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–+ servings

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Heather Baird
This soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie cake is topped with classic buttercream frosting and sprinkles for a nostalgic mall kiosk-style dessert. It makes a great crowd-pleasing birthday cake (just add candles!).
I’ve used both chocolate chips and peanut butter chips in this recipe, but feel free to use all chocolate chips, M&M’s or any combination of your favorite baking chips.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
30 minutes cooling time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 14

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup peanut butter baking morsels such as Reese’s

Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Optional Decorations

  • Gel food coloring
  • Rainbow sprinkles
  • Birthday candles or cake topper

Instructions
 

Make the Cookie Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Alternatively, grease and flour the pan as you would for a traditional cake.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and creamy.
  • Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips and peanut butter chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  • Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan. If you find it difficult to spread easily, coat a piece of parchment paper in cooking spray and lay it over the dough in the pan; press down evenly.
  • Optional: Sprinkle a few extra semisweet chips on top before baking if desired. (I skip this if decorating with buttercream.)
  • Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean. A little melted chocolate on the tester is fine.
  • Let the cookie cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack, peel away the parchment paper, then flip right-side-up and cool completely before frosting.

Make the Buttercream Frosting

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on low speed until crumbly.
  • Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes.
  • Add the vanilla extract and salt. Beat again until smooth.
  • Add milk or cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a spreadable or pipeable consistency.
  • Tint the frosting with gel food coloring if desired.

Decorate the Cookie Cake

  • Spread frosting over the cooled cookie cake or transfer frosting to piping bags fitted with decorative piping tips.
  • Pipe shells, stars, or swirls around the border of the cake using small, medium, and large open star piping tips (such as Ateco 823, 826, 829).
  • Add sprinkles and pipe a birthday message if desired.
  • Let the frosting stand uncovered for about 30 minutes so it crusts lightly before serving.

Notes

What to expect: This cookie cake has thick, slightly crispy edges with a thinner, chewier soft middle. The 10-inch cookie will puff in the oven and sink slightly in the center - this is normal. Classic American buttercream frosting makes it look and taste just like the ones you'd get at the mall. 
Tips:
  • A 10-inch cast iron skillet may be used in place of the cake pan. Expect crunchier edges.
  • For a thinner cookie cake, bake the dough in a 15 1/2-inch round pizza pan and reduce the baking time to approximately 20 minutes. Cake can be served from the pan.
  • Feel free to use M&M’s or any combination of your favorite baking chips and mix-ins to equal 2 cups total.
  • Don’t overbake the cookie cake if you prefer a soft and chewy center. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
  • The buttercream recipe yields plenty enough for multiple rows of buttercream borders, or to cover the entire cake. If you don't plan an elaborate decoration, consider halving the ingredient amounts for a smaller yield. 
Keyword chocolate chip cookie cake
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