Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

by Laney Schwartz on Mar 19, 2019 (updated Apr 14, 2025) 180 comments

Switch up your birthday routine and enjoy this Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake! It’s the perfect combination of a classic chocolate chip cookie flavor with a beautiful cake presentation featuring homemade buttercream frosting!

cookie cake with pink piped frosting and sprinkles on a blue plate

If you’ve ever walked into the mall and breezed past a cookie shop like Mrs. Fields, chances are you’ve had your sights on the large cookie cakes they offer. This recipe will help you make your own version at home that’s just as delicious and impressive, if not even better!

This recipe came about because my daughter did not want a traditional birthday cake for her celebration. I thought this was a great time to perfect making a decadent cookie cake, and this is the recipe that won everyone over!

The base of the cookie has a moist and gooey texture that is a perfect blend of sugar, butter, and good old chocolate chips. To top it off, the homemade creamy and fluffy buttercream frosting adds a subtle sweetness that makes this chocolate chip cookie cake truly special.

If this sounds like your thing and you want more, check out my other quick and easy dessert recipes! These Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are a great place to start.

Watch how to make it

What’s so great about a giant cookie cake?

Yes, you could just make a bunch of cookies, but there’s something that feels a bit elevated and special about a cake, and especially when it’s one giant cookie! What makes this so great is there’s almost more of a wow factor than a regular birthday cake! It’s different and unique and everybody loves a chocolate chip cookie! Not everyone loves cake. It’s also WAY easier than making a traditional cake!

Quick note: This cake is just as delicious without the frosting as it is with!

cookie cake with pink piped frosting and sprinkles cut into slices

A few Ingredient Notes

ingredients in bowls for baking a cookie cake

Unsalted Butter – make sure you use unsalted so you can control the amount of salt.
Sugar – don’t sleep on the brown sugar – it’s what gives it that chewy element.
Chocolate Chips – the classic choice but feel free to mix it up with whatever you like!
Food Coloring – if you make the frosting, you can use any color to match the occasion. Just a few drops will do!

How to make Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

cookie dough in a mixing bowl — Cream together the butter and sugars

cookie dough ingredients in a bowl with 2 cracked eggs — Add the eggs and vanilla

cookie dough ingredients in a mixing bowl — Add the dry ingredients

cookie batter in a bowl with chocolate chips — Mix in the chocolate chips

cookie dough pressed into a pan — Press cookie dough into a 9 inch baking dish

cookie cake in a pan — Bake and let cool before frosting

pink frosting in a bowl with mixer blade — Hello frosting!

Best salt to use for baking

The Home Cook’s Guide to Salt

Learn about the basics of salt, plus the best salt for cooking (hint: it’s Kosher salt!) with this easy-to-understand guide to salt for home cooks.

How to make homemade buttercream

Let’s talk about the buttercream frosting for a second. Sure, you can buy pre-made frosting, but making it at home is a game changer. The hardest part is remembering to bring your butter to room temperature.

You don’t need a fancy pastry bag. All you need is a plastic bag, a piping tip and a glass.

Hand holding a plastic bag with a piping tip inserted and close up — Cut the corner of a plastic bag. Make sure to only cut a tiny amount so the tip just barely fits through.

Hand holding a glass with a plastic bag inserted and folded over the edges — Place the bag (with the star tip in place) inside a glass, and fold over the edges.

Hand holding a glass with a plastic bag full of pink frosting inserted and folded over the edges with a spoon dropping more frosting inside the bag — Spoon frosting into the bag. Seal bag and pipe away!

I used a Wilton Star Piping Tip for this cake, and it couldn’t have been easier to use. Feel free to use whatever sprinkles you like.

Use these tips before you bake

Make sure the butter is at room temperature before creaming it with the sugar. This will ensure a light and fluffy texture for your cookie cake.
Make sure the cookie is completely cooled before frosting, as a warm cookie can melt the buttercream.
When it comes to food coloring, just a few drops will work as they are very potent in color. Start with one drop and work your way up to the desired color.

Looking to switch it up?

Ttry adding a teaspoon of espresso powder or cinnamon to the dough.
Instead of chocolate chips, use peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips for a different flavor.
For a crunchier texture, add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts to the cookie dough.

Storing and Freezing

Storing: Once cooled, chocolate chip cookie cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freezing: To freeze, wrap the cooled cake tightly with plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Freeze the cake UNFROSTED for best results.