Indulgent chocolate chip cookie cake is soft in the center, chewy on the edges, studded with chocolate chips, and decorated with chocolate buttercream. This fun dessert comes together quickly—no cookie dough refrigeration or dough shaping needed. This is the perfect (and easy!) cake for cookie lovers.
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.
One reader, Linda, commented: “Birthday cake? What’s that? This cookie cake is requested for every birthday in my family. I’m making one for my sister today. This has been my go-to recipe for years. And still today the tradition carries on. It’s the perfect cookie cake… the frosting is the perfect addition. Absolutely delicious. This recipe never fails me. ★★★★★”
Today’s chocolate chip cookie cake is adapted from 2 of my most popular cookie recipes loved by bakers around the world: soft chocolate chip cookies and chewy chocolate chip cookies. The result is soft-baked, chewy, chocolatey decadence.
I love baking “giant” cookies that serve only a couple people (looking at you, 1 giant monster cookie), and this cookie cake is no exception. It’s essentially one really big cookie that feeds a crowd!
You’ll love how quickly and easy this cookie cake comes together. We’ll bake the cookie dough in a pan, so no cookie dough chilling required (just like my soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie bars). Garnished with chocolate buttercream and your favorite toppings, it’s a festive dessert recipe perfect for any celebration.
This Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Is:
- Soft-baked and chewy, but sturdy enough to eat with a fork
- Quick to make —you don’t have to roll a bunch of individual cookies, and you don’t have to chill the dough
- Baked in a pie dish or cake pan—so it won’t overspread
- Great for small parties or gatherings (serves 8–10)
- Easy to slice and serve
- Topped with the creamiest chocolate buttercream
- Perfect for chocolate chip cookie lovers, and anyone who prefers cookies over cake! (We put together a collection of fun desserts beyond traditional birthday cake!)
Ingredients You Need & Why
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of this cookie cake.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch creates an exceptionally soft and thick cookie cake. I add it to my soft chocolate chip cookies—and to this cake, too! This soft-baked cookie cake will melt in your mouth.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the cookie cake rise.
- Salt: Salt brings out all the flavors and balances the sweet.
- Butter: Use room-temperature butter (remember it’s cooler than you think). You can use this trick to soften butter quickly or take the butter out of the refrigerator about an hour before you begin.
- Brown Sugar: Skip the granulated sugar and use all brown sugar for an ultra soft and moist cookie cake.
- Eggs: Taking what I learned from my chewy chocolate chip cookies, I use 1 egg and 1 egg yolk for the chewiest cookie cake. The extra egg yolk also adds tenderness and richness.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract adds flavor. Try homemade vanilla extract!
- Chocolate Chips: This cookie cake is studded with chocolate chips—1 and 1/2 cups (270g) total. Instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips, try using dark, milk, or even white chocolate chips. Or swap half of the chocolate chips for M&Ms like we do in these soft M&M cookie bars.
How to Make It
This cookie cake dough comes together quickly with an electric mixer. Start by creaming the butter and brown sugar, then add the remaining wet ingredients.
Whisk the dry ingredients together, then add them to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Finally, add in the chocolate chips.
No Cookie Dough Chilling!
Because we’re baking the cookie dough in a cake pan or pie dish, we don’t have to chill the cookie dough or roll individual cookies. Simply make the cookie dough and spread/press it into your baking dish. It’s really that simple:
The cookie will never overspread because it’s contained in the dish—simple and easy!
By the way, you could absolutely make this cookie cake with the dough from these double chocolate chip cookies. Same bake time as below.
Toppings for Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
While this cookie cake delicious on its own, chocolate buttercream and sprinkles are always a good idea… and turns this giant cookie into a true cake worthy of a celebration!
My favorite chocolate buttercream is far from basic; it’s incredibly creamy, silky, smooth, and rich. Even though it’s wonderfully creamy, it holds its shape beautifully. So it’s perfect for piping even the most intricate designs. I used a simple Wilton 1M tip for today’s cookie cake.
Have fun and get creative with your toppings: instead of chocolate buttercream, try peanut butter frosting, chocolate peanut butter frosting, vanilla buttercream, chocolate ganache, whipped cream, or ice cream.
This is the perfect recipe to make when you’re looking for something just as festive as a birthday cake but a little more exciting than chocolate chip cookies! You could also try my sprinkle-filled sugar cookie cake instead.
Yes! You can follow the same instructions on how to freeze cakes: cool completely, wrap in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the wrapping, then make the frosting fresh the day you plan to serve it.
Absolutely. You can replace some or all of the chocolate chips with M&Ms or mini M&Ms, or try peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, sprinkles… you get the idea!
You can double this recipe, but the layers will be quite thick. Instead, I recommend my chocolate chip cookie layer cake recipe. That recipe uses 6-inch cake pans, but see the recipe Notes if you’d like to use 9-inch pans.
More Favorite Chocolate Chip Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer Cake
- Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizza
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cake with Ganache Drip
- Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: one 9-inch cake
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
One of the best ways to eat a chocolate chip cookie: when it’s the size of a cake! Use this quick and easy homemade cookie dough and bake it in a cake pan or pie dish. No dough refrigeration required! Decorate with optional frosting and sprinkles, and then slice and serve.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (aka cornflour)*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups (270g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- optional: chocolate buttercream for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 9-inch pie dish or 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Add the chocolate chips and mix for about 5 seconds or until evenly dispersed.
- Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 22–26 minutes or until the cookie cake is lightly golden brown all over the surface (could be up to 30 minutes, depending on your oven). Use a toothpick to test for doneness; if it comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs, it’s done. You may want to cover the cake loosely with aluminum foil after 15 minutes to avoid heavy browning around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and set the pan on a cooling rack to cool completely. While the cookie cake is still warm, you can press a few more chocolate chips into the surface of the cake. This is optional and only for looks!
- Once cooled, use a sharp knife or metal spatula to loosen the sides of the cookie cake from the pan and transfer to a serving dish. (Or serve directly from the pan.)
- Make the chocolate buttercream, if using.
- Decorate the cooled cookie cake with frosting. Depending how much frosting you use, you may have some leftover. I used a Wilton 1M tip.
- Cookie cake remains fresh covered tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Pie Dish or 9-inch Round Cake Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 1M Tip
- Eggs: Make sure you don’t use 2 full eggs, which will result in a cakey texture—think more of a cake than a cookie. 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk is best. Room-temperature eggs incorporate evenly into your cookie dough, which guarantees a uniform texture in each bite of the cookie cake. Simply set out the eggs when you set out the butter to come to room temperature. If you forget to set out your eggs ahead of time, place them into a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes, then use.
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch (aka cornflour) helps thicken the cookie dough and promises a softer cookie cake. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can leave it out. No need to replace with anything.
- The chocolate buttercream topping is optional. You could also decorate with whipped cream or top with vanilla ice cream.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Can you use the recipe for cupcakes instead of a cake? We donate goodies to our local nursery, fire stations, police station, etc., to show our appreciation for all of their hard work. Individual portions work much better than having to cut a cake and put the serving on paper plates, etc. In advance, thank you for your response.
Hi Debbie, I haven’t tested this recipe in a cupcake pan but I’m sure it would work. I’m unsure of the bake time. Or you might be interested in Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars which you can cut into squares before delivering.
Came out great! This was my first time to make this (I also made the chocolate buttercream icing) and both turned out so well my family has asked for it again! Thanks for the great recipe1
To avoid the cake being too dry, I made these changes:
3/4 c butter = 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup oil
1 egg and 1 yolk = 2 eggs
2 tsp cornstarch = 1 tsp
To avoid sticking make sure to line the pan w/foil or parchment paper as well as greasing.
Cook in glass/ceramic and not metal so it doesn’t dry out
Definitely will making this weekend for my son’s birthday. Do you think a 9 in springform pan will work. Thank you
Yes!
Im going to use a 9 inch springform pan. About how thick does this cake end up being? We like thick lol
Thanks Nicole. I made 2 of these cookie cakes. 1 regular; 1 gluten free. I thought they were both very dry. I followed the recipe exactly, but was disappointed. I had hoped they would have been more chewy like Mrs Fields cookie cake
Can you make this in an iron skillet?
You can use a cast iron skillet for this recipe. Same oven temperature and about the same bake time.
I should have commented on this long ago – I have probably made this 100 times over the last few years. It is my husband’s favorite dessert and all our friends tease him about how excited he gets for cookie cake. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
The modifications I make are adding some cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange extract, using a VERY heavy hand with the chocolate chips, and using a mix of semisweet, dark, milk, and white chocolate chips or even m&ms – whatever I have on hand, but the more kinds of chocolate the better! I also like to chill the dough a bit before baking, as it stops it from leaking over the side of the pan.
i give it 5 stars great recipe i did it with Gluten free flour i put 3 1/2 cups of dough in a 14 x 1/2 inch pizza pan for 40 minutes it came out great everyone loved it cup4cup flour. with my almond icing thank you Sally once again.
Can I use coconut oil or margarine instead of butter, to make this dairy free?
Hi Deb, I don’t recommend margarine in this recipe. Coconut oil or even those vegan buttery sticks would be the better options.
Dear Sally , I don’t have a non stick spray… Would butter and some flour do the work instead?
Hi Dinka, That should work. Or you can line your pan with parchment paper.
Not sure what I did different. I double checked all my ingredient amounts. My “dough” was nowhere near as thick as the video. It was more of a batter. I baked it in a 9 inch cake pan, but instead of it having a cookie thickness and texture like the video it came out about an inch and a half thick and just like a chocolate chip cake vs a cookie. I’m so confused.
Hi Benjamin, did you change anything in the recipe? This should be a pretty dense, but slightly soft dough. Make sure your butter isn’t too warm (read room temperature butter if it’s helpful– room temperature butter should be slightly cool to the touch).
Thank you sally !
I tried it for the first time and its outstanding
I made this recipe in a cast-iron skillet and used the buttercream frosting. YUMMY! My family loved it, and they can be very critical of the chocolate chip cookie. They said I can make this one any time!
Half the cake was gone in under a minute, so I’d say it was a success! Thanks Sally, your recipes are the best!
I want to make this for my granddaughters birthday (this is her favorite cake). Is your buttercream icing good to use with Russian piping tips (to make it a little fancier)?
I read the recipe and saw it had corn starch. I’ve never seen that in a cookie recipe so I was a bit apprehensive. I thought it might change the texture too much. I followed your recipe exactly and couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised with how amazingly delicious it was! I did however add probably three times the amount of chocolate chips the recipe called for . So good and will be making again for sure!!
This.is.so.good. Followed the recipe to a tee and it is divine. Moist and rich. Can’t rave enough! Thank you so much (my waistline doesn’t but oh well)
Just made this for the kids and they loved it! Thank you!
The cookie cake is delicious! The only “complaint” I have is that the center sank down a bit from the “crust”. Not sure what I did wrong since I followed the recipe. I just put the buttercream frosting between the two. I mean it still tastes frickin delicious!
Completely normal for a dense-centered cookie bar or cookie cake. Glad you tried it!
This cookie cake was delicious Sally. Thank You! It made my mom’s quarantine birthday extra special!
This was specifically requested yesterday by my husband as his birthday cake. I whipped it up and (just like all your wonderful recipes) it turned out perfect. I used a 9″ cake pan and made no changes to the recipe. Interestingly, it ended up much thicker than the pictures seem. It’s about 1.5″ tall which required a longer cook time. I tented the cookie after 15min and ended up cooking it for almost an hour total, checking every 10ish minutes. It was soft, chewy, moist, thick, fluffy, chocolatey, and perfectly browned. I decorated with a little homemade whipped cream. Perfection! Thank you again, Sally and team!
I made this the other day for my family and it was gone in a few hours! So delicious, however, I was hoping for a more dense/chewy cookie and mine came out very airy/crumbly and much more “cake” like than cookie, i followed your recipe/techniques to the T, so what could I have done wrong that would cause this?
Hi Sydney, It’s possible that you over measured the flour. Be sure you spoon and level the flour or you could end up with way too much. Or if its was crunchy it could have simply been over-baked – next time bake for a few minutes less!
Can I bake this in a 10 inch cast iron skillet? Any idea on what the baking time would be? Thanks 🙂
You definitely can. The bake time will be shorter, but I’m unsure exactly how long. Same oven temperature.
Made this for the first time today and it was exceptional. Covering the tin 15 mins into the baking did make a difference. The edges were just crusty enough while the middle was gooey. My cousins said it was the best thing ever and have finished half the cake already.
Made this for the 1st time tonight. Absolutely delicious. So soft & chewy! Followed your buttercream recipe, but 1/2 it. This will be on repeat @ my house.
This cookie was the perfect combination of chewiness and firmness along with sweetness and flavor!! My brother who is a dessert critic absolutely loved this cookie! Thank you so much for this recipe Sally! I recommend this recipe SOOOOO much! 😀
Hi Sally, since valentine’s is over, can i use cadbury mini eggs to replace the chocolate chips ? Love your recipes, always my go to 🙂
Absolutely!
For the last 5 or so years, I’ve used this recipe as a Valentine treat for for my husband! He requests it every year! Thanks so much!
Love this recipe. My grandson is not really a cake person so I make him this for his birthday. Everyone loves it!
Love this recipe! I am considering using a muffin tin to make a bunch of mini cookie cakes instead of one big one. Do you think this would work? How long would you recommend baking it for? Thanks!
I can’t see why it wouldn’t work, Claire. I’m unsure of what the bake times would be so use your eyes more than the timer. If you have trouble releasing them from the muffin tins you can use liners or place a round piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each.