A cookie cake is one of the most satisfying desserts you can make when you’re craving something that falls perfectly between a cookie and a cake. It’s ideal for birthdays, last-minute potlucks, or just treating yourself when a serious sweet tooth strikes. I’ve been perfecting this recipe for years, and what I love most is how forgiving it is. Even beginner bakers can get it right on their first try, which makes it a reliable go-to dessert.
Making your own cookie cake at home also gives you complete control over flavor, size, and toppings. Store-bought versions are often too sweet, overpriced, or disappointing in texture. This homemade version hits the perfect balance: chewy and tender in the center with crispy edges that everyone fights over. Plus, it comes together in about 30 minutes from start to finish, so you can satisfy dessert cravings fast without any stress.
Why You’ll Love This Cookie Cake
❧ Lightning fast: This cookie cake goes from mixing bowl to table in just 30 minutes. It’s perfect for when you need a quick dessert that still feels homemade and special.
❧ One pan, minimal cleanup: Everything bakes in a single pizza stone or sheet pan. No extra bowls, no extra dishes, just simple baking that saves time and energy in the kitchen.
❧ Endlessly customizable: This cookie cake is a blank canvas. Add chocolate chips, nuts, sprinkles, or whatever you have on hand. You can make it as simple or as festive as you like.
❧ Feeds a crowd: One batch easily serves 12 to 16 people, making it ideal for parties, gatherings, or family celebrations
❧ Kid-approved decorating: Little ones will have a blast frosting and adding toppings. It’s fun to make together and gives them the freedom to get creative in the kitchen.
❧ Freezes beautifully: You can make this cookie cake ahead of time and freeze it for up to three months. Just thaw and enjoy whenever you need a quick, impressive dessert.
Ingredients
⋄ For the Cookie Base:
• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ¾ cup (150g) packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature (this prevents the dough from seizing)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur for consistent results)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 cups (340g) chocolate chips or chunks (semi-sweet works best, but milk chocolate is great for kids)
⋄ For Simple Vanilla Frosting:
• ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
• ¼ cup heavy cream or whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
⋄ Optional Add-ins and Toppings:
• Chopped walnuts or pecans
• Mini marshmallows
• Sprinkles or colored sugar
• Mini candy pieces
• Fresh berries for decoration
Notes: Room temperature butter should give slightly when pressed but not be melty. If you forgot to take it out, cut it into small cubes and let it sit for 15 minutes. For the flour, I always recommend weighing ingredients when possible – it makes a huge difference in texture.
Step-by-Step Instructions
❧ Preheat and prep your pan.
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 15-inch pizza stone or large sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal. If using a regular sheet pan, aim for something around 12×17 inches – the cookie cake will spread as it bakes.
❧ Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed for 3–4 minutes. The mixture should look light and fluffy, almost like frosting. This step creates the tender texture, so don’t rush it.
❧ Add eggs and vanilla.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition to ensure it’s fully blended before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla extract. The mixture might look slightly curdled – that’s completely normal and will smooth out when you add the flour.
❧ Combine dry ingredients separately.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl to evenly distribute the ingredients and avoid any bitter pockets from undissolved baking soda.
❧ Mix in flour mixture gradually.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix just until you don’t see streaks of flour – overmixing leads to tough, dense results. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
❧ Shape and spread the dough.
Transfer the dough to your prepared pan and use your hands or an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer, leaving about 2 inches of space from the edges. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky – this is exactly what you want for that perfect chewy texture.
❧ Bake until golden brown.
Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the edges are set and golden brown but the center still looks slightly underbaked. The middle should spring back lightly when touched but still have a tiny bit of give – it will continue cooking from residual heat.
❧ Cool completely before frosting.
Allow the cookie cake to cool in the pan for at least 45 minutes before frosting to keep the frosting from melting and to get clean slices. If you want, use the parchment overhang to lift it onto a serving board.
Tiny Details That Make a Big Difference
❀ Temperature matters more than you think. Room temperature ingredients blend more easily and create a more even texture. If your eggs are cold, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes before using.
❀ Don’t overbake – seriously. The cookie cake will look underdone when you pull it out, but it continues cooking on the hot pan. Overbaking leads to a dry, crumbly texture instead of that perfect chewy center we’re after.
❀ Make it your own with mix-ins. I love adding a handful of toasted chopped pecans or swirling in some caramel sauce before baking. For holidays, try white chocolate chips with dried cranberries, or go full decadent with chunks of your favorite candy bar.
❀ Storage secret: Wrap cooled, unfrosted cookie cake tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 4 days. Once frosted, keep covered in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
❀ Scale it up or down easily. This recipe works perfectly in a 9×13 pan (bake for 25–28 minutes) or you can make individual cookie cakes in 6-inch cake pans (bake for 12–15 minutes).
Everything You’re Probably Wondering Right Now
➲ Can I make this cookie cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! The unfrosted cookie cake actually improves after a day – the flavors meld and the texture becomes even more tender. You can also freeze the baked, cooled cookie cake for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then thaw overnight before frosting.
➲ What if I don’t have a pizza stone or large sheet pan?
A 9×13 inch baking dish works perfectly, though you’ll get a thicker cookie cake that needs about 5–7 extra minutes of baking time. You can also divide the dough between two 9-inch round cake pans for layer-cake style presentation.
➲ Can I substitute the chocolate chips?
The beauty of this recipe is how adaptable it is. Try butterscotch chips, white chocolate chunks, mini marshmallows, or even chopped up candy bars. Just stick to about 2 cups total of mix-ins for the best texture balance.
➲ Help! My cookie cake is too soft/too hard. What went wrong?
Too soft usually means underbaking or not enough flour – next time, bake 2–3 minutes longer or add an extra 2 tablespoons of flour. Too hard typically means overbaking or overmixing the dough once the flour was added. Remember, the center should look slightly underdone when you remove it from the oven.
End of the Recipe, Start of a New Obsession
This cookie cake recipe has become my go-to for everything from birthday parties to potluck contributions, and I think you’ll find yourself reaching for it just as often. The combination of crispy edges and that perfectly chewy center hits every texture craving, while the simple frosting lets you get as creative (or as simple) as you want with decorations.
If you love this recipe, you’ll definitely want to try:
✤ Easy Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Recipe.
✤ Easy Scrambled Pancakes Recipe.
✤ Easy Chicken Enchilada Recipe.
I would love to hear how your cookie cake turned out! Drop a comment below and let me know your favorite mix-in combinations. Did you go classic chocolate chip, or get creative with nuts, candies, or swirls of caramel?
If this recipe helped make dessert easier or more fun, don’t forget to rate it. Your feedback helps other home bakers feel confident trying it too.
For easy reference later, save this recipe to Pinterest. That way you can come back anytime you want a quick, crowd-pleasing cookie cake. Seeing your decorated creations and kitchen successes is the best part, so happy baking!
chewy cookie cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup frosting for topping, optional
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a 9-inch round pan with parchment and lightly grease it.
- Cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well.
- Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips. Spread the dough evenly into the pan.
- Bake 20 minutes or until golden around edges and soft in the center.
- Cool completely before adding frosting and sprinkles if desired.
- Slice and serve.
