Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 1, 2026 
I love cake and boy, do I love a cookie! This chocolate chip cookie cake gives me the best of both worlds. I bake it with a soft, chewy center and golden edges, then let everyone go wild decorating it with frosting, sprinkles, and candy. It’s one of my favorite desserts for birthdays, celebrations, and baking with kids.
When I think of childhood birthday parties in the 80s, one of my first thoughts is always a chocolate chip cookie cake, with a frosting rim and loads of sprinkles. Of course, these store-bought birthday cakes were not the most elaborate, but as kids, we always went nuts for them. You can still find these cookie cakes at the mall, but they’re so easy to bake and decorate at home, and anything homemade always tastes better in my opinion. Like my salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars, every bite is filled with a decadent, gooey layer of melted chocolate and crispy crumble. All you need is a 12-inch pizza pan and a handful of pantry staple ingredients to make this cookie-cake recipe from scratch. Trust me, it won’t only be the kids in your family that will go absolutely crazy over this dessert!
Amy – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I made this for my son’s 18th birthday and it was sooooo easy!! I’m not a great baker, but this was absolutely delicious! It stayed soft until the next day……..when it was devoured!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Texture Heaven – Every slice of this decadent chocolate chip cookie cake starts out crunchy and is quickly followed by soft, gooey melted chocolate. Like with my salted chocolate chip cookies, I love to serve this warm, and I even top it off with some cold vanilla ice cream for the ultimate texture and temperature juxtaposition.
Perfect for Celebrations – This cake is my go-to homemade dessert for birthdays, and kids and adults absolutely love this treat. The classic version of this recipe calls for a circular cake, but you can even make it into a heart shape for other special moments like Valentine’s Day.
Fun and Colorful – Decorating this XL cookie is such a joy. I top it off with different colored frosting, sprinkles that range in shapes and colors, and even edible glitter!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- All-purpose flour – Classic baking flour makes the base of this delicious dessert, creating a soft and chewy cake. If you’re using any flour alternatives, make sure not to use the kind that already has mixed in baking powder and/or soda.
- Brown sugar – I prefer to use brown sugar because it gives that perfect chocolate chip cookie flavor that we all love.
- Cornstarch – From my years of baking, I’ve found that a little bit of cornstarch makes the base of the cookie soft and flexible.
- Salt – Just a pinch of salt really helps balance out all the sweetness and flavors.
- Baking powder and baking soda – Using both of these makes a cookie that is unbelievably soft, chewy, and lightly crisp.
- Vanilla – Vanilla extract is essential because it adds a lot of warmth to the overall flavor profile.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – I generously sprinkle semi-sweet chips throughout the batter so that every bite is gooey and perfectly sweetened. Yes, milk and dark chocolate chips are also acceptable, just not my preference here.
- Frosting and sprinkles – To decorate the cake, use your favorite colored sprinkles and frosting.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep – To kick off this recipe, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit so that it’s nice and toasty once I pop in the cake.
Get the chocolate ready – Next, I measure out a half cup worth of chocolate chips, and I chop them up into small pieces. I set aside half of the chocolate chips for the batter.
Mix the dry ingredients – I grab a large bowl and toss in the flour, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Then I make sure to mix it all up so that I remove any clumps.
Mix the wet ingredients – In another bowl, I mix up the butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Once those are all combined, I add in the chopped chocolate chips.
Pour and shape – Once I combine the dry and wet ingredients, I scoop the cookie dough into my baking pan. I press it down so that the entire pan is filled from side to side, in an even layer, and then I sprinkle the rest of the chips on top. I use my hand to press them into the dough a little.
Bake – I pop the cake into the oven for about 11 minutes until it’s perfectly golden but still tender and soft inside. Then, I remove it from the oven and set it aside so it cools down to room temperature until I’m ready to decorate it.
Decorate – Now comes my favorite part! I grab my homemade (or store-bought) frosting, and I start piping it around the edges of the cake. Then I add some sprinkles on top, and I’m ready to serve.
Decorating the edge is completely optional. It does give it that quintessential “mall cookie cake” appeal, but it’s not necessary.
Recipe Variations
- Nuts – Like with my chocolate chip walnut cookies, you can add walnuts (or pecans) to this recipe.
- Layered cookie cake recipe – Yes, you can make this as a more “traditional” stacked cake! Make multiple large cookies and cool them completely. Then simply stack the cookies with frosting between the layers. Note that this will not cut the same way as a sponge cake – but it is fun and tasty!
- Frosting – We love a classic chocolate or vanilla frosting on this cake. But really, any frosting you like is great! Try caramel buttercream, strawberry, dark chocolate fudge, vanilla cream cheese, homemade funfetti frosting… Whatever you like! Also, feel free to add a few drops of food coloring to make super colorful and fun frosting!
- Optional toppings – Get creative and add in all kinds of yummy extras! Sprinkles are classic for decorating the frosting edge of a cookie cake; you can also mix in chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans, shaved coconut, mini M&Ms, Reese’s pieces, etc, etc…
Serving Suggestions
This enormous cookie is decadent and rich enough on its own, but I always have a few tricks up my sleeve on how to make it even more impressive.
When you’re decorating the cake, pipe on a personal message with frosting for whatever you’re celebrating — a birthday, an anniversary, etc. Then, add sprinkles over the piping to really make the message stand out.
Add a dollop of whipped cream onto your slice, or pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate.
Storing
Let the frosting set and harden before wrapping the cake in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for 3-5 days.
If you plan on freezing this, I suggest freezing the extra-large cookie before adding frosting. Cool the cake completely before wrapping tightly in 1-2 layers of plastic wrap. Then wrap in another 1-2 layers of aluminum foil. It will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
The key to keeping the cake soft is not to over-bake it. Remove it from the oven when the outside is golden, and the inside is still gooey.
Yep! You can use milk chocolate, white, cinnamon, or even peanut butter chips.
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More Easy Cookie Recipes
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
- Optional Toppings chocolate frosting, vanilla frosting, sprinkles, mini M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Move an oven rack directly in the center of the oven. Set out a 12-inch rimmed pizza pan.
- Measure ½ cup of chocolate chips out onto a cutting board. Chop the chocolate chips in small pieces so they mix evenly into the cookie batter. Leave the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips whole for the top.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well to remove any clumps.
- Stir in the melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix the cookie dough until very smooth. Then stir in the chopped chocolate chips.
- Dump the cookie dough onto the pizza pan. Use your hands to press the dough evenly into a smooth round cookie that fills the entire surface of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips over the cookie dough and press the chocolate chips into the top of the cookie. Then use a rubber spatula to press around the circular edge of the cookie to make sure it is a smooth and as even as possible.
- Bake the cookie cake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden but the center still looks slightly underbaked. Do not overbake the cookie! Cool completely before proceeding.
- If you'd like to move the cookie cake to a large serving platter, cutting board, or box for transportation, use a large metal spatula to carefully slip the cookie off the pizza pan onto the platter.
- Place the frosting of choice in a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe ½ to 1-inch stars around the edge of the cookie cake for decoration. Then sprinkle candy sprinkles or jimmies over the frosting. Allow the frosting to set before wrapping with plastic wrap.
Notes
- Chocolate Frosting – 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 6 tablespoons softened butter, 2 tablespoons milk, pinch of salt. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy.
- Vanilla Frosting – 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 5 tablespoons softened butter, 5 teaspoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch of salt. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy.
I made this for my son’s 18th birthday and it was sooooo easy!! I’m not a great baker, but this was absolutely delicious! It stayed soft until the next day……..when it was devoured!
I dont think I ever thought about making this myself at home and it being this easy to make as well! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!