Cookie dough brownies

My sister called me on Monday with a possible baking job.  One of her coworkers was hosting a book club in two days, and wanted a "not too sweet" dessert.  My sister wasn't exactly sure what she wanted, or how many that she needed, just that she wanted something individual -- ie. not a cake.

I offered up cupcakes and brownies, but suggested brownies over cupcakes, since I personally find most icings super sweet.  After a bit of back and forth, I narrowed it down to two options -- chocolate chunk and toffee chip brownies, and these cookie dough brownies.  I opted for the latter for two reasons: (1) I thought the toffee ones would be too sweet, and (2) when I finally got to the grocery store after work at 9:30 p.m., they didn't have toffee chips, and I didn't feel like running around the Upper West Side of Manhattan looking for toffee chips.

The only thought I had -- after I started the brownies -- is "what if these are 'too sweet'?"  She specifically asked for something not too sweet.  Well, (shockingly,) despite the amount of sugar in the brownies, they were not too sweet.  The icing was a bit sweet, but when paired up with the not-too-sweet brownie, I think overall they're "not too sweet" (but hell, they are dessert, there's gotta be some sweetness to them!).

Cookie Dough Brownies
From The Hub of our Home

Brownies:

Ingredients:

1 Cup Butter, melted (I used one stick of unsalted and one stick of salted.  So I omitted the salt later on)
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
4 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/3 Cup Cocoa (I used a mixture of Dutch press cocoa and Special Dark cocoa powders, since I ran out of Dutch press, and didn't want to open a new package....lazy, I know)
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Grease a 9" x 13" pan.  I lined mine with foil and then sprayed with Pam for Baking (I was out of regular Pam)
In your mixer add the butter and sugars. 
Mix until completely combined. 
Add the eggs and vanilla. 
Mix well.
Add the dry ingredients and stir until fully incorporated. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. 
Cool completely before frosting.

Cookie Dough Frosting:

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Butter, softened
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
5 Tablespoons Milk
1 Cup Chocolate Chips (mini or regular)

Directions:

Cream together the butter and sugar. 
Add the vanilla and mix well. 
Add the flour and salt stir until combined. 
Stir in the milk and beat until the frosting is fluffy. 
Gently stir in the chocolate chips. 
Spread on cooled brownies and frost.

Cut into pieces.