Air Fryer Crumbl Brookie Cookies (Copycat, Half Cookie Half Brownie)

This AIR FRYER Crumbl Copycat Brookie Cookie recipe combines the best of two dessert worlds: rich, fudgy brownies and soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies. It’s the dessert you didn’t know you needed, but you’ll never be able to live without.

My kids found the Crumbl brookie on TikTok. Which meant it was immediately requested, and then requested again the following week, and then became the benchmark against which all other cookies in my house are now measured.

The Crumbl version is exactly what it looks like — half chocolate chip cookie on one side, half brownie on the other, thick and barely set in the center the way Crumbl cookies always are. The price is what it is. So I figured out how to make them at home in the air fryer.

The technique sounds more complicated than it is. You make one base dough — butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour — and split it in half. One half gets chocolate chips folded in. The other half goes back in the mixer with cocoa powder. You portion a quarter cup of each, roll them together into one ball, flatten, and air fry. The two sides stay distinct, you get the half-and-half visual, and the cookies come out with that slightly soft center that’s impossible to resist.

The air fryer gives these a slightly different result than the oven — the outside crisps up a bit faster while the inside stays fudgy. For a brookie, that’s actually ideal.

Ingredients

INGREDIENT NOTES — REWRITE

1½ cups butter, softened: Room temperature — not melted, not cold. Properly softened butter (you can leave an indent with your finger but it still holds shape) creams differently than butter that’s too soft. If your kitchen is cold, microwave for 5-second intervals until just soft. This recipe uses a significant amount of butter for 6–8 cookies — it’s what gives them the thick, rich Crumbl-style texture.

1½ cups brown sugar: All brown sugar rather than a white/brown mix gives these a deeper molasses flavor that supports both the chocolate chip and brownie sides. Light brown is standard; dark brown adds more molasses depth if you want it.

2 eggs: Room temperature. Cold eggs incorporated into creamed butter can cause the mixture to separate slightly, affecting texture.

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract (verify this quantity — the recipe card lists 1½ tablespoons which may be a typo): Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation, for a recipe where vanilla is a primary flavor note.

4¼ cups flour, divided: Split as follows — approximately 2 cups go into the base dough (step 4), and the remaining 2¼ cups go into the chocolate chip cookie dough half (step 6). The brownie half does not get additional flour — the cocoa powder provides bulk and absorbs moisture similarly to flour. (Note: verify this split against actual baking — the post doesn’t specify and this is a critical measurement.)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips: Standard chips work well. Larger chunks give more dramatic chocolate pockets but can disrupt the structural integrity of the half-and-half construction. Stick with standard chips for the first batch.

½ cup cocoa powder: Natural unsweetened cocoa (Hershey’s, Ghirardelli) for a standard brownie flavor. Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker, less acidic result with more complex chocolate depth — both work but Dutch-process is worth using if you have it.

How to Make These Air Fryer Brookie Cookies

Step 1: Prep and preheat Preheat your air fryer to 350°F. Cut parchment to fit the basket with no overhang on the sides.

Step 2: Cream butter and sugar In a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Step 3: Add eggs and vanilla Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fully combined and smooth, about 1 minute.

Step 4: Add dry ingredients to base dough Add approximately 2 cups of flour, the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.

Step 5: Divide the dough Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and divide into two equal portions — use a kitchen scale for accuracy (weigh the total, divide by two) or divide visually as carefully as possible.

Step 6: Make the chocolate chip cookie dough Return one half of the dough to the mixer. Add the remaining flour (approximately 2¼ cups) and mix until combined. Add 1 cup of chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed. Remove from the bowl and set aside.

Step 7: Make the brownie dough Place the second half of the dough in the mixer. Add the cocoa powder and mix on low until fully combined and no streaks remain — the dough should be uniformly dark. Do not add additional flour.

Step 8: Portion and combine For each cookie: scoop ¼ cup of the chocolate chip dough and ¼ cup of the brownie dough. Roll each into a smooth ball separately. Press the two balls firmly together side by side, then roll lightly between your palms to seal the seam while keeping the two halves visually distinct.

Step 9: Flatten and arrange Place the combined dough ball on the parchment-lined air fryer basket. Flatten gently to about ¾-inch thickness — thicker than a standard cookie, thinner than a hockey puck. Place 2 cookies per standard basket with space between them.

Step 10: Air fry Cook at 350°F for 12–15 minutes. Check at 12 minutes — edges should look set and lightly browned, tops should look dry but centers should still look slightly underdone. Pull at this point for the ideal texture.

Step 11: Cool Let cool in the basket for 5 minutes before transferring. The cookies firm up significantly as they cool.

How the two-dough construction actually works

The brookie effect — half cookie, half brownie — comes from making one base dough and flavoring each half differently. Here’s the process in plain terms before you start:

Step 1 of the concept: Make the full base dough (butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, leavening, salt).

Step 2: Divide the dough exactly in half by weight if you have a scale, or visually into two equal portions.

Step 3: One half → add chocolate chips. This becomes the chocolate chip cookie dough.

Step 4: Other half → return to mixer and add cocoa powder. This becomes the brownie dough.

Step 5: For each cookie, take ¼ cup of the chocolate chip dough and ¼ cup of the brownie dough. Roll each into a ball separately, then press them together side by side and roll lightly to merge — you want them joined but still clearly two halves, not fully mixed together. If they blend, you lose the visual.

Step 6: Flatten slightly — these are Crumbl-style, so they should be thick, roughly ¾ inch.

The critical visual: The goal is a clean line down the center of the cookie. Press firmly enough that the two halves bond and won’t separate during baking, but gently enough that the distinct halves are still visible. Place them in the air fryer with the seam line running front to back so it’s visible from above.

Bake for 12-15 minutes in the Air Fryer, then let the cookies cool until you can pick them up without burning your fingers. Or just dig in and risk it. You do you!

FAQs

TROUBLESHOOTING

The two halves blended together and I lost the distinct sides. You overworked the dough when combining. Next time, press the two balls firmly together in one motion rather than rolling and kneading. One press to seal, minimal additional shaping.

The cookies spread flat in the air fryer. The butter was too soft (nearly melted) when creamed. Butter should be soft enough to cream but still hold shape. Chill the portioned dough balls for 15–20 minutes in the refrigerator before air frying.

The cookies are doughy in the center even after 15 minutes. They were too thick when flattened, or your air fryer runs cool. Flatten to ¾ inch maximum. If still underdone, add 2-minute increments — check after each.

The dough is sticky and hard to work with. The butter was too warm. Refrigerate the dough for 20–30 minutes before portioning and combining.

The cocoa half tastes bitter. Natural cocoa powder can be more acidic than Dutch-process. If the brownie side is noticeably bitter, switch to Dutch-process cocoa for the next batch. Also check that you’re using ½ cup measured correctly — overpacking cocoa powder concentrates the bitterness.

STORAGE

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. These cookies stay soft longer than standard cookies because of the high butter content.

Freeze baked cookies: Cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap, freeze in a bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or microwave for 20–30 seconds.

Freeze unbaked dough balls: After combining and shaping (but before flattening), freeze on a parchment-lined sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen — add 3–5 minutes to the bake time and don’t preheat the air fryer.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you really want to enjoy more brookie deliciousness be sure to check out The Best Skillet Brookie Recipe!

Ready to try the dessert of your dreams? These Air Fryer brookie cookies are calling your name—and trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

Here are some more amazing Crumbl copycat recipes to try!