Cookie Cake Recipe (When You’re Tired of Birthday Cake)
This cookie cake recipe is a great way to switch up the tiresome birthday cake routine. Everyone loves a chocolate chip cookie cake; give one a try and you’ll see!
I don’t know about you, but October seems to be one of those months in which everyday seems to be a birthday for someone you know, so this cookie cake recipe often comes to the rescue!
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It’s also rather unfortunate that in my family, three of our four birthdays fall within one month (all two weeks apart), so by the time my husband’s birthday rolls around, everyone is “caked-out”, so to speak. If I ever write a cookbook, I’ll tell you a funny story about one of my husband’s birthday cakes!
So when we’re not so happy with cake anymore, I turn back to my college days when I used to make a huge chocolate chip cookie cake for all my friends’ birthdays. I’d either make them with chocolate chip cookie dough or sometimes a brownie batter in a large pizza pan. Everyone liked them so much better than a proper birthday cake, and there was no need for plates or forks. These are always difficult to come upon when you’re a college student, right?
If you’re wondering how long I’ve been a baking nut, let’s just say it’s been a long time. Without getting into a long story, one of my friends from my college years was very tall with blonde, wispy hair and although his name was Jeff, these features earned him the nickname of Big Bird (actually come to think of it, his name still is Jeff). 😎 (Incidentally, Jeff sent me the recipe for this banana Nutella swirl bundt cake.)
My friends and I delighted in calling him Big Bird, and I don’t believe he was ever given a single birthday card which was written out to “JEFF”. Nope, it was either Big Bird or BB for short; in fact I still have a photo of one of his birthday brownies. You can imagine his reaction when he saw this!
So if you don’t feel like baking a cake or have a cookie lover who’s birthday is approaching, why don’t you make a chocolate chip birthday cookie or brownie, instead? I’ll show you how, and don’t think you have to draw a character on top, because you can make it as simple or as detailed as you like.
You can see in these close up shots, even if you write with frosting on the cake and it doesn’t look great, it won’t look bad in the end. 
As you can see, it definitely is much more forgiving to decorate on a chocolate chip cookie cake than a beautifully iced cake that will show every imperfection! This cookie cake recipe is marvelous!
Cookie Cake Recipe
adapted by Christina Conte serves 12
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
–buttercream icing to decorate edges or to write on the cookie
-any kind of decorations as desiredSpecial equipment-large pizza pan
Directions for the Cookie Cake Recipe
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)Line a large pizza pan with aluminum foil. Press enough cookie dough into the pan to cover the bottom with the dough about 3/4″ thick.
Use the back of a spoon to push down the dough.
Continue until the pan is completely even.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chocolate chip cookie cake is puffed up and golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Printable recipe for the cookie dough is below.
When completely cool, lift the cookie out using the aluminum foil. Remove the foil and place on a serving plate or tray (I happened to have a tray which was the exact same size as the cookie), and decorate as desired.
This chocolate chip cookie cake recipe will be used over and over again once you realize what a fun treat this is!
Serve the chocolate chip cookie cake with ice cream and enjoy! They are perfect for any occasion or no occasion at all (Thursday works)! :)
But then again, college kids could have had it right all along; who needs plates and forks–or ice cream for that matter?
And if you’re enjoying a birthday this month…
I hope you enjoy making this chocolate chip cookie cake recipe often!
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Cookie Cake Recipe
A large cookie baked in a pan which takes the place of a typical birthday cake.
Ingredients
- 1 recipe of chocolate chip cookie dough (recipe below)
- 1 recipe of chocolate buttercream icing
- (optional plain buttercream icing to highlight the writing on the cookie cake)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
- Line a large pizza pan with aluminum foil. Press enough cookie dough into the pan to cover the bottom with the dough about 3/4" thick.
- Use the back of a spoon to push down the dough.
- Continue until the pan is completely even.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chocolate chip cookie cake is puffed up and golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Printable recipe for the cookie dough is below.
- When completely cool, lift the cookie out using the aluminum foil. Remove the foil and place on a serving plate or tray (I happened to have a tray which was the exact same size as the cookie), and decorate as desired.
- Serve the chocolate chip cookie cake with ice cream and enjoy! It is perfect for any occasion, or no occasion at all.
Notes
- You can also make other cookie recipes in the same way, or brownies, as well.
- Nutrition information is for an undecorated cookie cake.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 249Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 89mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 3gSugar: 12gProtein: 4g
Always Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (or Chocolate Chunk Cookies)
Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 1 /4 tsp baking powder
- pinch cream of tartar
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
- 2 ½ sticks butter unsalted, browned
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs large
- 2 tsp vanilla extract natural
- 3 cups bittersweet chocolate disks chips, chunks or fèves, about 60% cacao content
- ½ cup granulated sugar for coating
Instructions
Make the Cookie Dough
- Place the butter in a saucepan with a light bottom (so you can see the color of the butter) on the stove.
- Melt the butter until browned. Be patient - this will take a few minutes. The butter will start to bubble early in the process, then foam quickly.
- When just browned, remove from the stove. The butter will continue browning in the hot pan even off the heat. Be careful not to burn the butter. It should be a light-medium brown color.IMPORTANT: Set aside the butter to cool slightly.
- Sift first 6 dry ingredients together into a bowl. Set aside.
- Using a separate mixing bowl (with a paddle), combine the sugars loosely. Pour in the (room temperature) browned butter, and mix together until thoroughly combined, about 5 minutes.
- MAKE SURE THE BUTTER AND SUGAR MIXTURE IS NOT HOT, as it will cook the eggs when added. Add eggs and mix. Stir in vanilla.
- On low speed, add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, and mix until just combined.
- Press plastic wrap against dough, or cover with a lid, and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. You can bake the dough right away if you wish, but they are significantly better with time (the texture and flavor). You can also freeze the dough after the 24-36 hours.
Bake the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175° C.
- Scoop the dough into approximately 2 1/2-ounce balls. Press them down slightly, and dip the top half of the cookie in sugar.
- Place the cookies, evenly spread, on a silicone sheet lined cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown but still soft, 9 minutes. The brown butter sugar cookies should start to turn golden at the bottom.
- Remove and place on a cooling rack.
Notes
- If you choose not to weigh your ingredients, please realize that your results will vary each and every time you make these. Weight is the only way to guarantee good results.
- The chocolate amount will vary if you use cups due to the size difference of your choice of chocolate. I recommend a scale.
- DO NOT USE HERSHEYS, NESTLE or other US type chocolate as these do not have 60% cacao
- If not baking right away, you can shape the cookies, then freeze on a tray and then place in a bag to keep frozen, to bake another time.
- To bake from frozen: place on cookie sheet and leave for an hour, then bake as instructed.
Nutrition
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This looks delicious. Hope you post the recipe. I would love to make this. Thank you.
I think I’d like this for a birthday dessert instead of a cake for sure!
I’ll have to remember that! ;)
This sounds perfect! I’d love it for my birthday (or any day)!
Me too, Allison! :)