Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Chocolate chip cookie cake is the perfect hybrid dessert that brings together everything we love about warm, chewy chocolate chip cookies in one giant, shareable cake form! With its soft, tender center, crispy golden edges, and generous pockets of melty chocolate chips, this easy recipe turns any occasion into a celebration.

Love More Dessert Recipes? Try My Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies or this Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Soft, chewy, and loaded with melty chocolate chips in every bite. It has all the cozy flavor of a classic chocolate chip cookie, but baked into one thick, shareable cake that’s perfect for celebrations or casual gatherings. Easy to make and even easier to love, this dessert is always a crowd-pleaser.

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Ingredient List

Cookie Cake

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Optional Topping

• Additional chocolate chips or sprinkles (for decoration)
• Whipped cream or ice cream for serving

Why These Ingredients Work

Let me tell you why each ingredient plays such an important role in this cookie cake magic:

All-purpose flour gives us the perfect structure—not too cakey, not too dense. It’s the backbone that holds all that chocolate chip goodness together.

Baking soda provides just the right amount of lift and spread, creating that ideal texture between a cookie and a cake. It also helps achieve those beautiful golden edges.

Salt is the secret weapon here! It balances the sweetness and makes those chocolate chips taste even more chocolatey. Never skip the salt!

Unsalted butter (softened to room temperature) creates richness and that irresistible buttery flavor. Softened butter also creams beautifully with the sugars for the perfect texture.

Brown sugar adds moisture, chewiness, and a hint of molasses flavor that gives this cookie cake depth and keeps it soft for days.

Granulated sugar provides sweetness and helps create those crispy edges we all love. The combination of both sugars is key!

Eggs bind everything together and add richness. They also contribute to that tender, cake-like crumb.

Vanilla extract enhances all the flavors and adds warmth. Use pure vanilla for the best taste!

Semisweet chocolate chips are the star of the show—two full cups means you get melty chocolate in every single bite. You can also use milk chocolate or dark chocolate depending on your preference.

Essential Tools and Equipment

Here’s what you’ll need to make this beauty:

• 9-inch round cake pan (springform or deep dish works wonderfully)
• Large mixing bowl for creaming butter and sugars
• Medium mixing bowl for dry ingredients
• Electric mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer both work great)
• Whisk for combining dry ingredients
• Rubber spatula for folding in chocolate chips
• Parchment paper (optional, but makes removal easier)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cooling rack

How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan generously with butter or cooking spray. For the easiest removal, line the bottom with parchment paper.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set this aside—we’ll add it to the wet ingredients later. This ensures even distribution of the leavening and salt.

Step 3: Cream Butter & Sugars

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes. You want it creamy, light, and fluffy—this is where the magic starts! The mixture should look pale and almost doubled in volume.

Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla

Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then add the vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated. The batter should look smooth and glossy at this point.

Step 5: Combine Batter

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Here’s the key: don’t overmix! Stop as soon as you don’t see any more flour streaks. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cookie cake tough instead of tender.

Step 6: Fold in Chocolate Chips

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in those 2 cups of chocolate chips. Make sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter—every slice deserves chocolate!

Step 7: Spread in Pan

Spread the cookie dough evenly in your prepared pan. Use the back of your spatula to smooth the top and push the dough all the way to the edges. This ensures even baking.

Step 8: Bake to Perfection

Bake for 25–30 minutes. The edges should be set and golden brown, while the center should look just cooked through but still slightly soft. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out with a few moist crumbs—not wet batter, but not completely clean either. This is how you get that perfect soft center!

Step 9: Cool & Serve

Let the cookie cake cool in the pan for at least 15-20 minutes before attempting to remove it. If you’re using a springform pan, release the sides. Otherwise, run a knife around the edges and carefully invert onto a plate, then flip right-side up onto a serving platter.

Serve warm or at room temperature. For extra decadence, top each slice with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

You Must Know

The butter MUST be softened to room temperature. Cold butter won’t cream properly with the sugars, and melted butter will change the entire texture. Leave your butter out for about 30-60 minutes before starting.

Personal Secret: I always pull my cookie cake from the oven when the center still looks slightly underdone. It continues cooking in the hot pan as it cools, and this is the secret to that irresistibly soft, almost gooey center that makes this cookie cake so special!

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Use room temperature eggs. They incorporate more easily into the batter and create a smoother texture. Just set them out when you take out your butter.

Don’t skip the parchment paper. Even in a greased pan, the parchment circle on the bottom makes removal foolproof. You can trace your pan on the parchment and cut it to fit perfectly.

Press extra chocolate chips on top. Before baking, I like to press a handful of extra chocolate chips into the top of the dough. They look beautiful and add even more chocolate appeal!

Watch the bake time carefully. Cookie cakes can go from perfectly soft to overdone in just 2-3 minutes. Start checking at 25 minutes, and remember—slightly underdone is better than overbaked.

Let it cool before cutting. I know it’s tempting to dig in right away, but letting it cool for at least 15-20 minutes helps it set up and makes slicing much cleaner.

Score before cooling completely. If you want really clean slices, score the cake into wedges while it’s still slightly warm, then let it cool completely before cutting through.

Flavor Variations / Suggestions

Birthday Cake Style: Press colorful sprinkles into the top before baking and write a message with frosting after it cools.

Peanut Butter Lover’s: Swirl ¼ cup of peanut butter into the batter and add peanut butter chips along with (or instead of) some chocolate chips.

Triple Chocolate: Use a mix of semisweet, milk, and white chocolate chips, or add ¼ cup of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients for a double chocolate version.

Nutty Delight: Fold in 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate chips for added crunch and flavor.

Sea Salt Caramel: Drizzle cooled cookie cake with caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

S’mores Style: Top the baked cookie cake with mini marshmallows and chocolate pieces, then broil for 1-2 minutes until marshmallows are golden.

Coffee Kick: Add 1 tablespoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients to enhance the chocolate flavor.

Make-Ahead Options

Prepare dough in advance: You can make the cookie dough up to 24 hours ahead. Press it into the prepared pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before baking, and you may need to add 2-3 extra minutes to the bake time.

Freeze unbaked dough: Wrap the pan tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 5-10 minutes to the baking time.

Bake ahead: The cookie cake can be baked up to 2 days in advance. Let it cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and store at room temperature. Warm individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds before serving.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

The center of your cookie cake should look slightly underdone when you pull it from the oven—it will continue to cook as it cools and this prevents a dry, overbaked result.

If you prefer a thicker cookie cake, use an 8-inch pan instead of 9-inch. You’ll need to add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.

A springform pan truly is worth it for this recipe. The sides release cleanly and you can serve the cookie cake right on the base—no flipping or transferring required!

Brown sugar can dry out and become hard. If your brown sugar has clumps, make sure to pack it firmly into the measuring cup and break up any lumps before creaming with the butter.

Serving Suggestions

This chocolate chip cookie cake is perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, or any celebration where you want something special but don’t want to fuss with traditional layer cakes. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top—absolute heaven!

It’s also wonderful for casual gatherings. Cut it into wedges like pizza and serve on a big platter for people to grab and enjoy. Pair with cold milk, hot coffee, or even a dessert wine.

For an extra special presentation, dust the top with powdered sugar, add a dollop of whipped cream, and garnish with fresh berries. The contrast of the warm cookie cake with cold cream and tart berries is absolutely delicious!

How to Store Your Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Room temperature: Store the cooled cookie cake covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. This is the best option if you’ll be eating it within a few days.

Refrigerator: While not necessary, you can refrigerate the cookie cake for up to 5 days if you prefer. Let slices come to room temperature or warm them slightly before serving.

Freezer: Wrap the completely cooled cookie cake tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few hours.

Reheating: Warm individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to restore that fresh-baked texture and melty chocolate chips. You can also reheat the whole cake in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes.

Allergy Information

Contains: Wheat (gluten), dairy (butter), eggs

Gluten-free option: Substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious!

Dairy-free option: Use vegan butter (stick form, not spreadable) and dairy-free chocolate chips. The taste will be very similar to the original.

Egg-free option: Use flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes) or commercial egg replacer. The texture will be slightly less tender but still tasty.

Nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut-free, but always check your chocolate chip packaging if you have severe allergies, as some brands are processed in facilities with nuts.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Why is my cookie cake dry?

This usually happens from overbaking. Cookie cakes continue cooking in the hot pan after you remove them from the oven, so pull it out when the center still looks slightly soft. Also check that you’re measuring flour correctly—too much flour makes it dry. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag.

Can I make this in a different size pan?

Absolutely! An 8-inch pan will give you a thicker cookie cake (add 5-10 minutes baking time), while a 10-inch pan creates a thinner version (reduce time by 3-5 minutes). You can even bake this in a 9×13 inch pan for bar-style servings—bake for 20-25 minutes.

My cookie cake spread too much. What happened?

This can happen if your butter was too soft or even melted, if you used warm eggs, or if the dough went into a hot pan. Make sure your butter is softened but still holds its shape, use room-temperature (not warm) eggs, and always use a cool pan.

Can I decorate this like a birthday cake?

Yes! Let it cool completely, then pipe frosting around the edges or write a message on top with icing. You can also press M&M’s, sprinkles, or extra chocolate chips into the unbaked dough before baking for a festive look.

Do I really need both brown sugar and white sugar?

Yes! The combination is key to the texture. Brown sugar adds moisture and chewiness, while white sugar helps create those crispy edges. Using only one type will change both the texture and flavor of your cookie cake.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how your chocolate chip cookie cake turned out and what variations you tried!