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Pillow Cookies

Have you ever had any pillow cookies? I’ve only had them once, but I was immediately smitten. I found them in the bakery section of the Fresh Market sometime last year. They were some sort of sugar cookie wrapped around a brownie center. I immediately went on the hunt for a similar recipe but didn’t have much luck until just a few weeks ago when I was rummaging through some of my aunt’s recipes.

And there it was. A torn out recipe for Chocolate Chip Brownie Pillows.

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Not sugar cookies, but good enough. Better even. And when I read the how-to, it all made sense. I had been throwing around scenarios in my head trying to figure out how the brownie batter and cookie batter all came together to form such soft sugary cookies.

And… It’s easier than you think.

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First… bake up some brownies. You can just use your favorite box mix if you like. Let them cool and cut about ten 1 inch squares. You won’t need the rest for the cookies. I’m sure you can find something to do with the leftovers.

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Then you need some chocolate chip cookie dough (recipe below). The dough should be chilled for at least an hour before using.

Each cookie uses about 1/2 cup of dough. Yes, you read that right. One half cup. For each.

And yes, they are ginourmous!

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All you do is place the dough on parchment paper and make a pretty big indention in the center. Place the small brownie in the middle and fold the dough around it to form a ball. Then bake. I know, I was a bit skeptical at first, too. But it worked perfectly.

Not convinced? Want to see it again.

Okay. here goes.

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Place 1/2 cup of cookie dough batter on a parchment lined baking sheet.

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Make indentions in the dough and place a 1 inch square brownie in the center of each.

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Smoosh it a little, so the cookie dough surrounds the edges of the brownie.

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Then work the dough around the top to cover the entire brownie and shape them into balls.

Place no more than 6 on a 15 x 20 inch baking sheet at a time because these guys are HUGE!

Bake and voila………

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Giant pillow cookies. Now these are much, much, much larger than the ones I had from the Fresh Market. And actually, the process may not even be similar, but the result reminds me of them. I’m guessing these could go smaller if you like, just use a smaller brownie to start.

But I love how big the are.

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Gigantic.

I guess you want to see the inside.

The magic.

The pillowy goodness.

Let’s face it – you just want to see the brownie.

I know. I know.

Okay, here ya go…

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Oh my.

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I’m in love.

Pillow Cookies
Yield: 10 cookies

Pillow Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 package brownie mix
  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 12 oz. bag miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Make brownies according to package and let cool. Cut about ten 1 inch squares. Enjoy the remaining brownies. (I used a pan about 8 X 8)
  2. For the chocolate chip cookie dough, beat butter with a mixer until creamy. Add brown sugar and beat until smooth. Add eggs, yolk and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
  3. Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt in a medium bowl and stir together with a wire whisk.
  4. Add flour to butter mixture and beat until combined. Stir in mini chips.
  5. Let dough chill covered in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  7. Use a measuring cup to scoop batter by the 1/2 cup. Since it's chilled, you may need to pack it with a spoon. Then use the spoon to remove the dough from the cup and place it on parchment paper. Work quickly so the dough remains chilled or either prepare one cookie at a time so the rest of the dough remains cold.
  8. After the dough is on the parchment paper, make an indention and place a 1 inch square brownie in the center. Press the brownie down gently and work the remaining dough around the brownie. You can use your hands to shape the dough into a ball.
  9. During this step, I found it easier to use a piece of parchment paper as a work surface since the dough can get sticky and then I used another piece of parchment paper for the baking sheet. If your dough gets too soft, you can chill the rolled dough balls for a few minutes right before baking.
  10. Prepare six cookies at a time using a large baking sheet (15 X 20) and bake at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes. Return the remaining dough to the refrigerator until time to bake the second batch.
  11. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

Makes about ten cookies using a little less than a 1/2 cup of dough for each cookie.

If your cookies start to get too brown before they are done baking, you can place a sheet of aluminum foil over top for the last few minutes.

Recipe adapted slightly from an ad for a Southern Living Cookbook… I think it's in the Christmas with Southern Living 2009, but not sure.

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Enjoy!

P.S. If there was ever a time to use the term “Brookies,” this would be a good one.

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460 comments on “Pillow Cookies”

  1. these were really good and fun to make! cookie part wasn’t quite as sweet as i would’ve liked, but brownies and cookie together was fantastic. also, they were huge! hahahaha

  2. Haaaalp! When I made these the cookies flattened and the brownie was still tall. So they looked funny. But taste delish! I cooked them in the fridge all day.

  3. OMG! This is heaven <3 I wish I could have one of this beautiful brookies know :-)

  4. Hi- I just tried the Lemon pillow cookies from the fresh market and would love to know how to make those as well. Any ideas?

  5. WAY HUGE BE CAREFUl

  6. Finally find the right place for Pillow Cake recipe! This is really great to have with proper instruction and pictures. I will surely follow the recipe and make the pillow cake for my girlfriend! It’s her birthday.

  7. I prefer Suagr Sugar Bakery!

  8. Hello diabetes, my old friend,
    I’ve come to talk with you again,
    Because a vision softly yearning,
    Left its seeds while I was surfing,
    And the vision that was planted in my brain
    Still remains..
    With the sound of Borborygmus.

  9. I made these… Then all of my friends demanded that I bring them one… Then it was one of my teacher’s birthday…

    BEST COOKIE EVER!!!!!

    : )

  10. I was looking for a pillow recipe, like the one my mother and grandmothers used to make. This is close, but now I have the general idea of their old recipe. The difference is they didnt use chocolate chip cookie dough, just plain cookie dough. But the middles were the variety pack of the mini hershey candy bars,ie.Mr. Goodbars, hershey’s dark cholate, and the krispies. Thank you for the recipe.

  11. Came back looking for this recipe today. It feels like a pillow cookie kind of day. :)

  12. I just made these but i didnt have mini morsels so i made them with the original. They turned out gigantic but are still so good. YUMMY!!!!

  13. I am considering making some brownies just to make pillow cookie.

  14. Waouh! Yum ! I MUST to do!

  15. oooo, that looks good!

  16. Please send me that brownie/cookie recepie

  17. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! this were absolutely amazing!

  18. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! this were absolutely amazing!

  19. made these, turned out as big as frisbees but wasnt too great. HOWEVER, the chocolate chip cookie recipe part of this has been the best choc chip cookies i have ever made. Ever.

  20. i just want to say…these cookies are literally heaven in a little cookie/brownie! i was a little apprehensive at first about the brownie being to dry once inside the cookie….boy was i wrong! it stayed so moist and so delicious!!!!

  21. mine came out tasting delicious, but they didn’t form right like yours. the brownie just stuck up in the middle with the cookie round the sides :( disappointed as this is my first recipe from you.

  22. I LOVED THIS!!!! It tasted like heaven!
    except my cookie dough was really sticky. any suggestions to make it better next time??

  23. Its a brownies dream!
    To be inside a cookie.
    Well, its also my dream.
    The brownie and I share the same dream!
    Yay! :D

  24. those look soo good gonna make these on friday…..family is coming over!!!! sooo excited to try it out!!!!

  25. These look amazing. I had never seen/heard of these cookies before. I can’t wait to try them.

  26. My friends love the cookies I make them all the time

  27. We’re making these tonight! They look heavenly! I’m drooling!

  28. Luv this

  29. These look too yummy. Chocolate chip cookies and brownies…mmmmmmmm :D

  30. With the recipe you’ve given, how many cookies are there in all?

  31. wonderful!!! i am soo delighted to try it out..!! but i have a ques. can i pack and courier them to my boyfriend..?? it will take two days to reach… :/

  32. Stop posting all these yummy things!! You’re breaking my heart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  33. Noo just figured it out! :D

  34. I’m from sweden and i’m totally gonna bake these! But i dont know the difference between baking soda and baking powder..? x)

  35. I have made these numerous times and always get RAVE reviews! These are fantastic! Thanks so much for supplying the recipe!

  36. Had the Fresh Market raspberry pillow cookies over the weekend and finished them tonight… gonna make the raspberry version with this recipe minus the chocolate chips but might put some in some of the dough… dough tonight and raspberry filling and finished cookies tomorrow…can’t wait…

  37. 12 oz? não entendi a expressao. pode me explicar em portugues rsrs amei areceita

  38. I’m not a big baker but my sister gets on here everyday, when I do get on here, I hunt the sweets by the pictures… and this was my lucky day! Making these, now I’m hungry!

  39. I just finished making these, using the betty crocker cookie mix and duncan hines double fudge brownie mix, they baked nicely, had a nice buttery flavor and the perfect surprise on the inside! Great idea for a recipe!

  40. D: que ideia genial *———————–*

    OMG THAT”S AMAZING

  41. Hi! I found this recipe on accident but it is amazing!! I want to make these cookies right. this. second!! thanks for the great recipe! I shared it on my FB page! its too good not to share!

  42. These look really good, but I was wondering, if I want to make mini brownie pillow cookies, then would I use 1/4 cup of cookie dough with 1/2 inch of brownie? Bake for 10mins instead of 18mins?

  43. good cooking

  44. this is absolutely fantastic. everything on your website is so well done and professional. you are doing a great job, keep up the good work!

  45. Baking these for my boyfriend on Valentine’s. His 2 favorite treats mixed into one! :) Thanks for the recipe!~

  46. Oh, by the way. Does anyone know if this recipe works if I make the cookie smaller?

  47. There goes my diet…

  48. try these

  49. Stupid? Yes almond pillow cookies are so much better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  50. My mind has been officially blown! My computer is swimming in drool right now

  51. How is this the first time I’m seeing this? I’ve been following you for a while. Never mind.
    I will be making them today!
    :)

  52. Love your blog SO MUCH, Bakerella! Keep up the good work :)

  53. omg i have never seen any thing in my life like this it may just be the best im not kidding best cookie i have ever seen in my life its liek hello no need to look any farther for heaven it is right here in your own hands no way i just cannot believe this its a miricale best thing in the world no way no way im so going to make these right this moment after im done expressing the way i love these cookies i mean they are just absolutely genious looks like the best thing my taste buds will ever taste there is nothing like it i just really do think that these cookies could cange the world some day (or my world at least) they are so awesome no word in the world could ever ever explain these peices of heaven omg omg i just cant beleive it best thing ever

  54. Those look delicious! I wonder how they would work with a peanut butter cookie on the outside, PB & Chocolate pillows, mmmmmm…

  55. Quick question, how long can I keep these for before they go stale?

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