This chocolate chip cookie cake is a giant chocolate chip cookie that’s soft, chewy and filled with chocolate chips. It’s perfect for birthdays with frosting around the edges, or tastes delicious warm from the oven with a scoop of ice cream.
**This post was updated August 15, 2021 with new photos, recipe tips and a slightly updated recipe**
The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
If you like giant chocolate chip cookies that are extra soft, super chewy, and maybe even a little gooey – then this cookie cake is for you. It has a delicious rich, buttery flavor with tons of chocolate chips and slightly crispy edges. If you remember the giant cookie cakes from the grocery store that you’d get as a child – this recipe is 1000x better. It’s chewier with more chocolate chips and the creamiest frosting around the edges.
What’s great about making a cookie cake as opposed to regular chocolate chip cookies is that there’s no need to chill the dough. You also avoid getting sticky fingers and save a ton of time because you don’t need to form the dough into balls.
Cookie Cake Recipe
I first published this recipe a few years ago and used pudding mix in the cookie dough. Pudding chocolate chip cookies are extremely soft, which I love. However, after getting lots of comments from readers wanting a version without pudding mix to avoid an extra trip to the grocery store, I’ve slightly reworked the recipe. It still has the same delicious buttery flavor and chewy texture. Note – if you want the old version, I’ve included it in the recipe notes.
There are a few key ingredients for the best flavor and texture:
- Real butter for the most flavor. Your butter should be softened but not at all melty.
- Brown sugar adds a caramel undertone to give your cookie cake even more flavor. The white sugar helps to create a slight crisp around the edges.
- 1 egg plus 1 extra egg yolk for a chewy, tender cookie. The extra egg yolk is key for the perfect texture. Make sure that you don’t use 2 full eggs!
- A good dose of vanilla extract and a touch of salt to round out the flavor.
- Just enough flour so it’s chewy but not dry and crumbly. Always measure your flour carefully to avoid a dry cookie cake. Whisk it first, then spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the top. Or use a scale for the most accurate measurement. This recipe uses 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, which weighs 219 grams or 7.5 ounces.
- Lots of chocolate chips – for obvious reasons.
You can either make this recipe in a 9-inch springform pan, or a 9-inch pie plate. You’ll lightly grease the pan, and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper if you’re using a springform. (If you’re using a pie plate, just lightly grease the bottom). You’ll spread the dough into your pan of choice so it forms an even layer.
It will bake for around 25 minutes at 350 F. When it’s done baking the top should be golden brown. Oven times can vary, so check carefully.
Frosting & Serving
If you’re planning to frost the outside edges of the cookie cake, you’ll need to wait for it to fully cool first – at least 2 hours. Otherwise, you’ll want to let it cool for about 30 minutes. If you used a springform pan, you can remove the cookie cake from the pan before serving. Whereas, if you’re using a pie plate I’d recommend serving directly from the pie plate.
Finally, I piped chocolate buttercream around the edges of my chocolate chip cookie cake. It’s also delicious served warm with ice cream, or maybe a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Or all three. The frosting recipe I’ve included below is thick, fluffy and creamy. It will be enough to pipe rosettes around the edges of the cookie cake.
If you love this chocolate chip cookie cake, then why not try:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- or 9-inch pie plate
Ingredients
For the Cookie Cake
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature, not melted
- ½ cup brown sugar light or dark
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk discard the egg white
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips
For the Chocolate Buttercream
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 - 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
Instructions
Cookie Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C or 160C fan-forced) degrees.
- Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Or lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl beat together the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy - about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on a low speed, beat in the flour mixture about ½ at a time until combined.
- Turn off the mixer and stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon the mixture into your prepared pan and spread the dough into an even layer. If you're using a springform pan, the parchment paper may slide around a bit.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes until the top looks set. If the top starts to get too brown before the cake is done, tent a piece of aluminium foil and place it over the top.
- Remove from the oven. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack.
Chocolate Buttercream
- Once the cookie cake is fully cooled, make the frosting.
- In a medium bowl beat the butter until fluffy.
- Mix in the cocoa powder and salt with the mixer on a low speed.
- Then beat in the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon of milk/cream until the right sweetness level is reached.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag (I used a Wilton 1M tip).
- If using a springform pan, unclamp the outer ring of the pan. Optionally, remove the cookie cake from the base of the pan and place on a serving plate.
- Pipe the outer edges of the cake with frosting. Slice with a thin, sharp knife.
Notes
- Eggs: You'll need 2 eggs for this recipe. You'll use 1 whole egg and just the egg yolk from the second egg. Do not use 2 full eggs.
- Storage: Cookie cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 7. Unfrosted cookie cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge.
- Nutrition: Nutrition information is an estimate only and based on 1 piece of cookie cake with frosting. It assumes that all the frosting is used and the cookie cake is sliced into 10 equal pieces.
- Previous Recipe: As mentioned, I've updated this recipe since it was firs posted. If you'd like to make the original recipe, the ingredients are listed below. Follow the recipe steps the same as above, whisking the pudding mix in with the flour, baking soda and salt in step 2.
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup instant vanilla pudding mix , not cook n' serve
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg , room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons milk
- 1 ¼ cup chocolate chips
Omg this looks amazing! Next cheat day I am treating myself to this. Maybe I’ll share…maybe.
I would highly recommend having that cheat day soon!
This dessert looks amazing. I would spend $ on more kitchen gadgets. Tien
Thanks Tien! Good luck with the giveaway!!
This looks divine! Not like those flat overly sweet cookie cakes you can buy in the grocery store. Wish I could have some right now!
Thanks so much Lindsey – thick & chewy cookies > than store bought any day!
My husband loves those giant cookie cakes you buy at the store, but they’re gross. I’ve yet to try a homemade one… maybe this time!!
At Amazon… I’d probably load up on Blu rays and books from my wish list, plus stuff for my teens. I love my kids. 🙂
This one is soooooo much better than the store bought. Good luck with the giveaway – and I hope your husband & kids like the cookie cake!
I only have chocolate pudding mix…Will that be ok?
I think it’ll work. The cookie will just have a light hint of chocolate and be a little darker in color.
Could this be made in a 10” cake pan instead to thin it a bit more, or would that be too thin? Really love your blog! So happy to have found it!
Thank you!
Made this and it was delicious. I somehow forgot to put the brown sugar in which I’m sure would have given it more flavor. But overall it was great. Will definitely make again.