Layered Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

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I’ve always loved making birthday cakes for the people I love, and this layered chocolate chip cookie cake has become part of my joy.

In fact, my very first baking experience was making my dad’s birthday cake. Looking back, I can smile at how ambitious I was, and that little cake sparked something that has stayed with me ever since. If you’ve read the story of my first birthday cake for my dad, you’ll understand why birthdays and baking have become so closely connected in my mind.

Over the years, I have happily accepted just about every birthday cake challenge that came my way. I’ve experimented with fondant, shaped cakes into race cars and fish, and even tackled a Gucci purse cake. Some turned out exactly as I’d imagined, while others taught me a little humility, but every one of them was made with the same goal: helping someone feel celebrated.

When my children were little, planning their birthday cakes became one of my favorite traditions. Months before their birthdays, I’d start thinking about what they were interested in that year and how I could turn it into a homemade cake. I looked forward to those projects almost as much as they looked forward to eating them.

Then one year, Charli’s oldest brother surprised me.

Instead of requesting one of Mom’s homemade birthday cakes, he asked for a Publix chocolate chip cookie cake.

Sometimes Birthday Traditions Change

Of course, I bought the cake he wanted. Birthdays should celebrate the birthday person, not the baker. Still, I was more disappointed than I’d like to admit. It quietly felt like the end of a tradition that had meant so much to me.

The next year he asked for a chocolate chip cookie cake again.

That time, I decided I was going to learn how to make one myself.

As I started experimenting, I found myself thinking back to my college days. Our sorority house had, without question, the best cook in the entire Greek system. She and her husband owned the cookie shop at the mall, and they regularly brought us giant layered cookie cakes, especially during rush.

Those cookie cakes were always a hit, and those memories gave me the inspiration I needed to create this recipe.

Instead of a single layer, like the grocery store variety, I was determined to make it a layered cookie cake.

Now, years later, this homemade cookie cake has become the birthday tradition instead. Every year we gather around the table, light the candles, sing Happy Birthday, and bring out this cake. Looking back, I’m grateful that one unexpected request led to a new family tradition that has brought us so many happy memories.

Recipe Tip

Cookie dough doesn’t naturally spread itself into a perfect circle, so don’t worry if it takes a little encouragement. I find it easiest to gently press the dough evenly into the cake pans with my fingertips.

If you’d rather not use your hands, a small pastry or pie roller also works beautifully for creating an even layer without compressing the dough too much. I reach for mine often when making recipes like this because it makes quick work of smoothing the dough into the corners. This Tianman small marble roller pin is very similar to the one I have.

More family favorite desserts

Easy Lemon Squares Recipe with Buttery Cookie Crust

Chocolate Sheet Cake

Layered Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

A soft and chewy layered chocolate chip cookie cake filled with buttercream frosting and decorated with sprinkles. This homemade cookie cake has become our family's favorite birthday tradition and is easier to make than you might think.

Author: Erica Fletcher Cooking Method: Baking Courses: Dessert

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 22 mins Rest Time 15 mins Total Time 47 mins Difficulty: Intermediate Cooking Temp: 375  F Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Ingredients

Servings

• 2 ¼ cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup of butter, softened (2 sticks)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups Chocolate chips (I like to use a combination of semi-sweet, milk, and white)
• 1 batch vanilla or chocolate buttercream frosting (for convenience you can get this from your local grocery bakery section)
• Sprinkles, jimmies, or mini chocolate chips for decoration

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another bowl, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until combined.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips.
7. Grease two 9 in round cake tins. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
8. Spread half of the cookie dough evenly in each of the cake tins by pressing down with your fingertips or using a pie or pastry roller.
9. Bake 22 minutes until golden brown and set in the middle.
10. Remove from oven and set on wire racks to cool completely.
11. Remove cookie layers from the cake tins. Set one layer, right side up, on your cake plate/stand. The sides of the cookie will naturally have risen higher than the middle. Fill this middle with frosting.
12. Place the second layer on top. Use remaining frosting to decorate around the top edge - pipe it on in whichever way pleases you. Decorate with sprinkles, jimmies, or more chocolate chips.

Note

Allow the cookie layers to cool completely before frosting.

Level the frosting by filling the naturally lower center of the cookie rather than trying to flatten the cookies.

Mix different varieties of chocolate chips for extra flavor and color.

Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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