Chewy, chocolate chip cookie but in the form of a cake! This birthday cookie cake is the perfect alternative to a traditional birthday cake.
When I was a kid, I didn’t really like cake. I know, crazy. And thinking back, I think it was more I didn’t like store bought cake. If I would have had my chocolate cake or toffee nut latte cupcakes I think I would’ve felt differently. But I digress 😉 Because of this, I would ask my parents for a birthday cookie cake instead.
Growing up, we always bought store bought cookie cakes, so this is one of those recipes I just had to get right. I tried a bunch of different recipes but they either all came out too cake like and not like a cookie, or burnt around the edges and doughy in the middle. This recipe gives you the best of both worlds—dense like a cookie in the middle with fluffy, cake-like edges.
Why You’ll Love this Cookie Cake
Easy to make. Simple ingredients and comes together in just 30 minutes — no chilling required.
Decorate or keep it simple. Add a chocolate or vanilla buttercream and sprinkles for a festive flare, or keep it like a plain chocolate chip cookie. The choice is yours.
Part cake part cookie. I know it says it in the name, but this recipe really does combine the chewiness of a cookie with the fluffiness and decorations of a cake.
Jump to RecipeIngredients
- Melted butter
- Brown sugar & white sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Milk
- Flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt
- Chocolate Chips
Step by Step Instructions
First, melt the butter in the microwave and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. This is the key to creating that cookie texture vs. a cake texture.
In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar with a wooden spoon. Then add the milk, vanilla, and egg and mix together.
Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.
Press the cookie dough into a greased 9inch cake tin.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean in the middle. Do not over bake. If you want a doughier middle, under bake the cake a couple of minutes.
Decorate with buttercream frosting or leave plain and enjoy.
Variations & Substitutions
Feel free to add pecans, walnuts, or almonds to give the cookie a crunch.
For chocolate buttercream (pictured), take 1 stick room temperature butter and whip until creamy. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, and milk as needed. Whip until really creamy. Add some melted chocolate chips to give it a richer chocolatey taste.
Cookie Cake Questions
In an 9inch pan, this will give you 8 good sized slices. It can serve between 4-8 people.
Many cookie cakes are very dense and thin. This version is thicker so it’s dense in the middle and fluffy around the outside.
Cover with foil and store on the counter for 3-5 days.
Birthday Cookie Cake
Equipment
- 1 9 in round cake tin
- 2 mixing bowls
- 1 wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter (melted)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Melt the butter in the microwave. Set aside and cool for 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter with the brown and white sugars. Add the egg, vanilla, and milk. Mix together.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- In a greased 9in round cake tin, add the cookie dough and press into the pan.
- Bake at 350 °F for 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Do not over bake. Cover with foil half way through if the edges start to get too brown.
Notes
- If you like doughier cookies, underbake this cooke cake by 2-3 minutes.
- Cover with aluminum foil if the edges of the cookie cakes start to get too brown.
