A giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake is perfect for any occasion, any time of year! Whether you need a delicious alternative to a birthday cake, a creative holiday dessert, to celebrate a good report card, or another special occasion, it's always a crowd-pleaser and one of my favorite desserts!
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I happen to have a birthday coming up and thought it would be fun to share this celebration cookie cake recipe to kick things off! This easy recipe for a giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake is a fabulous blend of simplicity and decadence. It has a soft and chewy base with perfectly crisp edges, topped with creamy frosting and crunchy sprinkles!
We'll be using simple ingredients you may already have in your pantry, ensuring you can whip it up any time of year. It's a straightforward recipe, so if you're trying it for the first time, then read on.
A giant cookie cake is easily customizable for any occasion or taste preference just by changing the sprinkles to match the season or celebration, and it will please even the fussiest cookie cake recipients!
You can choose your favorite add-ins, change up the frosting, add any kind of candy or chocolate, and any cake toppings to finish. This chewy cookie cake recipe could even rival the famous cookies of Mrs. Field!
For more delicious chocolate chip cookie recipes, try my Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies, Biscoff Cookie Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookies, Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Edible Cookie Dough, and my Brown Butter Skillet Cookie!
Why We Love This Recipe
- This giant cookie has a wonderful texture! Imagine the chewiness of your favorite chocolate chip cookies, but in a giant, cake-like form.
- With simple decoration, you can add a pop of color and a sense of festivity, making it a super fun and simple dessert for any occasion!
- We'll be making it from scratch, but it's so simple you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry!
What You'll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for the base of the cookie dough.
- Baking Soda: To help your cookie cake rise and become fluffy.
- Salt: To enhance the flavors and to help balance the sweetness of the sugars.
- Butter: Use salted butter to help enhance the flavors and provide richness in the cookie dough and the frosting.
- Sugars: Use both light brown sugar and granulated white sugar to sweeten the cookie cake and ensure you get a great, chewy texture.
- Eggs: To bind ingredients and help with the cookie's structure.
- Vanilla Extract: For that classic, warm, sweet aroma and flavor in the cookie and frosting.
- Chocolate Chips: I've used semi-sweet chocolate chips to help balance out the sweetness of the cookie cake, but you can use your favorite kind!
- Cocoa Powder: I use Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder in the frosting to give it a rich chocolate flavor.
- Milk: Use any kind of milk to adjust the consistency of the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: To give the frosting structure and sweetness.
- Rainbow Sprinkles: I've used rainbow sprinkles for a classic, festive birthday decoration, but you can get creative with it!
How to Make a Cookie Cake
- Cream butter and sugars. Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for about 3-5 minutes until light.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed mixture and beat for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Mix in vanilla. Add the vanilla extract and cream until incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well, then slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, combining until everything is well incorporated.
- Add chocolate chips. Add the chocolate chips on top of the cookie dough. (If you're adding in any kind of chopped nuts, small candy, or other add-ins, now is the time for this as well.)
- Stir the dough. Stir in the chocolate chips (and any other add-ins) into the dough.
- Put cookie batter in a pan and bake. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, then smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips over the top. Bake for 23–25 minutes, or until the cookie cake turns a light golden brown color.
- Remove cookie cake to let it cool. Once done, remove the cookie cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the sides, then slowly release the springform pan and transfer it to a cooling rack.
- Start making chocolate frosting. Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate buttercream by beating the butter, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract together using a hand mixer.
- Add powdered sugar. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth and creamy for 3-5 minutes. Transfer the chocolate buttercream to a piping bag with a star nozzle.
- Frost the cookie cake. Pipe the chocolate buttercream around the edge of the cookie cake.
- Add sprinkles and serve. Sprinkle rainbow sprinkles on top of the frosting. Once done, slice the chocolate chip cookie cake and serve.
Recipe FAQ's
I would recommend using both sugars, as they contribute in different ways to the texture and flavor of the cookie cake. If you're in a pinch, though, you can use one or the other, adjusting the amount accordingly.
The texture of this chocolate chip cookie cake is somewhere between a traditional chocolate chip cookie and a cake. The center of the cookie cake is soft and chewy, similar to a regular chocolate chip cookie. The edges are slightly crispy and golden brown, creating a pleasant contrast to the soft center.
Cookie cakes are made using cookie dough, and they're baked in a manner similar to a batch of regular-sized cookies, then typically decorated with frosting. It's a cookie but in cake form, so it's a great alternative to a traditional cake.
Certainly! You can replace the semi-sweet mini chocolate chips with other options, such as regular milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or even nuts like walnuts or pecans, based on your preference.
Place the chocolate chip cookie cake in an airtight container. It can be stored at room temperature for up to 4–5 days.
If you're making this recipe ahead of time, it's best to freeze the cookie dough unbaked. Cover the cookie dough in the pan tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. Let it defrost on the counter for a couple of hours before baking it fresh. Keep an eye on it to not overcook it. If freezing leftovers, freeze slices individually by flash-freezing them on a flat surface. Then, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, put them in a Ziploc bag, and put them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat briefly in the microwave to get that gooey center again!
Tips for Success
- If you're looking to make a gluten-free version of the chocolate chip cookie cake, you can adapt the recipe by using gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour.
- A cake pan or pizza pan can be a good alternative if you don't have a springform pan. Line it with parchment paper to make the cookie cake easier to remove.
- Gently incorporate the chocolate chips and any other add-ins to the dough so as not to overwork it.
What do I serve with this Homemade Cookie Cake?
Nothing beats the classic combination of cookies and a glass of cold milk, making the perfect sweet treat after-school snack!
Or try a cup of my Homemade Hot Chocolate on the side to bring out those indulgent and warm chocolate flavors of the cookie cake too.
For a more decadent dessert, serve slices of this cookie cake warm with a scoop of my No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream, or this Cookies and Cream Ice Cream!
Substitutions and Variations
- If you only have unsalted butter, add an extra pinch of salt to the cookie dough and frosting to enhance those flavors.
- Change up the topping by using different kinds of colorful sprinkles to suit your event decor or holiday.
- You can use any frosting you like. Try my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, Cream Cheese Frosting, or this Fresh Strawberry Frosting! Alternatively, you could dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar or drizzle the top with melted chocolate or a simple icing or glaze instead of frosting it like a celebration cake, if you prefer.
- Add chopped nuts, small candy like Mini Reese's Pieces, Mini M&Ms, or other kinds of chocolate chips into the cookie dough for a different flavor. You could even make up classic flavor combinations like dried cranberries and white chocolate chips with macadamia nuts for the holidays!
More Celebration Cake Recipes You’ll Love
- Amazing Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- Marble Cake
- 3-Layer S'mores Cake
- Cherry Crisp Cake
- Coca-Cola Cake
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Homemade Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (282g)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar (100g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips + 2 Tablespoons additional
Frosting
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 2 Tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set it aside.
- In a medium bowl,combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well, and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 3-5 minutes until light.
- Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture and beat for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, combining until everything is well incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake for 23–25 minutes, or until the cookie cake turns a light golden brown color.
- Once done, remove the cookie cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the sides of the cake, then slowly release the springform pan and transfer it to a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate buttercream by beating butter, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract using a hand mixer. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy for 3-5 minutes. Transfer the chocolate buttercream to a piping bag with a star nozzle.
- Pipe the chocolate buttercream around the edge of the cookie cake and sprinkle rainbow sprinkles on top.
- Once done, slice the chocolate chip cookie cake and serve.
Notes
- Store: Place the chocolate chip cookie cake in an airtight container. It can be stored at room temperature for up to 4–5 days.
- Freeze: If you're making this recipe ahead of time, it's best to freeze the cookie dough unbaked. Cover the cookie dough in the pan tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. Let it defrost on the counter for a couple of hours before baking it fresh. Keep an eye on it to not overcook it. If freezing leftovers, freeze slices individually by flash-freezing them on a flat surface. Then, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, put them in a Ziploc bag, then put them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat briefly in the microwave to get that gooey center again!
