Cut a slice of this Cookie Cake for a piece of sweetness.
When I was away in college, I didn’t give anyone my dorm address or phone number. I didn’t know that you were supposed to if you wanted care packages from home. This is why when I came back to the dorm one day and there was a cookie cake package waiting for me at the front desk, I almost denied myself my first Cookie Cake experience and a pretty amazing care package that my grandmother so thoughtfully sent me in the process. This is why I smile at the mention or appearance of a Cookie Cake. I will forever associate cookie cakes with my dear grandmother who made them, took them to the post office, after researching where to send them, and then sent them states away. In the hopes that her efforts would bring me some sweetness, that’s love. It is also the very reason why I love Cookie Cakes. It’s also the reason I’m so glad to share this cookie cake recipe with you so maybe you can use it to give someone else a great core memory.
A Cookie Cake is rich, gooey, sweet, and plentiful in taste and quantity. It is the spectacle of the widely known cookie. Grand in design and size. A Cookie Cake leaves no mouth unfed. It is the easiest way to make cookies if you ask me. When you make a regular tray of cookies you have you measure and space out your dough. Whereas a Cookie Cake only requires you to empty it into a pan, no mess, no dough measurements, and no headaches. The easier the recipe is the happier I am to repeat it. Let alone taste it. On the rare occasion that a Cookie Cake doesn’t get devoured upon first serving it, it makes for a happy little leftover that surely won’t last long. Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or just because, a Cookie Cake is always the right choice.
What is the difference between a Cookie and a Cookie Cake?
Essentially a Cookie and a Cookie Cake’s biggest and most notable difference is size. It is like how a crepe is a thin pancake, how a cupcake is a personal-sized cake, and a tea sandwich is a bite-sized fancy sandwich. This means for a Cookie Cake to come to be a cookie had to exist first. Thankfully the Cookie was invented and therefore we get to enjoy Cookie Cakes. Cookie Cakes are just the oversized younger brother of the Cookie. Cookie Cakes make me think of Jack and The Beanstalk, when Jack is in the giant’s lair eating his treats, if he had a plate of cookies, Jack would have stumbled upon a cookie cake.
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (210g)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar (165g)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 1 large egg
- 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling (270g)
- Sprinkles (optional for decoration)
Instructions
Prep time – 20 minutes
Cooking time – 20 minutes
Yields – 8 servings
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter or non-stick baking spray.
Step 2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 3. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter using a mixer until smooth. Add both sugars and continue to beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes.
Step 4. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Step 5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until the flour is incorporated. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 6. Transfer the cookie dough to the prepared cake pan, pressing it into an even layer. If you like, sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top for extra chocolate goodness.
Step 7. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookie cake is lightly golden and set. Allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before slicing.
FAQs & Tips
You can prep the dough ahead of time, store it in the freezer, and thaw when ready to bake. Once baked storage is key to keeping your cookie cake fresh, make sure it is covered and wrapped letting in as little air as possible to keep it from going stale. If stored properly a baked cookie cake will be good for three to five days.
Overnight, and with a great deal of love and care. Best to ship in the colder months and with an ice pack or two.
Yes, the Cookie Cake is an American dessert. In the 1970s, two businessmen came up with it after visiting a mall in San Diego, CA. They created the first Cookies Cakes and sold them. They were the Great American Cookie Company.
Serving Suggestions
I suggest serving a cookie cake alone, or as part of a dessert bar. Easy Oreo Pie. a Delicious Galette, Delicious Cake Mix Cookie Bars, Banana Split Cake, and Delicious Vanilla Milkshake are some treats that would be great on a dessert buffet with a Cookie Cake.
However, a cookie cake goes well with any meal. Some meals I would consider are Smash Burger Tacos, Italian Chopped Salad American Flatbread Pizza, Chicken Pesto Pasta, Orzo Pasta, Fried Mac And Cheese Balls, and Pot Roast Remix are all great options. No matter what you choose a Cookie Cake is a huge delight.
Cookie Cake
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 210g
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar 165g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
- 1 large egg
- 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling (270g)
- Sprinkles optional for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter or non-stick baking spray.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter using a mixer until smooth. Add both sugars and continue to beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until the flour is incorporated. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the cookie dough to the prepared cake pan, pressing it into an even layer. If you like, sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top for extra chocolate goodness.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookie cake is lightly golden and set. Allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before slicing.
