Gooey Louie Recipe

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x9-inch (or 8x8-inch for thicker bars) square baking pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang for easy removal; lightly butter the paper.

Cream butter and sugars

In a large bowl using an electric mixer or by hand, cream the softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar and packed brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add egg and vanilla

Beat in the egg until incorporated, then mix in the vanilla extract.

Combine dry ingredients

In a separate bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt until evenly combined.

Form cookie dough

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, folding until just combined. Stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips by hand to distribute evenly.

Press into pan

Reserve about 1/3 of the dough (for the top). Press the remaining dough evenly into the prepared pan to form the cookie base layer, using lightly floured or damp hands to avoid sticking. Create a shallow well in the center to help hold the gooey filling.

Warm cream

Place the chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, warm the heavy cream with the espresso powder (if using) until it just begins to simmer and small bubbles form at the edge; do not boil.

Make ganache

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 1 minute to soften. Stir gently until the chocolate is fully melted and glossy. Stir in the softened butter, corn syrup, and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt until smooth. Taste and adjust salt if desired; the filling should be very glossy and pourable but slightly thickened.

Add filling to base

Pour or spoon the warm gooey chocolate filling over the pressed cookie base, spreading it evenly but leaving a small border so it doesn't touch the pan edges.

Top with reserved dough

Crumble or pat the reserved 1/3 cookie dough over the chocolate filling. You can leave gaps so the filling peeks through — that gives the bars their gooey appearance. Press the bits gently so they adhere but don't compact fully.

Bake

Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 20–26 minutes. The bars are done when the top is set and the edges are lightly firm but the center still looks slightly soft and jiggly — this ensures a gooey center. If using an 8x8 pan, check at 18 minutes; 9x9 will be closer to 22–26 minutes.

Cool

Remove from oven and set pan on a wire rack. Let cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour so the filling sets but remains gooey. For cleaner slices, chill in the refrigerator for 30–45 minutes before slicing.

Use the parchment overhang to lift the whole slab from the pan. Dust the top lightly with powdered sugar. Cut into 9 or 12 squares with a sharp knife (wipe between cuts for cleaner edges). Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Rewarm individual pieces in a microwave for 8–12 seconds to restore gooeyness, or bring to room temperature before serving.