Homemade cookie cake is the best—skip the mall and make a soft, chewy, chocolate-filled cookie cake at home. It’s easy and truly one of the best cookie cakes you can bake.
Warning: this is dangerously delicious.
This homemade cookie cake is really, really good.
Once you try it, you’ll want to make it for birthdays and celebrations. The texture is soft and chewy, the chocolate is generous, and the finished cake looks impressive with minimal effort.
Cookie Cake Ingredients
- butter (see notes on salted vs. unsalted below)
- light brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- cornstarch (for a tender, chewy texture)
- baking soda
- salt
- chocolate chips
- your choice of frosting (homemade or store-bought)
I’ve made this cookie cake for over ten years. The ingredients are familiar—like chocolate chip cookies—except for the cornstarch, which helps create that perfect soft, slightly chewy cake texture. You can skip it in a pinch, but I recommend including it.
Homemade Cookie Cake
No malls. No store-bought dough. Just a delicious homemade cookie cake.
This recipe is a favorite for birthdays and holidays and has received many positive reviews. It’s reliable, simple to make, and always a hit.
Serving a larger crowd?
For a crowd, consider making a sheet pan cookie cake, which can serve 30–50 people depending on the size.
Homemade Cookie Cake
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Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick; softened)
- ¼ cup regular salted butter (1/2 stick; softened) — optional substitute for unsalted
- ¾ cup light brown sugar (150 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 1 large egg (room temp)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (240 grams)
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt (adjust if using salted butter)
- ¾–1 cup chocolate chips
Tools needed
- 9-inch nonstick springform pan or a 9–11 inch nonstick cake pan (larger pan yields a thinner cookie)
- parchment paper
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 3 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (about 85 grams)
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter (71 grams)
- 1–2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsp heavy cream, as needed
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar (170 grams)
- ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113 grams), softened
- 1½ cups powdered sugar (approx. 180 grams)
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsp heavy cream
- teeny pinch of fine salt
Instructions
Make the dough
- Chill the dough for at least an hour—overnight is even better. Chilling improves flavor and texture.
- Cream together softened butter(s) and sugars with an electric mixer, starting on low speed and increasing as needed.
- Add the egg and vanilla; continue to mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture while mixing on low.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, cover, and refrigerate the dough for one hour or overnight.
Ready to bake?
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Let the chilled dough sit briefly at room temperature if needed to make it easier to press into the pan.
- Line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper and lock the sides in place.
- Press the dough into the pan evenly. Bake on the center rack for 18–22 minutes. A 9-inch pan often needs about 20 minutes; an 11-inch pan will take less time.
- Optional: switch the oven to broil on HIGH for 30–60 seconds to lightly brown the top—watch closely to avoid burning.
- Allow the cookie cake to cool for about an hour before frosting to ensure the frosting sets and the cake slices cleanly.
- Once cooled, pipe or spread frosting as desired and garnish with sprinkles, extra chocolate, or other decorations.
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- Melt the chocolate and butter together (microwave in 30-second bursts or melt on the stove), stirring until smooth. Cool for 15 minutes.
- Beat the chocolate mixture with vanilla and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar in two batches while mixing on low until fluffy. Add heavy cream as needed to reach desired consistency.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Beat softened butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar on low to combine, then increase speed and beat 1–2 minutes. Add heavy cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt; mix until smooth and fluffy.
Notes
Refrigerating the dough before baking yields the best texture and flavor—overnight chilling is ideal but optional. You can line the pan with parchment and chill the dough inside the pan for convenience.
Adjust salt based on the butter you use: if using all unsalted butter, add ½ tsp salt to the dough. If you use only salted butter, omit the added salt or reduce it to taste.
Do not melt the butter—soften it to room temperature so it yields a slight indent when pressed gently with your thumb.
For chocolate chips, higher-quality bittersweet chips or dark chips yield a more robust chocolate flavor.
Nutrition values are estimates and vary based on portion size and frosting choice.
Nutrition
This cookie recipe was inspired by a few classic chewy chocolate chip cookie recipes and adapted for a cookie cake. If you prefer making large batches of cookies, consider those original cookie recipes for individual cookies.
Easy cookie cake frosting recipes
Frosting is a must for cookie cake. Here are a few simple options.
Easy buttercream icing
Beat softened butter with powdered sugar, adding milk a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency. A general ratio is about 2 parts butter to 1 part powdered sugar; add milk in small increments until smooth. Flavor with vanilla, peanut butter, or cocoa as desired.
Cream cheese frosting
Ingredients
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½–1 tablespoon milk to adjust consistency
- 1 drop pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Combine and beat the ingredients until fluffy. Add powdered sugar to thicken if needed.
Peanut butter buttercream frosting
Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter, softened
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
Combine and beat the ingredients until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar to thicken or a splash of milk to thin.
Swaps and tips
Use either salted or unsalted butter, adjusting added salt accordingly. If using all unsalted butter, add ¼–½ tsp salt to the dough depending on taste. If using only salted butter, reduce or omit the additional salt.
Always soften, don’t melt, butter for the proper texture—should be soft enough to leave a gentle thumbprint.
For chocolate, try darker chips for a richer flavor—bittersweet or dark chips work especially well.
If you make this cookie cake, I’d love to hear how it turned out!
More tasty cookie cake recipes
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Cake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Cake
- White Chocolate Macadamia Cookie Cake