Can't decide whether to have cookies or cake? This is truly THE Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake you will ever make! Soft-baked, ultra soft, thick and chewy. It's so incredibly easy to make with no chilling time. Complete with a silky ganache frosting!
"I found your recipe years ago for my son's 10th birthday party. Just thought I'd let you know, it's been requested every year since. This weekend is his 17th!....It's made hoards of kids very happy around here, and even been requested by friends for their birthdays. Thank you for sharing the joy!" From a reader, Alisa 🫶🏻
All I have to say is - Mrs. Fields has nothin' on my chocolate chip cookie cake. If you've tried my chocolate chip cookies, then you'll love this because it is a slight spin off of that recipe! If you want a cookie cake that people will seriously not stop stop talking about for days, weeks or months… you found your recipe right here.
The cookie cake is buttery, chewy and so, so, so soft and will stay that way for days. If it even lasts that long, which I'm 99.9% positive it won't. If you're like me, you'll keep going back to it through the course of the day saying, "I'll just take a little sliver.. I'll just take a little sliver" .. until you realize half of it is gone. Whoops! And the chocolate ganache frosting is to die for. Melted chocolate + heavy cream gives you velvety smooth, pure pipeable chocolate!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Perfect for any occasion: Chocolate chip cookie cakes can be made for birthdays, holidays, or just about any casual get together. ALWAYS a crowd pleaser!
- This cookie cake has the softest texture and delicious flavor!
- Versatile: You can customize your cookie cake with different types of chocolate chips, mix-ins, and frosting.
- Easy to make: The recipe is so simple and can be made by anyone, even if you don't have a lot of baking experience.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: You can use salted butter if needed, just omit the salt in the recipe.
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk: Adding the extra egg yolk gives the cookie cake extra richness.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix: You will just use the powder, you will not be preparing the pudding. This is the secret ingredient that gives this cookie cake it's delicious flavor and helps keep it SO soft for days!
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Feel free to use any kind of chips you'd like for in the cookie cake!
Chocolate Ganache Frosting Ingredients
- Semi sweet chocolate chips: You can use any kind of chocolate you'd like.
- Heavy cream: Needed for its fat content and for creamiest results.
Substitutions & Variations
- Sprinkles: Add ½ cup of sprinkles to the dough.
- Add a pop of color: Add some food coloring to the cookie dough while mixing.
- Peanut butter chocolate chip cookie cake: Add ½ cup of peanut butter chips to the dough.
- Oreo cookie cake: Crush some Oreos and stir them into the dough instead of chocolate chips.
Storage
- Chocolate Chip Cookie cake will stay soft and fresh for up to one week stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freezing instructions
- To freeze dough, wrap in plastic wrap and place in a resealable, freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw dough in refrigerator over night and bake as directed.
- To freeze baked cookie cake, wrap unfrosted cookie cake in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Place in a resealable, freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Recipe FAQs
You can use a plant-based alternative for the milk and butter and use dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips.
This cookie cake can be baked in any similar-sized pan, like a 9″ round cake pan or a 9x9" square pan.
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📋 Recipe
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbs vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix, just the powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
- 4 oz heavy cream
Instructions
For the ganache frosting
- Before beginning, you will need to prepare the ganache frosting since it has to cool and set up before whipping. Place chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl, set aside.
- Heat heavy cream on a stove top or in microwave until very hot - not boiling. Pour cream over chocolate chips and let it sit for 3 minutes without stirring. Start whisking chocolate from center outward until mixture is completely smooth. Chocolate sauce should have a smooth velvety texture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place mixture in refrigerator to cool completely and set, stirring every 30 minutes.
For the cookie cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" springform or regular round cake pan with cooking spray. Optional - cut out a circle of parchment paper and place it on the bottom of pan for easier removal. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and melted butter and mix until smooth.
- Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla and stir until completely combined. Pour in flour, pudding mix, baking soda and pinch of salt and stir until just incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips by hand until evenly distributed.
- Press dough into prepared pan into an even layer. Top with extra chocolate chips and press them down slightly, if desired.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top/center just starts to golden slightly. Cookie cake may look underdone in the middle, but it will set up when it cools and stay extra soft. Allow cookie cake to cool completely in pan.
Back to the ganache frosting
- Ganache is ready when texture is firm but still soft and spoonable. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip frosting for 3 minutes on high speed until slightly lighter in color and smooth. Spoon frosting into a bag with a piping tip and pipe around the edges of the cookie cake. Alternatively, you can just spread with a knife.
Notes
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Mallory says
Testing tonight for my sons birthday he wants an ice cream cookie cake.
Joanna says
If I put down parchment, do I also need to spray?
Erin says
Mine is a little raw looking. Any tips?
Marie says
Hi Jessica,
I just made this recipe and I have a question. I baked my cookie cake for 21 minutes and took it out of the oven when it was golden brown. It looked beautiful and was evenly raised. Upon cooling, the entire middle deflated down, leaving just a raised perimeter. Is this supposed to happen? It's hard to tell from your photos, due to the border of ganache icing. Other than looking at color, I didn't test for doneness with a toothpick. I haven't cut this yet, as I was saving for company. Not sure if it's really underdone, of if this is a normal occurance with this recipe. I'd love some feedback. Thanks.
Jessica says
It does sink a bit in the center but shouldn't be too dramatic. If it happens again, while the cookie is still hot out of the oven, try pressing the outer rim down a bit very gently to flatten it a bit. That is what I usually do when I make cookie cakes and this happens.
Mary says
I don't have pudding. What could I substitute for that part of recipe?
Barbara says
Made this for my son's birthday to rave reviews. Followed the recipe exactly as written. Made it 2 days in advance, stored it at room temperature, and as advertised it was soft and fresh when served. The cookie cake was easy to make. The ganache was also easy and delicious, but piping it onto the cake was a little frustrating. Next time I would probably just use buttercream. This really is the best chocolate chip cookie cake ever.
Jessica says
Oh, thanks so much, Barbara! I'm so happy everyone enjoyed the cookie cake.
Candicd says
I'm currently making this for a birthday as we speak! Well the cookie is cooling off :). I usually make my chocolate chip cookies with vanilla pudding so when I saw your recipe I knew it was a winner!!!
Jessica says
I hope it was enjoyed by all! Cookies with pudding are the best. 🙂
Erica says
I'm thinking of making this tonight for a birthday gathering tomorrow. When you said it stays fresh for up to a week in a seal container, do you mean at room temp or should I put it in the fridge? Just wasn't sure how the ganache would keep if I left it out on the counter at room temp. Thanks!
Jessica says
Hey Erica, I always leave mine at room temperature covered and it is perfect! As long as it's not hot in your kitchen, it's totally fine. Enjoy! 🙂
Keslie says
Do you have suggestions for high altitude cooking? We live in Colorado.
Stephanie says
My boyfriend LOVES cookie cake, so I decided to make this recipe. OMG SOOOOO good!!!!! So soft!!!!! You will not be disappointed.