, I would not complain.)

How do brownies compare to cookies?

Cookies and brownies use similar ingredients — flour, sugar, eggs, and butter — but their preparation and texture are different. Cookie dough is stiffer, often requiring chilling before baking, whereas brownie batter is more fluid, often incorporating butter and oil.

Cookies are scooped into individual portions before baking; brownies are baked whole and then cut into pieces. “This is also because brownies are more liquid and could not hold their own shape when baked,” Mortensen explains. “Cookies can be scooped individually because less liquid evaporates more quickly in the baking. Water delays the caramelization and denaturing of the proteins, which helps set up a cookie. That is why a brownie also has such a longer bake.”

While brownies share characteristics with both cookies and cakes, they are best classified as bar cookies due to their dense texture and baking method. Whether you prefer them fudgy, chewy, or cakey, brownies remain a delicious treat that stands in a category of their own.

Gourmet Brownie Assortment

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“In both Cheryl’s Fudge Brownie and the Harry & David Classic Brownie, melted chocolate is used to achieve the brownie’s flavor, and then more solid chocolate is added to make it more complex,” Mortensen describes. “This makes a more dense, fudgier brownie that still melts in your mouth like chocolate does. Many times, cocoa and melted chocolate can be combined to get an airier texture, like in the Harry & David German Chocolate Cookie Bar.”

Weighing in on the cookie-cake debate, Mortensen believes a brownie is unique enough to be in a class all by itself. “It is neither cake nor cookie but is truly delicious. And it is a versatile base that can be accented by so many different inclusions, from nuts to fruit glazes to more chocolate, because there is no such thing as too much chocolate.”