Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Ingredient Notes

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

For the cookie cake:

• Flour: Make sure to use the spoon and level method to properly measure your flour. Too much flour can result in a dense, dry cookie cake.
• Cornstarch: Adds softness and helps create the cookie cake’s thick, chewy texture.
• Nutmeg: Just a pinch adds warmth and enhances the cookie cake’s brown sugar flavor.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter for this recipe and allow the butter to soften to room temperature before creaming with the sugar. (If the butter is still cold straight from the fridge, it won’t cream well with the sugar and can mess up the texture of the cookie cake.)
• Sugars: You’ll use both dark brown sugar and granulated sugar in this cookie cake. In most of my chocolate chip cookie recipes, I like using a mixture of both sugars to enhance the flavor of the cookie and add a bit of the warm, caramel flavor from the molasses in the brown sugar.
• Eggs: Let your large eggs sit at room temperature before adding to wet ingredient mixture, as this will allow them to blend easier with the other ingredients.
• Chocolate chips: I prefer using semisweet chocolate chips, but feel free to try milk or dark chocolate if you’d like!
• Other ingredients needed: baking soda, salt, vanilla extract

For the chocolate buttercream frosting:

• Butter: Use unsalted butter and allow it to soften to room temperature before beginning to beat it for the frosting. Butter straight from the fridge doesn’t get to the correct consistency as well as room-temp butter.
• Powdered sugar: To ensure a smooth texture for your frosting, sift your powdered sugar in a fine sieve before adding to the beaten butter.
• Cocoa powder: Gives the frosting its rich chocolate flavor. Use unsweetened, high-quality cocoa powder for the best taste and smooth texture.
• Heavy cream: Adds richness and helps create a smooth, fluffy texture. Use as needed to adjust the consistency of the frosting for spreading or piping.
• Other ingredients needed: vanilla extract, salt

Step by Step Directions

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

What pan should I use for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake?

There are a handful of options you can use to bake the Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake. I like to use a 10-inch round for a large, thick cookie cake. If you only have a 9-inch round pan, your cookie cake will be thicker than the ones pictured in this blog post, and will likely need to bake a little longer.

• 10-inch round cake pan – this is my favorite!
• 10-inch round springform cake pan – this one is also great for making cheesecakes!
• 10-inch pie pan – the bottoms will have a little bit of a slant to them, but still works great!

Expert Tips

• Do not overmix the dough! When you add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can activate too much gluten which can result in a dry, crumbly cookie cake instead of a soft, chewy one.
• Top with chocolate chips: After spreading the dough in the pan, press a handful of extra chocolate chips on top before baking. It makes the finished cookie cake look bakery-worthy!
• Line your pan: I like lining my pan with these parchment paper rounds to help with a clean transfer from the pan. Spraying a tiny bit of cooking spray before you put the parchment paper in the pan can help it stick to the pan and make it easier to spread the cookie dough.
• Cover the top: At the 10-15 minute mark, place a piece of foil over the top to prevent the cookie cake from getting too brown on the tops and edges.
• Do not overbake! You can use a toothpick to check for doneness, I always recommend slightly underbaking so you get a soft, chewy, cookie cake!
• Cool before frosting: Let the cookie cake cool fully before piping or spreading buttercream. This prevents melting and keeps the frosting looking clean and defined.

Variations / Substitutions

• Mix up your chips! Try adding peanut butter, white chocolate, or caramel chips in the dough alongside the chocolate chips, or on their own.
• Try other mix-ins! Mini M&Ms, chopped peanuts, macadamia nuts, or raisins could all be fun options!
• Peanut butter buttercream: Make peanut butter buttercream frosting and either top with just that flavor, or alternate with chocolate and peanut butter as you pipe around the outside of the cake. Add 1 cup of creamy peanut butter to the bowl with the soften butter and cream those together before adding the powdered sugar and remaining ingredients. Check out some other fun buttercream alternative flavors here!
• Vanilla buttercream + food coloring: Make my Favorite Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and add some food coloring to decorate the cookie cake in your favorite colors. Think: school colors for a graduation party, team colors for a sport event or party, etc.!

Storage / Freezing

• To keep leftover cookie cake fresher longer, wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap then place in an airtight ziplock bag or container. You can store it at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• To freeze the whole cake, wrap the completely cooled, unfrosted cookie cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating or serving.
• Or, you can freeze individual slices by wrapping each slice in plastic wrap and storing in a freezer bag. This is a great idea for great for grab-and-go treats!
• For best results, freeze without frosting. You can make the buttercream fresh once thawed for the best texture.

FAQs

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5 from 27 reviews

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 8 slices

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Get the best of both worlds with this Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake! A thick, chewy cookie, packed with chocolate chips, topped with rich buttercream frosting, and sliced just like a traditional birthday cake. Decorate with sprinkles, candles, or a custom message, and you'll have a festive, homemade treat that everyone will love!

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Ingredients

Cookie Ingredients:

• ▢ 2 ½ cups flour (spooned and leveled)
• ▢ 1 tsp. baking soda
• ▢ 1 tsp. cornstarch
• ▢ ¾ tsp. salt
• ▢ pinch nutmeg
• ▢ ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
• ▢ 1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 2 tsp. vanilla
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups chocolate chips (1 ¼ – 1 ½ cups, more or less depending on preference)

Chocolate Buttercream Ingredients:

• ▢ 8 tbsp. unsalted butter (softened)
• ▢ 1 tsp. vanilla
• ▢ Pinch salt
• ▢ 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 1-2 tbsp. heavy cream

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Instructions 

• Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 10-inch round cake pan, 10-inch pie plate, or springform pan with nonstick spray, and then line with parchment. Set aside. (I use this pan and these circular pre cut parchment sheets.)
• Mix dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
  2 ½ cups flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. cornstarch, ¾ tsp. salt, pinch nutmeg
  
• Beat butter and sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars for about 2 minutes, just until smooth. Start Timer
  ¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
  
• Add eggs & vanilla: Add the eggs and vanilla extract until incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed.
  2 large eggs room temperature, 2 tsp. vanilla
  
• Add dry ingredients: On low speed, add the dry ingredients just until almost fully combined. Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
  1 ¼ cups chocolate chips
  
• Turn out into pan: Spread the cookie dough in the prepared pan in an even layer. You can sprinkle the top with more chocolate chips if you’d like!
  
• Bake: Bake for ~20-25 minutes. Start Timer Place a piece of foil over the tops around the 10-15 minute mark if it’s getting too brown on the tops of edges. You can use a toothpick to check for doneness, I always recommend slightly underbaking so you get a soft, chewy, cookie cake!
• Cool: Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30-40 minutes. Start Timer Then place in the fridge to cool completely, about 1 more hour. Start Timer
  
• Frosting: Beat the softened butter on medium speed, then add the remaining frosting ingredients on low, gradually increasing back to medium speed for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Start Timer
  8 tbsp. unsalted butter, 1 tsp. vanilla, Pinch salt, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 1-2 tbsp. heavy cream
  
• Piping bag: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star decorative tip, like a Wilton 1M.
• Decorate: Remove the cake from the pan (use a butter knife to run around the edges to loosen, it should pop right out). Pipe the frosting around the edges of the cookie cake. Decorate with sprinkles on top if desired. Slice and enjoy!
  

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Notes

• To store: wrap the cookie cake in plastic wrap then place in an airtight ziplock bag or container. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• To freeze: wrap the completely cooled, unfrosted cookie cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil and place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating or serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1slice (cake cut into 8 pieces), Calories: 817kcal (41%), Carbohydrates: 112g (37%), Protein: 6g (12%), Fat: 40g (62%), Saturated Fat: 25g (156%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 121mg (40%), Sodium: 378mg (16%), Potassium: 229mg (7%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 78g (87%), Vitamin A: 988IU (20%), Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 69mg (7%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

© Author: Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner

📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin