This sheet pan chocolate chip cookie cake is fudgy and gooey when fresh out of the oven, then settles into a moist and chewy texture that’s perfect for cutting into squares and serving at a party. It’s the biggest chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever baked and after lots of recipe testing, it’s exactly how I imagined. I love that it comes together with simple ingredients and you don’t even need a mixer for the batter – just a large bowl, a whisk, and a silicone spatula. It would be so perfect for a birthday party and I’ll show you how to decorate it with buttercream and turn it into a celebratory masterpiece!
Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Ingredients
When it comes to chocolate chip cookie recipes, you’ll usually find the same types of ingredients involved. It’s the amount of these ingredients and the way they’re prepared (ie melted or softened butter) that makes a big difference from recipe to recipe. I really wanted this chocolate chip cookie cake to be moist and chewy, yet hold its shape when cut, and have amazingly decadent flavor. So after lots of recipe testing, here are some key ingredients + substitutions:
- Melted butter. The way you add butter to a cookie recipe matters, and when you add melted butter the result is a denser, more fudgy cookie. Just the way I like them. This recipe calls for unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter on hand you can use that as a substitute. Just be sure to omit the salt in the recipe if you do.
- Lots of brown sugar (and a little granulated sugar too). While both sugars add sweetness to this chocolate chip cookie cake, the brown sugar is particularly good at adding more moisture and depth of flavor due to the molasses in the granules. You can use light or dark brown sugar, but dark brown sugar will contribute even more depth to the overall flavor.
- 3 large eggs. In my recipe testing I found that more eggs = more moisture in this cookie recipe. This was the perfect amount of eggs to create a moist, chewy texture + beautiful structure.
- Vanilla extract. I love adding extra vanilla whenever possible, so I add an entire Tablespoon to this sheet pan cookie recipe. If you want to get fancy you could also sub some of the vanilla (about ½ tsp) with almond extract.
- Cornstarch. Also known as corn flour, this ingredient is key to making the cookie texture soft. It works together with the flour to add structure while tenderizing. If you don’t have this on hand, you can substitute ½ tsp baking powder instead.
- All-purpose flour. This is the best type of flour to use with this recipe. If you need to make this gluten-free, it will work with a 1:1 substitute of gluten-free all purpose flour as well.
- Chocolate chips. You can use any kind of chocolate chips you’d like (milk, dark, semi-sweet, or white), but I always love using classic semi-sweet chocolate chips. I like to add most of the chocolate chips into the batter, then sprinkle the rest on top.
Sheet Pan Cookie Tips for Success
- Work quickly. Since you’re starting with melted butter, it’s important to get the dough together before the butter begins to firm up. Otherwise it won’t be easy to spread in the pan. You don’t have to be a speed baker or anything (the dough should come together in just about 10 minutes) but you will want to keep time in mind.
- Properly measure your flour either by spooning the flour into your measuring cup and then leveling it or using a digital kitchen scale. I always prefer the latter option.
- Spread the dough all the way to the edges. These cookies bake in a 13×18 inch sheet pan, and it will seem like the dough is really thin when spread all the way to the edges. Trust me, the dough will rise the perfect amount when it’s spread in an even layer, all the way to the edges.
- Line the pan. I find it easiest to get the cookies out of the pan when the bottom is lined with parchment paper and the sides are sprayed with baking spray.
- Don’t overbake. Even if the center seems a bit on the soft side, it’s important to take the cookies out of the oven once the top is golden brown. It will continue baking and firming up as it cools, and I find that 14 minutes in my oven is the perfect amount of time.
- Let the cookie cake cool before adding frosting. To make sure the frosting doesn’t melt, you’ll want the chocolate chip cookie cake to cool completely to room temperature before adding any buttercream details.
How to Decorate a Cookie Cake
This sheet pan cookie cake is beautiful as-is, but if you want to go the extra mile and turn it into a celebratory dessert, I recommend decorating it with a little buttercream. I used my favorite vanilla buttercream recipe with Wilton Tip 6B (a large open star tip) for the border and added some pretty sprinkles on top.
Feel free to get creative with the border design and use the middle of the sheet pan cookie cake for a special message, if desired. I used Wilton Tip 10 to write Happy Birthday on this one.
Storing & Serving the Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
To store this cookie cake, you can simply wait until it’s room temperature and cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap. It will last up to 3 days this way at room temperature, but fresh is always best. If you’re not planning on decorating with buttercream I recommend enjoying this cookie cake fresh out of the oven or the following day.
If you are planning on decorating the cookie cake with buttercream, you must let it cool to room temperature before piping on the frosting. In this case I recommend baking the cookie cake, then decorating with buttercream several hours later or the following day.
To serve the sheet pan cookie cake, simply cut it into squares of your desired size! If you cut equal portions of 2×2 squares, you’ll get about 54 servings.
Whether you’re hosting a birthday party for someone who loves chocolate chip cookies or you want a simple tray bake that you can share around, this recipe is ideal. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Ingredients
Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/3 Cups (267g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 Cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cornstarch*
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 Cups (398g) all purpose flour
- 2 Cups (350g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Vanilla Buttercream (Optional)
- 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
- pinch of salt, or to taste
Additional Garnish (Optional)
- 2 Tbsp rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
Make the Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Prepare a 13×18 inch sheet pan by spraying the sides with baking spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter: In a microwave safe bowl, heat the butter in 20-30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until the butter is melted. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Pour the melted butter on top and whisk together until uniform. Add the eggs and vanilla, then continue whisking until uniform. Whisk in the baking soda, cornstarch, and salt.
- Add the flour and use a silicone spatula to fold it in until smooth cookie dough forms. Reserve 1/2 Cup of the chocolate chips and set them aside, then add the remaining 1 1/2 Cups of chocolate chips into the cookie dough and fold until evenly dispersed.
- Add the chocolate chip cookie dough into the prepared sheet pan and use an offset spatula to spread it all the way to the edges in an even layer. It will seem like a very thin layer, like you have just enough dough but don't worry – it's the perfect amount and will rise beautifully in the oven.
- Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup of chocolate chips on top of the cookie dough and bake for 14-16 minutes, until it looks golden brown on the edges and set. It might seem soft in the middle but don't be tempted to over-bake! It will continue to bake on the cookie sheet out of the oven. 14 minutes is the perfect amount of time for my oven.
- Let the cookie cake cool completely to room temperature before frosting, or if you decide not to add the buttercream feel free to enjoy it warm.
Make the Vanilla Buttercream
- With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light (almost white) in color. About 7 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add the sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
- Add vanilla, milk, and salt and mix on low for another minute until fully incorporated.
Assembly
- To create the look of the frosted cookie cake pictured, begin by tinting the buttercream, if desired. I divided the buttercream into two separate bowls and used 1 drop of AmeriColor Electric Purple in the first one to create a light pastel purple, then placed 2 drops of the same color in the remaining bowl to create a slightly darker pastel purple.
- Place the light purple buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 6B and pipe stars all around the (cooled) cookie cake border. Sprinkle the piping with rainbow sprinkles (I used this blend by SprinklePop). Place the lighter purple buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 10 and handwrite a message in the center of the cookie cake.
Notes
Did you make this sheet pan chocolate chip cookie cake? I want to know how it went. Let me know in the comments below or tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me. I love to see what you create with my recipes!
This is my new go-to chocolate chip cookie cake recipe!! I have celiac and I frequently make desserts for myself & others who are gluten & dairy free. This recipe was wonderful working with those modifications!! I typically can tell if something is dairy free but these were excellent!
Yay, Jennifer! I’m so happy to hear that this worked as a gf/df cookie cake! Let me know what modifications you made so others can do the same if needed.
This is so good! I am a home baker and do cakes for special events. My son is totally over my cakes and cakes in general so he asked for cookies. I showed him this and he loved the idea. I made it and it was a huge hit with twelve 9-11 year old boys plus my husband and three other kids.
I will definitely make this again.
Yay, Kasey! It makes me so happy to hear that this recipe was such a hit. Thanks for letting me know and happy birthday to your son!
Can you substitute eggs in this recipe?
Hi Kandace! I haven’t tried this recipe with an egg substitute, so it would be an experiment. Let me know if you try an egg replacer of some sort!
I was wondering can I make this recipe in a 12 or 14 inch round pan?
Hi Manal! I haven’t tried it myself, but another commenter said they made it in two 8-inch round pans so I think one 12-inch round pan would work great. I’m not sure about the baking time for a pan that size so keep an eye on it and take it out of the oven once the edges are set and starting to brown. I would check around the 10-12 minute mark. Hope that helps!
Hello Whitney, can the granulated sugar be substituted for coconut sugar
Hi Michelle! I haven’t tried it before but after a little research it looks like there’s a good chance it will work. Try subbing an equal amount of coconut sugar for the granulated sugar and let me know how it goes!
I’ve made several cookie cakes but this one was perfection! Tastes like Great American’s texture but such better flavor. 10/10!
Yay, Janelle! I’m so happy to hear that you love this recipe!
Very easy cookie cake recipe! Didn’t try the frosting as I am doing a chocolate version. I don’t have a 13×18, but it splits perfectly into two 9×13 for anyone interested.
Update: ended up doing the frosting recipe listed and it was perfect. Probably my best ever attempt at a frosting that I could actually write and decorate with. Will be using the cake and frosting recipes plenty more in the future! Thank you.
Yay, Heather!! That makes me so happy! Thanks for the update 🙂
Made this for my fiance’s birthday. Came out perfect and tasted delicious! Thank you so much!
Hi there, I am in charge of doing the large scale baking project for our Lenten Dinners that my Church does. I have been looking for a recipe like this! Normally we bake in a full size sheet pan, and have a cutting frame to give us 54 equally cut pieces from each pan. Can you recommend using the full size pan with a double or triple recipe, or should we stick to the recommended sized pan? I want to make sure it is fully cooked in the middle as we don’t want to waste any by not being able to serve undercooked pieces. We bake approximately 7-8 full sheet pans a week during Lent. Thank you!
Hi Barbara! Wow, that’s a lot of cookie bars and I’m so fascinated that you have a cutting frame for the pans! So efficient. I haven’t tried this recipe in a full-sized sheet pan before so I would recommend a practice run with a double batch of the recipe if you can. Otherwise I can only recommend baking in a half sheet. Let me know how it goes!
Hi! Looking for a chewy and moist cookie cake recipe for 4inch mini cookie cakes. Is this recipe versatile to bake in a smaller mold and adjust the bake temp and cook time? Thanks!!
Hi Jillian! What size pans are you using? The recipe should work in smaller pans.
It would be individual 4 inch heart shaped pans. Thank you!
This is a 10 out of 10 for me! All of your tips were right on! The centre was a bit softer was still baked enough and delicious. It was a big hit! Will definitely be making again. Thanks!
Yay, Sue! I’m so happy you loved this one!
Any modifications if I’d like to brown the butter beyond melting? I just love the flavor of browned butter in chocolate chip cookies! Thanks!
Hi Jessica! Brown butter would be lovely in this recipe. I’d add 4 extra Tablespoons to the butter amount (to account for some of the moisture loss in the browning process), then brown the butter and continue on with the recipe as written. Enjoy!
Hi! This was a super easy recipe to follow! I baked my cookie cake and then left it to cool and moved it to a sheet to decorate the next day, but when I trimmed and cut it in half to stack it looks like the middle wasn’t throughly baked all the way. I baked in my oven for 16 minutes at 350. I will try again and let it get more brown this time! But the edges were delicious!