So yesterday I told you that the chocolate chip cookie throw down wasn’t quite over yet. No, I’m not actually adding another cookie to the lineup. But I’ve been telling you all week that one thing I want to be able to do with my perfect chocolate chip cookie is easily use it for cookies or a cookie cake without having to worry about making a bunch of changes. So I tested my fave as a cookie cake.
My favorite was a tie between Sally’s Baking Addiction and Cook’s Illustrated for taste. For method however, I prefer the ease of Sally’s Baking Addicion, so that one moved on to the cookie cake test.
I used a Wilton 9 in heart cake pan for my cookie cake, given that Valentine’s Day is so close. I also used the full recipe for the cookies. I had a feeling that cutting the recipe in half would have not been enough dough, and I was right. But using the whole recipe does make a pretty thick cookie cake. So if you are into a thick cookie cake – and trust me it’s still soft and chewy and delicious when it’s nice and thick – go for the whole recipe in an 8 or 9 inch pan. In fact, a 9 in round pan might be perfect. Even though the heart pan I used is technically a 9 incher, when you put it up against my 8 or 9 in round pans, it seems more similar in size to the 8 in. So I’m thinking a 9 in pan would make a cookie cake that’s a bit thinner and just right.
And as I said earlier this week, this is such an easy recipe to work with. No crazy ingredients and a very straightforward method. It’s got a thick dough, so it takes a little work to spread it out in the pan, but nothing difficult. And keep in mind that however thick it is before being baked is about how thick it will be when baked. It doesn’t rise like a cake. 
So now the throw down really is over! Go forth and make your favorite! Then report back and let me know what you think!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Makes one 8 or 9 inch cookie cake
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips OR about 1 cup of chocolate chunks
1. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
3. With the mixer on low speed, add flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
4. Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.
5. Chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Place parchment paper into the bottom of your cake pan to help the cookie not stick.
8. Spread the dough out into the cake pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
9. Remove from oven and let cool for a couple minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
Recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction, originally from Apple A Day.
American Buttercream Icing
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp water
1. Beat the shortening and butter until smooth.
2. Slowly add 3 cups of powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
3. Mix in the vanilla extract and 1 tbsp water.
4. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add more water to get the right consistency.
Enjoy!
Check out the other cookies in the throw down:
Are you as big of a fan of cookie cakes as I am? Here are some others to try!
Funfetti Cake Batter White Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Cake
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Hi, my name is Lindsay. I'm a wife and puppy mom. This blog is a place to share my love of sweets and life.
I saw your warp up about my cookies on your blog last week. I was SO delighted to read that oyu loved the taste of them! And yes, I just love how soft they are too. You are so amazing to do a chocolate chip cookie test like that! Oh, and I’ve made these intoa cookie cake before too. I am obsessed with it! I should post that recipe soon. WIsh I had a heart pan like this! Adorable
Thanks Sally! It was quite an effort and a lot of dough to make so it was great to have my sister-in-law’s help. I think I would have drowned in cookie dough without her.
Looks awesome! I am going to make the cookie cake for an upcoming birthday! May it turn out as nice as yours:) Lindsay! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Jordanna! You know where I am if you need help or a cake pan
This looks amazing! I love making cookies cakes, but to be honest never thought to put it in a heart pan! “LOVE” it!
Haha, thanks Katie! I “love” it too
How pretty! My husband loves cookie cake!!
Thanks Aimee! Cookie cakes are pretty big in my family too.
This sounds AMAZING. I love a good cookie cake! This is so pretty too!
Thank you! Cookie cakes are a classic in our family
This was awesome. I made this cookie cake for my 13 yr old daughters birthday. This is a keeper!
Thanks Jill! I’m so glad you liked it!!
Wow! That cookie cake looks so incredibly dense, chewy, chocolatey…in just one word: perfect. I want to buy a giant cast iron pan so that I can make a CCC cake in it to get that amazing crispy edge. I’ll just have to make this in my normal pans for now!
Yum! This looks delish and now I want to make one too!
Thanks Justin! You definitely should. Cookie cakes rock!
I just made it and I am not sure what I did wrong, but it did not turn out
I don’t know why I cannot bake 
I’m sorry Lacey.
Can you describe the problem? Maybe I can help you figure out what to do differently next time.
Okay so after looking at the recipe again and looking at my cookie cake and how dry and awful it was, I figured out what I did. I forgot the baking soda. I am remaking it today and it is already looking better
That’s great Lacey! I’m so glad you were able to figure it out!
Love love love! Best cookie cake ever,I’m glad I found it!
Thanks Renee! I’m so glad you like it
This looks so perfect! I made it yesterday, and I felt like I baked it forever…probably at least 30 minutes, but I just never “set” in the middle. I knew it wasn’t right when it “jiggled” when I took it out of the oven! The outside, cooked parts, tasted great, but the inside was a soggy, undercooked mess! I know you weren’t with me in my kitchen, so it’s hard for you to say what went wrong, but perhaps I could have baked it even longer? The dough was yummy, and thick like you described, and I used a 9-inch pan. I’m going to try again though, so I’ll let you know if it’s better!
oh no – I hate to hear that!
It’s hard to say what went wrong. Strange that it was thick prior to baking and then got jiggly. Makes me wonder about the butter maybe? I don’t know. If you give it another shot I hope it turns out better!
We had a snow day, so I tried again, and SUCCESS!! Not sure if I didn’t leave it in the fridge long enough last time, or just simply didn’t bake it long enough, but at this point, I don’t care because it is so yummy! Thanks for your help!
Yay! That’s great Michele! I’m so glad it worked for you this time!
Got my cookie cake in the oven right now! The dough tasted delicious but it was very hard to mold in the pan. Hopefully it turna out ok. I was scared I did something wrong because it is so thick. Any tips?
Hi Lydia! That sounds about right. You definitely have to work the dough out in the pan – it’s thick! I hope it turns out great!
What if you leave the dough in the fridge to chill for more than 24 hours? Will that ruin how it is supposed to turn out. Thanks!
Hi Gwen! No it definitely won’t ruin the dough. You can refrigerate it for a few days and it’ll be fine. Longer than that and you could freeze it. It should be good frozen for up to 3 months.
Can’t wait to try the cookie cake over spring break and then for my son’s 12 year old birthday! Thank you, it looks wonderful!
Hi Lindsay — what tip did you use to frost your cake? I love your decorating. Made the dough yesterday and going to bake today. Thanks in advance!
Thanks Amanda! I believe it’s the Wilton 2D. Enjoy the cake!
Could I just chill the dough in the pan I plan to cook the dough in? Or do you not think that would work?
Hi Lauren! I’m not sure. The purpose for chilling the dough is to allow the flavors and ingredients to all come together. It should lend a cookie that rises better and has better texture. If its laying flat In a pan, I’m not sure if it would affect how everything comes together or not.
Do I cool it in the bowl I mixed in or on parhment paper?
Either way should be fine. I make mine into a ball and wrap it in saran wrap.
Its delicious!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Is there any way there could be an oatmeal raisin version of this cake??
My husband loves cookie cakes, but is not a huge fan of the traditional chocolate chip cookies.
I think you might be reading my mind
I’ve been working on an oatmeal raisin version – I LOVE oatmeal raisin cookies. Hopefully it will be up in the next few weeks.
Hey Amanda! Just wanted to let you know I posted an oatmeal raisin version today. You can find it here.
I made this for my husband’s birthday last night and it was seriously the greatest thing ever! So glad I found this recipe! Thanks
Thanks Kara! I’m so glad you liked it!
Hi I’m making this now and the dough didn’t come out thick at all? It’s crumbley? I have it in the fridge cooling. Is there anything I can do to make it thicker? Thanks!
Hey Ashley – I’m not sure. Did a wet ingredient get left out?
This is my new favorite chocolate chip cookie dough! So good that I’ve already made it twice this week!! Thank you for such a simple and delicious recipe
Thanks Nicole! You are so welcome!
Wow! Used this recipe for my eldest son’s birthday cookie cake. It was amazingly good! My youngest has already asked for it for his birthday.
Thanks for comment! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
This is now my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. THANK YOU!! I made it as a cookie cake for my brother-in-law’s birthday, and none of us could stop eating it. Absolutely delicious (and I didn’t even have dark brown sugar on hand. I can’t wait to make them again with dark brown sugar!)!!
Yay! I love a good cookie cake
Just wondering if I would have to use a cake pan? Could I just spread it out on, like, a pizza stone? Or do you think it would melt all over the place?
I think you could use something else. It should be alright. I’ve used the dough for regular cookies and it doesn’t spread much. I’d be sure to leave space around the edge though. And I’m not sure how a pizza stone would affect the way it cooks. A pizza pan might be better.
Do you think I could double this recipe to make an even larger cookie cake?
Yep, that should work fine. You may need to cook it longer though.
I made this a couple of weeks ago and it was gone within a day or so! It was seriously delicious and dare I say better than the big cookie cakes we can buy at the mall! I got on here real quick to get the recipe and am making it again tonight. And the icing is wonderful, too! Just wanted to leave a note that I did not let it chill at all and it still turned out GREAT!! Thanks for an awesome recipe!
I dont have any parchment paper on hand, do you think just spraying the pan with PAM would work okay? I am using a 9″ Calphalon pan. Thanks!
The cookie will bake fine. You just might have trouble getting it out of the pan easily. I’ve always used parchment, so I’m not sure.
Does this freeze well after being cooked?
I’m not sure, I’ve never frozen it after cooking. It’d be best to freeze the uncooked dough (should be good for 2-3 months frozen) and cook it when you need it.
I’m sorry but this recipe is terrible! I have a great recipe for chocolate chip cookies and never have a problem with them, and I’ve been baking for years. I thought I’d try this recipe to see how it compares, and wow, really awful. There is way too much salt in this recipe. They’re bitter and not chewy. Would not make again. Fun idea for the cookie cake, but that’s about it.
Hi Marie, I’m sorry this didn’t turn out well for you! I’ve yet to have that response. It’s definitely a family favorite for us. Maybe try again without the salt? Either way, thanks for stopping by!
Sorry to say I tried making this for my crazed cookie cake fan of a husband, and it was dry, crumbs galore! I did everything you said, and it was a bust, especially when you have plates ready to go. So I would try to put more liquid ingredients to make it more moist, or try store bought cookie dough. Thank you anyways for sharing! :}
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out. What a bummer! There have been some other comments from people who tried a second time and had better luck. I know many have loved it. One other person had it turn out dry the first time and realized she didn’t include the baking soda.
So happy to have found this one on Pinterest! I’m surprising my husband with it for his birthday and actually doubled the recipes to make two cookie cakes – one to bring up to work for him & his co-workers to enjoy and one for the family dinner we’re having later this evening! The dough tasted D-I-V-I-N-E! I had to pull myself away from just eating that!!! Now it is chilling and I am beyond excited to make the cakes! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Hi Ali! Sounds like an awesome birthday surprise! I’m glad you like it! Thanks!
I did a trail run of this because my son wants a cookie cake for his birthday. I cooked it in a 10in pan for same amount of time and it was still soft and delicious! One question though, if I were to make a chocolate cookie how much cocoa should I and and when? And should I leave anything out? Thanks so much!
I’m glad it was a success! I haven’t actually added cocoa before so I’m not sure how much you’d need to add to alter the recipe.