Ingredients
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. semi- sweet chocolate chips (plus more for sprinkling)
1/4 c. rainbow sprinkles (plus more for sprinkling)
1 c. vanilla frosting
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 350° and line a 9" round cake pan with parchment paper. Grease with cooking spray. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt and mix on low until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles.Step 2Press cookie dough into an even layer in the prepared pan. Top with more chocolate chips and sprinkles, if desired. Bake until the cookie is golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes then transfer cake to a cooling rack to cool completely. Step 3Transfer frosting to a piping bag fit with a large star tip. Pipe frosting around the edge of the cooled cookie cake. Slice into wedges.
Cookie cakes are a popular American treat eaten anytime of the year. If you’re not a chocolate layer cake lover but enjoy a pile of warm gooey cookies then this is it! No one will judge you at your own birthday party, promise. How do you make a giant cookie? The easiest way is in a cake pan! We use a 9" pan but an 8" round would work, too. Pressing the dough into a pan, rather than freehand it on a baking sheet, ensures that it’ll bake evenly. How does the cookie cake stay soft and moist? The key to the perfect texture is to not overbake the cookie cake. This means pulling it from the oven before you think it’s ready. A toothpick will not come out perfectly clean! The edges will look golden and set but there should be some moist crumbs in the center. How many people will this serve? It depends how big your party is and how many sweet-crazed people you’re dealing with. We say 8 to 10, for generous slices. But if you have polite eaters (or if this is just one thing in a huge dessert spread), you can get as many as 16 slices out of it! How do I store it? If you use canned frosting, you can store it at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap for a day or two. If you make your own buttercream with heavy cream, you’ll want to store it in the refrigerator (well covered so it doesn’t dry out!) overnight. Can you use canned frosting? Yes, and everyone would still love it (and you). BUT our classic vanilla buttercream is perfect if you have the time. We promise it’s very easy. How do you decorate this cookie Allowing the dough to cool before decorating is important so the icing doesn’t melt. Use a piping bag or sturdy zip lock bag and star tip to pipe the frosting around the cookie. If you prefer a different border, change up the pastry tips. You could also double the recipe if you want to layer the cookie cake and really wow those friends of yours. Should you chill the dough before baking? We didn’t chill our dough before baking it so this is up to you. Usually when chilling the dough the butterfat will solidify and help the cookie maintain its shape while baking. This means the cookie won’t spread as much in the oven. But, because our cookie is baked in a cake pan the dough can’t really go too far! Other toppings and mix ins Don’t be shy with your cookie! You could mix up the chocolate chips in the cookie dough for peanut butter or butterscotch chips instead. If you love all things chocolate then decorate the baked cookie with chocolate icing or glaze with chocolate ganache. Made this recipe? Let us know in the comments below! Editor’s Note: This recipe was updated on July 8, 2022.
