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This chocolate chip cookie cake doesn’t mess around. It’s three thick, chewy layers of classic cookie goodness, layered with tangy cream cheese frosting and a silky ganache finish that steals the show. This is an easy, bake-ahead dessert that slices clean and delivers every time.
Love bold cookie flavors? Try these matcha chocolate chip cookies for something totally different.
Here’s Why This Cookie Cake Recipe Works
Cookie layers, not cake layers: You’re baking actual chocolate chip cookie dough in cake pans. It’s rich, chewy, and doesn’t pretend to be cake.
Cream cheese frosting: Tangy and smooth buttercream that balances the chocolate.
Ganache for the win: That shiny drizzle takes it straight into celebration territory.
Built for make-ahead: The layers hold up well, and the flavors only get better with time.
Craving something with a little crunch? These crispy chocolate chip cookies deliver golden edges and a satisfying snap in every bite.
Recipe Tips
Use a kitchen scale if you can. Measuring flour by weight keeps your cookie layers soft and chewy instead of dry and dense. If you’re using cups, spoon and level, don’t scoop.
Stir in the flour and chocolate chips by hand. It’s less glamorous than a mixer, but it helps prevent overmixing.
Don’t skip the parchment paper. It makes lifting the cookie layers out of the pans way easier, and you won’t risk breaking them.
Let the layers cool completely. Frosting warm cookie layers will just melt everything into a mess. Give them time to cool before you assemble.
Use a serrated knife to slice. It’s a cookie-cake hybrid, and a serrated knife gives you clean cuts.
Chill it to firm it up (if needed). If the frosting feels soft or the kitchen’s warm, a quick chill in the fridge helps the whole cake hold its shape better.
Make it ahead. You can make the cookie cake 2 to 3 days in advance.
Don’t overbake. The tops should be lightly golden and the centers just set. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool, keeping the texture chewy instead of dry.
Can’t get enough cream cheese frosting? These fudgy brownies with cream cheese frosting are rich, dense, and topped with the same tangy swirl.
Chocolate Chip Layer Cake
This chocolate chip cookie cake is made for moments when a regular cookie just won’t cut it. Thick, chewy, and layered with tangy frosting and a silky ganache drizzle, it’s the kind of dessert that looks impressive without the hassle.
Easy to prep ahead, easy to slice, and guaranteed to disappear fast. And if you’re into rich, old-school cookies made with whole grain flour, our einkorn chocolate chip cookies are a must-try.
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Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
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Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Cookie Layers
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1⅓ cups butter, 21 tablespoons
- 1¼ cups brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 10 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
Chocolate Ganache Topping
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, or dark chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer Cake
- Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by spraying them with non-stick cooking spray and lining them with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Set aside
- Melt the butter then place it in a mixing bowl. Add the sugars to the melted butter and beat until combined. Add the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat until creamy.
- Stir the flour mixture in by hand. Do not over-mix. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Divide the batter into the three pans. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 18 to 20 until the tops are a light golden brown. Set on a wire rack to cool.
Cream cheese frosting:
- Add the cream cheese and butter to a mixing bowl and beat on high speed until it is smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla and salt and mix just until well combined.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until the sugar is moistened then increase the speed. Beat for a couple of minutes scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl intermittently. When the frosting is smooth and creamy, set aside and prepare the chocolate topping.
chocolate ganache topping:
- Add the chopped chocolate to a small bowl. Heat the heavy cream just until it barely simmers then pour the hot cream over the chocolate.
- Let the chocolate and hot cream sit for 30 seconds to 1 minutes then stir it until it is smooth. Set the mixture aside and let it cool down to room temperature.
Assemble the cookie cake
- Once the cookie cakes are cool, stack them on top of each other with a slathering of cream cheese frosting in between each layer. Reserve a small amount of cream cheese frosting to pipe on top of the assembled cake.
- Drizzle the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate ganache.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Hi I want to make this cake, looks so yummy! All I have are 3 9inch pans… does that affect the cooking time or do I need to tamper with the recipe to make more? Thank you!
Yes Jackie the cooking time will be shorter if you use 9-inch cake pans. The cookie layers won’t be quite as thick either. If you want the layers to be as thick as the one in this post then you will want to make 1.5 times the recipe for three 9-inch pans. Thanks for asking
I am assuming you used 9-in cake pans but I have 3, 10-in pans I’d like to use. Should I be preparing more batter or just use the amounts specified and expect the layers to be a little thinner?
Hey Kristen, I used 8-inch pans. A 10-inch pan holds very close to twice as much batter as an 8-inch pan. If you want to use the 10-inch pans then I would double the recipe.
This is probably a silly question, but is the 2 ounces chocolate unsweetened baking chocolate or any old chocolate bar? Thanks!! I’m making this for my husbands birthday today!!
Angie that is not a silly question at all. I am glad you asked it. That helps me clarify the recipe better. Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate for the ganache. You certainly can use any old chocolate bar but if you use milk chocolate then the ganache will be a bit thinner. Of course, that could be rectified if you cut back on the cream by a tablespoon or two. Happy birthday to the hubby, this makes a really fun birthday cake!!
Do you refrigerate this because of the cream cheese frosting?
Food safety practices will advise you to keep it refrigerated if you don’t eat it within 2 hours. If you keep it in the fridge then I recommend you take it out of the fridge 2 hours before you eat it because the cake and the frosting tastes better when it is at room temperature. I personally will keep cream cheese frosting out for 6 to 8 hours. Sugar acts as a preservative so I feel pretty comfortable with leaving it out longer than 2 hours.
I plan on making this for my Daughts Birthday but was wondering if you could make this as a 2 layer cake instead of the 3 layers?
Hey Katie, The baking time would be different if you put the batter in only two pans. I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. I would recommend turning the oven down to 325° and (I’m guessing here) probably bake them for 30 to 35 minutes. Just start checking them after 30 minutes and bake them until they are golden brown on the top and around the edges. The reason I would turn the oven down is so they don’t burn on the edges during the longer bake time. Make sure you use cake pans that are two inches deep. I hope that works for you. Happy birthday to your daughter!!
This cake sure looks stunning! I’d love a slice right now.
A great birthday cake idea for the chocolate chip cookie lover in the family. That would be most of my family. We’re not really cake eaters, but sure could put a hurt on this!
yes indeed, this is a great alternative for peeps who don’t care for traditional cake 🙂
I am drooling over this cake! You had me at chocolate. Looks incredibly delicious.
thanks Mirlene, I hope you try it 🙂
Whoa this is genius! Pinned to make ASAP! We are definitely a family of cookie monsters 🙂
woo hoo, I hope you love it Ann!!
Oh wow, this is like my dream cake!! It’s so beautiful and I’m obsessed with chocolate chip cookie anything, especially when it’s able to be made as a birthday cake!
Thanks Annie, it’s definitely an obsession!