Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Who else grew up crossing alllll the fingers that a giant chocolate chip cookie cake would be served at your friend’s birthday party? It was the best, right?! Well, now you can make it at home! This easy chocolate chip cookie cake recipe comes together quickly and will be the hit of any birthday party. Add chocolate frosting and sprinkles to make it extra festive!
Anyone who grew up in the 1980s has at some point consumed a cookie cake, am I right? They definitely weren’t the typical go-to for birthday cakes, so when they made an appearance, everyone was insanely excited. Give me a party with a cookie cake or an ice cream cake, and I was one ecstatic little girl. One of my aunts, in particular, always served chocolate chip cookie cakes, so I was naturally excited for every one of my cousins’ birthday parties.
It’s amazing how one gigantic chocolate chip cookie can incite so much giddiness in a bunch of kids. I have a feeling it’s less about the cookie and more about the notion of something different and out of the ordinary. That is the same reason I still love cookie cakes as an adult!
Finding the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
When first brainstorming a recipe for a homemade chocolate chip cookie cake, I immediately thought of my favorite chocolate chip cookie that doesn’t require the dough to be refrigerated (thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies), but they tend to be a bit on the ooey and gooey side. While that’s absolutely perfect for cookies, it wouldn’t work as well for a “cake” that needs to be sliced and served.
After slightly increasing the flour and playing around with baking powder and baking soda, I had a perfect combination of flavor and sturdiness.
This cookie cake bakes up super soft but with enough stability to not fall apart when it’s sliced, which is chocolate chip cookie cake perfection. The best part? It can be mixed together and in the oven in just 10 minutes; be ready to party in no time!
This can be served plain, with a big, dripping scoop of ice cream, or decorated with buttercream frosting (and sprinkles!). Anything goes here!
As you can see, when it comes to food, I’m definitely still a kid at heart.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 cup (213 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with a round of parchment paper; set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugars together until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.
- Turn the dough out into the prepared cake pan and use your fingers to press into an even layer. Bake until the cookie cake is light golden brown and the outer edges have started to harden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and plan the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Use a metal spatula to loosen the sides of the cake from pan, then turn it out and place it on a serving plate or platter. Serve or decorate as desired. Leftovers should be kept in an airtight container and kept at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in February 2014; updated in January 2020 with new photos and clearer recipe instructions.
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
We frost the entire cake with store-bought marshmallow fluff! Then it has a s’moresy flavor combo
I want to make a 12 inch heart chocolate chip cookie cake. Do you think I should double this recipe and bake longer or will one batch be enough?
I have made this several times this year and it has become a favorite among my family! I make mine in a jelly roll pan so it makes it a little thinner (still thicker than store bought) and use the cooking times listed above! My husband says it is so much better than the famous store that makes them! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
This is my third time making this gluten free and it’s the beeeeest! Thank you!
Hands down the best cookie cake recipe. I’ve made this going on 3 years now for my kids birthdays. They love it. It’s easy to follow and make and comes out perfect every time. I use springform pans to make it easy to get out of the pan. Thanks for the amazing recipe.
This cookie cake hits allL the requirement! Moist, delicious, easy!! Love it so much! Made as a dessert for my kids as a treat but will definitely use again for a crowd! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
THIS QUARANTINE ISSUE PUSHES ME IN A CAKE MAKING MOOD. … FRIDAY MORNING I MADE THE CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE AND OMG! IS NEARLY GONE…
I HAD BEEN ENJOYING YOUR FANTASTIC, QUALITY CREATIONS!
HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVING YOUR EMAIL FOR SOME TIME NOW-HOPE YOU AND YOURS ARE ENJOYING GOOD HEALTH!
===E-MAIL SUBMITTED IN CONFIDENCE===
During this isolation time, I had desperately wanted to make a chocolate chip cookie. Well, Michele’s recipes never disappoint and that’s why I follow her! This was unbelievable! My family went crazy over it! So moist and chocolatey and delicious! Thank you so much, Michele! You’re amazing!
Thank you so much for the kind words, Denise! xo
This recipe is so good! Is there any way to get the edges not to lift? My edges are always higher than my center.
Hi Stacy, I recently heard someone offer a tip in the BEB Facebook group of leaving a little space between the dough and the pan edges when you spread it, so when it expands, it going out and not up :)
Can you please back off the ads! This website is ridiculous and hard to use on a mobile site with all the ada, it makes for a poor user experience.
I agree with Nickid. The final product looked great coming out of the oven but it was total mush on the inside. I suggest increasing the flour by 1/4 cup or only using one egg and half the vanilla. I’m a seasoned baker and should have trusted my experience with the texture of the dough while when putting it in.
Michelle – thanks so much for reposting this recipe. My daughter isn’t much for cake, cupcakes, even most cookies…. but she does like a chocolate chip cookie so I made this for one of her b-day celebrations recently and it was a huge hit! I love the size and texture. I did have to bake mine a little longer than you indicated, but there are variations from oven to oven so that’s not a huge surprise. Just approached it like I would with a cc cookie – brown around edges and just set in the middle and let it cool in pan to complete the bake. We lived it and I will make again and again! Also used your chocolate frosting recipe to decorate – the one made in the food processor with butter, cocoa, melted chocolate, corn syrup, etc…. maybe you could post a link to that recipe with this one? Or maybe you did and I missed it. In any case – it was really good!
So glad this was enjoyed by all! Thanks for the suggestion to link out to that other chocolate frosting recipe, will do that!
This cookie cake is out of this world good. Turned out great. Very easy. It needs no frosting. Plenty rich. When I went to make it I found I was almost out of all purpose flour! I called the KAF baking hotline and they told me to use equal parts bread flour and pastry flour . Delicious.
With so many good reviews, but some less than good on the baking time, I tried this at 350* for 30 minutes. Took it out and it was total mush in the middle and even though the edges were brown, underneath was still mush. My oven thermometer is right on, pan size correct and I am a very experienced baker. This looked nothing like your photo. I tried to salvage the mush by returning to the oven for another 10 minutes but the product was just not edible. This was a waste of ingredients. Sorry to say it went in the trash.
Awesome recipe! I was concerned when taking it out of the oven, that it had not cooked long enough but it was perfect! Delish!
OMG!! My problem has been solved!! My daughter (6 yo) doesnt like cake, or cupcakes or pies or sugar cookies or most candy so finding a treat for birthday parties has been challenging! We have been getting donuts for the “kid” party which have been a total HIT and are so easy to do, but for the family party I was hoping for something more special. I think this is it! Cant wait to try it!
Such a great idea to use a springform! I need to make this next time we have a family dinner.
I think some sprinkles on top or in the batter would be a great use!
This is the best cookie cake recipe!!! It has been my go to and always requested birthday cake recipe for five years now. I like to mix half milk chocolate and half semisweet chocolate chips otherwise I don’t change a thing.
I love that you posted this again on my b-day! I had asked for this recipe some time back! I’ve made this so many times! From one browned eyed Pittsburgh girl to another!
This looks perfect! I totally need to make this for my birthday this year!
Paige
http://thehapyflammily.com
Do you pack the brown sugar or just measure loosely in measuring cup?
Still making this for birthdays. Still the best cookie cake recipe. It is now part of my recipe book. Thank you for publishing this recipe, my kids LOVE it!
I made this recipe for my 18 year old’s birthday dinner. It was perfect! The texture is my favorite – perfect exterior crust and soft on the inside. Thanks for this recipe!
I love this cookie cake! This is the only recipe I use!
Ok so I usually do not review recipes but this time I felt I needed to. The main reason was the lack of reviews before I made it. This cookie cake was awesome! It reminded me of a cookie company cake. The texture was perfect. It was really moist. I did have to alter the recipe to make it gluten free. I used Pamela’s baking flour in place of the flour, salt and baking powder. Everything else I did according to the recipe and it was the best homemade cookie cake I have ever had. It was a hit at our party and no even knew it was gluten free.
This looks amazing! Any suggestions for using it to make mini cupcakes? (a batch of 48, so should I double the recipe?)
Hi Sam, I don’t think you could make these as cupcakes? Since it’s essentially a cookie? Unless you just pack the dough into the muffin tin and do it that way?
I made this cake for the first time to take to a housewarming party. Cakes always make me nervous, since you can’t taste test it before you serve them. But because Brown Eyed Baker has never let me down when I follow her recipes exactly, I took a risk. Let’s just say it paid off! The cake was delicious and was a huge hit. Thank you, Michelle, for your tried and true recipes!
I first made this recipe for a dessert for Sunday dinner, and the kids LOVED it! I have since made it a few more times (for the kids’ birthdays) and it is always a hit. (In fact, I’m writing this review because I just pulled up this recipe again this morning to make it for the 12-year-old’s birthday –he specifically requested it.) It is PERFECT — the flavor, texture, consistency, etc. I follow the recipe exactly — no variations or substitutions (there’s a reason for the proportions of the two different sugars — trust me), other than that I occasionally mix up the kinds of chips I use (today it was Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips, which are out of this world.) It comes out moist, but not TOO moist, just cake-like enough, but not TOO cake-y, if that makes sense. It holds together beautifully when cutting, and it’s delicious with a scoop of ice cream. I will be decorating it a bit with some writing on top and some colorful candles.
I highly recommend this recipe, and I hope this will satisfy some of those who were complaining that everyone was just commenting on how great the recipe sounded but no one was actually reviewing this recipe. :)
Hi Marci, Thank you so much for stopping back to share your review; I’m so thrilled to hear that your family has been enjoying the cookie cake!
Michele..has will this taste with salted butter ..my mistate?
It will be just fine!
I can’t wait to make this I have been looking for a cookie cake recipe!
very highly recommend, made in a standard springform pan. took on the longer side of cook time to be done. very good the next day too!! i decorated it with chocolate icing along the edge and sprinkles for a bday cake. was very popular.
Hi Michelle,
Can I leave the egg and make this cookie cake, or is there any substitute for the egg? I need an eggless version. Please help.
You can’t just omit the egg, but I’ve never tried to use any type of substitute, so unfortunately I can’t say for sure what would be successful.
Oh… Fine. Thanks Michelle
I haven’t tried this recipe, but I saw it on another blog.
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/soft-baked-skillet-chocolate-chip-cookie-egg-free/
Hi! My husband loves this cake but he loves peanut butter even more. Is there any way to add it to this recipe? What would be the ratios? Thanks so much!
Hi Audrey, This is my favorite peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe, you could use this dough:
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/salted-peanut-butter-cup-chocolate-chip-cookies/
I made this for my son’s birthday in a 9-inch cake pan as directed, but should have listened to my baker’s gut telling me this was waaaay too much dough for the size of the pan. Sure enough, it was doughy in the middle and literally fell apart in my hands when I turned it out. On the plus side, it was ridiculously yummy, and the little boys at the party all agreed that it was miles better than the cookie cake I bought to replace it. Will definitely make again in a larger pan.
I have made this three times, but it never seems to cook completely. It’s delicious and we eat it anyways, but it’s not the way it’s supposed to be. I even increased the temp to 350 degrees and I cook it for 30 minutes. The inside is still gooey. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Hi Lyn, I did cook mine at 325 and it came out as you can see above – not gooey. Some other folks have mentioned that they baked it at 375 – you can try that to see if it turns out better for you.
I’m looking for fun cake that I can put ice cream in the middle of and make a layer ‘ice cream cake’ any thoughts on if this would do well in a somewhat frozen state? Thinking covered in a chocolate ganache..
Hi Alicia, It will be pretty firm frozen, but if you let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or so before serving, I think it should work!
Wow! I doubled the recipe and used 2 9-inch springform pans to make this cake. It was unbelievably good. I wasn’t expecting a cookie cake to be this exciting, but something about the thickness of the crust while still being gooey yet firm enough to hold its shape…perfect. There can’t be a better recipe for cookie cake out there! I will say that I too had to bake a lot longer, probably 35 minutes. Thanks for this recipe!
Is it best to bake the dough right away or can it be made ahead of time and refrigerated? If so, how long can it be stored before using? Thanks for sharing what sounds like a delicious recipe!
Hi Kim, Yes, you can make this ahead of time and refrigerate it before baking. I would say up to 2 days in advance.
Great!! That will save me a lot of time, as I can make it tonight & bake it with everything else I’ll be making on Saturday for my husband and his twin’s birthday :-) Thanks!!
I agree with the others who say the cooking time is wrong—mine was still uncooked in the middle after 25 minutes. 20 minutes more in the oven and i think it’s done.
Hey Ya’ll –
the recipe is great but I think they meant to say to bake it at 375! Not 325….. do not bake it at 325 like we did! ha! way too gooey!
I plan to make this and take it to visiting day at my children’s camp. What frosting would be best to use, considering it will be traveling with me for 24 hours before it is devoured on sight?
Hi Tracy, Any type of traditional buttercream frosting should work!
Leftovers? Hahahahahahahahah
There will be no leftovers
Just made a half batch of this and it was amazing.
It was crisp and yet not completely baked through~ it probably needed more time in the oven to bake completely though but i like it this way.
I am making this now. I’m using a 9 inch pan, and followed the directions exactly but it will not get done in the middle! When I stick a toothpick in the middle the center is still gooey. I know it’s not my oven, because I’ve never had this problem before and cook/bake regularly. I’ve had it in the oven for almost 40 mins. now.. Any suggestions?
Just made this for my 6 year olds birthday…… awesomeness. He asked for an m&m cookie cake. I used large milk chocolate chips, keeping the amount at one cup while doubling the rest of therecipe to fill a 13 inch round pan. I decrated with mini m&ms. It was a huge sucess. I did increase the bake time to 60mins. It made 16 slices and was fantastic! I will keep this recipe a while:)
The 20-25 mins at 325 didn’t cook it all the way thru. Going to try for maybe 30 to 35 mins instead
Made this for my family today and it was a hit! My nephews liked it better than the ice cream we served it with.
Is it 12 tablespoons of butter? Do you know how many cups that would be?
Hi Elisa, Yes, 12 tablespoons of butter. That’s ¾ cup.
This recipe was perfect for a late night dessert craving:) I made this on a total whim last night at 9pm, and then enjoyed it with hubby while catching up on Downton Abbey.
I was bored one day, and decided to make this. It looks perfect in the picture, so I put my baking skills to the test and tried this recipe out. Well, that’s when I realized I had no baking skills and somehow managed to mess this whole thing up. Mine looked super pretty, but ended up tasting terrible and dry. I should just leave the baking to the pros… :)
Ok, update. I got it down! I finally made it correctly and it tastes great! I like to put a thin layer of chocolate icing on it. It is quite amazing and definitely a guilty pleasure of mine…
I grew up and live in Pakistan so we dont have cookie cakes here unfortunately!
Ive heard alot about them and my sister in Texas had one and said i MUST try to make it as im a baker. Im trying this today for sure :D
Just one question, Is it necessary to line the bottom with parchment paper or can i just dust it with oil and flour like regular cakes?
Hi Tayyaba, You could grease and flour, for sure. I always line my cake pans with parchment as extra protection against breaking when turning them out, but if you feel comfortable just greasing and flouring, then that’s definitely okay.
This sounds divine! Do you think I can double the recipe and make it a rectangle on a cookie sheet?
Hi Sarah, Yes, certainly!
Hi Michelle!
I made this once already and it was amazing! Now I need to make two for my sons birthday party this weekend. Do you think I can double it and just split the batter between two pans or should I make them separate?
Thank you!
Desiree
Hi Desiree, Yes, you could definitely double the recipe and split the dough. Enjoy! :)
Hi Michelle,
I doubled this for my son’s 2nd birthday party and it was amazing. Thank you again! My cookie monster was very happy :-)
I made this today and followed the recipe exactly and was diasppointed with the taste. It was very bland, but had a very good consistency. Won’t be making this recipe again, but for those who do, I recommend much sugar and vanilla extract.
Your green bean casserole recipe changed my life, so I’m going to try this;)
Just checking that the baking time is correct. I baked this for about 30 mins. and when I turned it out onto a platter the center was still raw. I put it back into the pan and baked it for another 20 mins.
Hi Anita, The baking time is correct, and it definitely should not need an additional 20 minutes, or it would be severely overdone. Did you by any chance use a smaller pan?
I made this for my husband’s birthday and it was unbelievably good! Even better than the cookie cakes I remember from my youth. Thanks so much for sharing!
I used a 9 inch springform pan and it worked perfectly.
Leftovers good for up to 5 days….hahaha…that cookie cake would not last 5 hours at my house! Looks heavenly. I’ll remember this next time I need a good dessert :-D
This looks amazing! It took no time to find this amazing looking cake. I just can’t wait to make this for my boyfriend’s birthday, cookies are his favorite!
I made this cake tonight. I used a 9-inch springform. It baked 30 minutes and it still wasn’t done in the middle (I thought it was done and took it out). I did nuke individual pieces just a little bit just to cook the center and it was delicious. Sweet; so next time I might use dark chocolate chips. I assume it could be baked in bigger/smaller pans.
Absolutely delicious! I’ve already eaten 3/4 of all cake! But I can still say, that I ate just 3/4 of the one cookie, am I right? ;)
I printed the recipe before you made a correction of baking powder’s addition, so I didn’t add it, but it also turned out great :) Love the recipe, will make it again for sure!
It’s like you read my mind! My husband gets a cookie cake every year for his birthday (which is this weekend) because he prefers cookies to the traditional birthday treat. I’m glad to have a new recipe to try this year.
this looks lovely.
i have never been privalage to such a thing.is this because im in the uk iu wonder?or just unlucky.
is this like a cookie or is it like a cake-texutre wise i mean-?
Hi Kate, It’s basically a massive cookie!
My little girl and I made your wonderful Chocolate Chip Cookie cake, and it just came out of the oven and looks amazing! If it’s anything like your Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie bars, then I’m in trouble. :) Thanks for all of your yummy recipes.
Hi!!! I just discovered your blog and I loved it … I will try more than one of your recipes. Thanks for publishing
This looks absolutely divine! I love cookies and cake- so combining the two is pure genius! :)
Cookie cakes!!!! I don’t like cake (even though I bake cupcakes all the time), so I STILL get cookie cakes on my birthday. :)
made this last week and it was so good!
but- i think the 8″ pan i used left it a bit undercooked
do they make a 9″ disposable??
Hi Susan, I’m not sure what is available in terms of disposable cake pans, I’ve never seen them – I’ve only seen roasting pans, square pans and loaf pans.
i don’t know what it is because nothing happens or no error given but i have a hard time pinning your recipes from your blog.
I made this on Saturday to bring to a friends house for dinner. We all loved it! We served it with vanilla ice cream.
I’m making this right now! Can’t wait to taste it! Should the baking powder be included in step 2? I’m assuming yes, as I don’t see it listed elsewhere and it is a dry ingredient, but just wanted to clarify. Thanks as always for your wonderful recipes!!!
Hi Amy, Yes! My apologies for that omission; I am correcting the recipe right now. So sorry for any inconvenience!
What’s with the past tense?? I have had a cookie cake from Great American Cookie Company for like my past five birthdays, the last of which was #33. ;) Of course, that will probably be the last one until they change things over there–I died a little inside when I realized, just this past year, that they still have the dreaded trans fat in their products. I will have to console myself with this recipe!!
I made this recipe yesterday expecting it to be tasty, but it turned out DELICIOUS! I myself just call this a cookie pizza because I just cut a slice and eat it like one, except its filled with buttery crust and sweet chocolate chips instead of cheese. SO good and SO glad I made it!
So I have heard of cookies and I have heard of cakes but how smart to combine in one!
Ohhh I made this on Friday, my nine year old grandson and my husband really liked this. Thanks for a delicious treat. I really enjoy your blog. Have a great Pittsburgh weekend!!!
I’ve never even heard of a cookie cake – it looks so amazing! But I would end up eating the whole thing, it’s just one cookie right?
The Macadame. xx
http://www.creamstop.com
I love this cookie cake, it would make a great base for ice cream!
Love that you’ve served it with a scoop of icecream, it just seems so right. What a fun and simple birthday cake this would make.
I love this! Cannot wait to try it ASAP! I would love to try it as mini versions in a cupcake pan!
I couldn’t control myself and made this with my kids yesterday. So good, half gone already and I ate most of it. I wish I could post a picture it was perfect!
Loving this recipe, I need to get some cookie cake back in my life, thanks for sharing!
I too came from a family crazy for cookie cakes. This looks wonderful.
i love these. yum!
Looks amazing! I’m going to make this for my kid.
Hoping for a new cupcake recipe soon… please? :)
I’m making it right now…..looks so yummy! (And it’s not even anyone’s birthday!)
Well, it’s been cooling for about 30 minutes and is now minus one piece…..delicious! I used a 9″ pie plate and also threw in about 1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats. I love it when I see a recipe and I actually have all the ingredients on hand. Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful recipes!
Did the pie pan work well? Any other tips or tricks that you will try next time? I am making this Wednesday and I won’t have time or extra ingredients to make a trail! Thanks for any input!
Was your batter really watery?
Me and this cake need to be alone for a while….so good.
Now I know what to do with the chocolate chips that wink at me each time I open the cabinet.
I have always wanted to make one of these :) I always had them for my birthday! Looks delicious!
Oh man, I loved those cookie cakes! This looks so good, I could see this disappearing in one night!
Yum! Sadly even as a child of the 80s, I never had this for a birthday! Definitely time to rectify that!
This looks so good! It’s funny because I needed to make a cookie cake a few weeks ago and first place I came was to your site. Wish I had this recipe then! :)
Gorgeous! I love cookies way more than cake. I will take this for my birthday any time.
I have never had a cookie cake and I’ve been wanting to make one for ages! Yours looks so crispy, thick, and chewy. Perfect!
Cookie cake!!! These remind me so much of my childhood!
Thank you soo much for posting this I was the fan who emailied you about a recipe your the best.. Give those puppies a hug from a fellow pittsburgher!!
Looks fantastic! Wish I had a big slice for breakfast!!
What timing! I am making a cookie cake tomorrow for my boyfriend’s birthday! This looks delicious :D
Happy Birthday to your boyfriend! :)
Thank you!! He has certainly benefited from quite a few recipes from your blog ;) You are my favorite place to come for delicious recipes! Thank you for all of them!
Thank you so much! I was looking for a recipe like this last October to make for my son’s birthday. Even though he’s grown and married now he still loves a good cookie cake! I just couldn’t find one that seemed worth trying, but now I have! Will definitely make this for him. Thanks again!
What a simple yet fabulous idea. Love this and I am going to make it right away! thanks for sharing
Thanks for posting….this is a big hit with college kids. It ships well and remains moist.
I grew up in the 90s…which means I had real birthday cake for birthdays. SO SAD.
But, I have now had my fair share of cookie cakes and I <3 them!
This one looks ah-may-zing. I wish it was my birthday today.
Maybe i'll pretend..
Love cookie cake… but it needs something if really big font cursive frosting :)
Thank you for the recipe! This chocolate chip cookie cake looks heavenly delicious! Can’t wait to try!
Dozens of useless comments from people who “can’t wait to try it “.
Ikr, how am i supposed to know what actually tastes good…
thank you for this! I need to make one!
I love cookie cakes! I’d rather have this than birthday cake and many years in the 80s as a kid, I did! pinned :)
This sounds like almost the best thing in the world. Dying xo