This cookie cake is giant brown sugar chocolate chip cookie that’s topped with creamy chocolate frosting and colorful sprinkles. The perfect treat for any celebration!

When there’s a birthday in my house, I often skip the traditional cake and serve a fun and festive dessert such as cake balls, cosmic brownies, or this amazingly delicious cookie cake.

Cookie Cake Recipe | Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake #cookies #cake #chocolate #dessert #dinneratthezoo #sprinkles Cookie Cake Recipe | Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake #cookies #cake #chocolate #dessert #dinneratthezoo #sprinkles

A cookie cake topped with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.

I love a good birthday cake, but I sometimes I like to switch things up a bit and serve a cookie cake instead. It’s always an unexpected and welcome surprise and it’s sure to get rave reviews!

How do you make a cookie cake?

This recipe starts with your typical cookie ingredients including butter, two types of sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla. All of the ingredients get mixed together, then the dough is pressed into a cake pan. A sprinkling of extra chocolate chips goes over the top and the cookie is baked until golden brown. After the cake is cooled, it’s time to add the decorations. I add a layer of chocolate frosting and a generous amount of sprinkles.

A bowl of cookie dough with chocolate chips on top.

How do you know when your cookie cake is done?

A cookie cake will be golden brown when it’s ready to come out of the oven. The edges should be a slightly darker shade of brown and pulling away from the edges of the pan. You can also check the center of the cookie by inserting a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached, you’ll know that it’s finished baking.

Chocolate chip cookie dough pressed into a cake pan.

Tips for cookie cake

  • The cookie dough for this recipe can be made up to 3 days before you plan to bake your cake.
  • You can use any type of chocolate chips in this recipe. While I typically use semi sweet chocolate because it’s traditional, other great choices are milk chocolate, white chocolate or a combination of chips.
  • I like the addition of chocolate frosting, but if you’d prefer to use a vanilla frosting, simply omit the cocoa powder in the frosting recipe and double the amount of vanilla extract.
  • I use a piping bag fitted with an open star tip to decorate my cookie with the frosting. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can put your frosting into a resealable gallon sized bag and snip the tip off to pipe dollops of frosting.

A giant chocolate chip cookie inside a pan.

How do you store a giant chocolate chip cookie?

If you’re going to eat the cake on the same day that you make it, I recommend storing your cake uncovered at room temperature. If you’re making your cake ahead of time, you can cover it loosely with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days before you serve it. You should plan to let your cookie cake sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving if it’s been in the fridge.

A slice of cookie cake topped with a layer of chocolate frosting and colorful sprinkles.

More fabulous dessert recipes

5 from 10 votes

Cookie Cake

AuthorSara Welch
A cookie cake topped with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.
This cookie cake is giant brown sugar chocolate chip cookie that's topped with creamy chocolate frosting and colorful sprinkles. The perfect treat for any celebration!
Time
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Serves 12

Ingredients 

For the cookie cake

  • 10 tablespoons butter softened
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch
  • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips divided use
  • 1/2 cup sprinkles
  • cooking spray

For the frosting

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
  • 8 tablespoons butter softened
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat a 9 inch cake pan with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter for at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat for 1 more minute. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula if needed.
  • Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and corn starch in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips.
  • Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the cookie dough.
  • Bake for 22-24 minutes or until the cake is golden brown at the edges. Place the pan on a cooling rack. Cool for 5 minutes then run a thin knife or spatula along the edge of the pan to loosen.
  • Once the cookie cake has completely cooled, carefully invert the cake pan onto a plate, then gently flip the cookie right side up.
  • For the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy - about 2-3 minutes.
  •  Add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the milk and vanilla then beat at medium speed until frosting is smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
  • Pipe the frosting onto the edge of the cake and then decorate with the rainbow sprinkles. Place in the refrigerator until 30 minutes before it's time to serve the cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 595kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 389mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 54g

This post was originally published on May 25, 2016 and was updated on June 13, 2019 with new content.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is just in time for my daughter’s birthday! She requested a chocolate chip cookie cake! Thank you!

  2. Such a fun, colorful cookie! I love the way you have the M&Ms on the inside and out. Very creative and so fun for a U.S. holiday celebration!

  3. 5 stars
    Oh my goodness, I’m going to be craving cookies until I get my hands on some. How fun is this colorful treat! We had our long weekend last week up here. Enjoy your family time, Sara 🙂

  4. This is so pretty! What a perfect addition to the weekend holiday menu. Sharing!

  5. We’re on the same giant cookie page today Sara! I absolutely love this — it will be the hit of my next barbecue (which is this weekend!)