Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe (2024)

5 from 112 votes

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Servings: 8 servings

Author: Jenn Laughlin – Peas and Crayons

• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick; softened)
• ¼ cup regular salted butter (1/2 stick; softened)
• 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
• ¾-1 cup chocolate chips

TOOLS NEEDED:

• 9-inch nonstick springform pan yup! the cheesecake kind! or 9-inch non-stick cake pan. 10-inch or 11-inch will work as well, the larger the pan you use the thinner the cookie cake will get so if you like a soft center, aim to use a pan around 9-11 inches in diameter and adjust bake time as needed.
• parchment paper

CHOCOALTE FUDGE FROSTING

• 3 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate bar (quality chocolate chips will work too) 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 to room temp
• 1 ½ cup powdered sugar (approx. 180 grams)
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1-2 TBSP heavy cream
• teeny pinch of fine salt

• Before we begin, I’m begging you to save about a hour of your time to refrigerate your dough. You can even just make the dough and leave it in the fridge overnight to bake the following day, just pretend the cookie dough is also sensitive to the hotter-than-hades temps outside and give it some time to chill. It’s one of those age old cookie debates and I’m team stick-it-in-the-fridge.

• In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer. Start at the lowest speed and increase as needed.

• Add in the egg and vanilla and continue to beat with the mixer to incorporate.

• In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.

• Add flour mixture to the larger bowl slowly while you continue to beat on low.

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• Once your dough is mixed, fold in chocolate chips, cover, and pop it in the fridge for an hour, or overnight. Whatever works for you!

• Now here’s where you get sneaky. Hide the dough in the fridge. Everyone has that one person in their family that, upon seeing a giant bowl-o-cookie dough in the fridge, loses all self-control and manners. You could loose a spoonful or the whole bowlful to hungry scavengers if you don’t go ahead and just cover and hide the bowl behind a pile of leftovers and condiments. If you’re only chilling it for an hour you have a much better chance of retrieving the full bowl of cookie dough. That is… unless you are a cookie dough monster. In that case, good luck!

READY TO BAKE?

• Grab your dough from the fridge and pre-heat your oven to 350°F, allowing the dough to soften at room temperature a bit for easy handling.

• Place a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom portion of an un-greased springform pan and lock in the sides.

• Press in your dough and bake on the center rack for 18-22 minutes. Mine 9-inch usually always done in 20 and when I use an 11-inch pan its done in 15-17 minutes to help give you an idea of bake range based on pan size.

• Once your cookie cake has finished baking, flip your oven to broil on HIGH and watch it like a hawk. After about 30-60 seconds the top will brown to golden perfection, still leaving that soft slightly cookie dough-esque center intact. This step is totally optional.

• Now it's yummy AND gorgeous. You're welcome. Oh… and let the cookie cake cool for an hour before you try to stuff it in your face, since you clearly already ignored me when I told you not to make this at all =)

• Once your cake has cooled, use a piping bag or a trusty ziploc with the corner cut off to fancify your cake with frosting. See post for additional frosting recipes. Garnish with anything your heart desires – shaved chocolate, mini chips, soft sprinkles, or just stick your face in the entire thing and have at it!

CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING

• In a glass mixing bowl, melt the chocolate and the butter in the microwave for 60 seconds (this can be done on the stove as well). Mix and melt an additional 10-20 seconds as needed. Mix well to fully combine. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes.

• Next in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip together chocolate/butter mixture with vanilla extract and salt to enhance the chocolate flavor. Sprinkle in powdered sugar slowly in 2 batches while mixing on low until fluffy and fully incorporated. Add cream as needed and mix to desired consistency. For thinner frosting, add more cream and if needed a little extra powdered sugar may be added to thicken.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed at first to incorporate then increase to medium speed and continue mixing for 1-2 minutes or until fully combined. Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt and continue mixing on medium speed until everything is well combined.

Recipe will yield best results when dough is refrigerated before baking. I typically make mine ahead of time and leave it in the fridge overnight. 24 hours of chill time is typically ideal with cookie dough, though it is optional.For ease of use, you can even go ahead and line your springform pan with parchment now, pop your dough in, and chill inside the pan.

Depending on ingredient availability, feel free to use 3/4 cup unsalted or 3/4 cup salted butter and simply adjust the salt in the recipe to compensate.

If you’re using entirely unsalted butter, add 1/2 tsp of salt to the recipe.

If using only salted butter, simply skip thesalt in the recipe above.

Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on slice size and frosting chosen. Enjoy!