Looking for how to make a cookie cake? This copycat Great American cookie cake recipe is EASY and SO GOOD too!
Great American Cookie Cake Recipe – So FUN for Birthdays or Parties!
If you're on the hunt for a good cookie cake recipe, you've landed in the exact right place! This cookie cake is a family favorite at our house. We love to make this when we're celebrating (or just in the mood for an oh-so-yummy treat) 🙂
The Great American cookie cakes you can find in the mall are yummy, but expensive! You'll usually pay about $37 for a 16″ round cake – or up to $45 for a rectangular pan size.
This homemade cookie cake is BETTER in my opinion, and will only cost you a few dollars in ingredients! (depending on what you have in your pantry already)
If you're a newbie in the kitchen – take a deep breath, because this homemade chocolate chip cookie cake recipe is SUPER easy & forgiving!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Recipe Tips
Frosting:
I've made this recipe with my homemade buttercream frosting spread all over the whole thing for ULTIMATE sugary coverage…
And I've made it using a Betty Crocker spray frosting to create a pretty border around the edge. If you decide to cheat like I did, this Betty Crocker filled piping bag even comes with sprinkles!
Pans:
I've made this recipe in the past using my 12″ round pizza pan with great results. All I did was dump the batter onto the ungreased pan and then spread it as evenly as possible.
And I've also used a 9 x 13″ cake pan with equally great results.
*NOTE – When we used the round pizza pan, the edges did get a little bit crisp*
Toppings:
You could make the chocolate chip cookie cake with JUST chocolate chips – or you could fold in M&M's and top with sprinkles. You can make a Reese's Pieces version for your peanut butter lovers. You could even go crazy and put in all of the above – the sky's the limit!
How to make a Homemade Birthday Cookie Cake
I know that old picture above is just plain and pitiful, but you've got to trust me… This is the best ever copycat Great American Cookie Cake you'll ever bake.
My kids LOVE a good Great American cookie cake.
When my son turned 14 his sister was determined to bake him a birthday cookie cake. It had been a crazy week around here so I really didn't have much planned. We literally just went out to eat for his birthday!
She didn't want to use a store bought recipe. She wanted to her own birthday cake for him!
She found a recipe to use. And then, on her own, she rode her bike up to Publix to grab the ingredients. Then she came home and baked it right up for him. (How sweet is that??)
Goodness, it was so good.
So good that the big fourteen year old even thanked his eleven year old sister for it more than two times. And that's a pretty big compliment coming from him to her!
How to Make a Cookie Cake
You're first going to want to beat your unsalted butter together with your white and brown sugars, as well as your vanilla, until the butter and sugars mixture is light and fluffy. You could do this in your stand mixer, electric mixer, or even by hand. Once that has been mixed, you'll add in your eggs and mix well.
Slowly add in your flour, salt, and baking soda, and then mix well. Stir in your chocolate chips, M&M's, and any other add ons you're planning to use. You could also try doubling the recipe and freezing the dough for later if you'd like!
Press the cookie dough into your pan that you're using (either a 9×13 pan or a 12″ pizza pan works great – if you have a large springform pan you may be able to use that as well). Preheat your oven to 375 and the bake time should be right around 20 or 25 minutes.
Allow the cookie cake to cool completely, then you'll want to frost with buttercream. We used a vanilla buttercream homemade recipe, but you could easily use a store bought to make this quicker. You'll probably need about 3/4 cup of frosting (depending on what designs you use).
Decorate as you'd like and serve at room temperature!
Homemade Cookie Cake (Similar to Great American Cookie Cakes!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup M&Ms or Sprinkles Or could use all chocolate chips, we just decided to use both
Instructions
- Beat butter, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
- Add in eggs and beat well.
- Slowly add in flour, salt and baking soda, then mix until well blended.
- Add in chocolate chips and M&Ms.
- Spread into 9x13" pan or pat onto a 12" Pizza Pan
- Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.
- Frost with buttercream or store-bought frosting and Enjoy!(I just beat together 1 stick of butter (softened), 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 cups powdered sugar, then add a few tablespoons of milk until it's at desired thickness.)
Do you have a favorite cookie cake recipe or have you used another chocolate chip cookie recipe for this type of cookie cake? Let me know in the comments!
If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE.
Connie says
This recipe is exactly the same recipe as regular Toll-House cookies.
To make any cookie cake, mix up your preferred cookie mix and spread it out on a pizza pan or a rectangular cake pan. Decorate any way you decide- with any icing recipe. Keep in mind that it will be very sweet, so use sparingly. Along edges and maybe a message in middle is all the sweetness that’s needed.
375° for 20 min.
Cindy T says
Turned out beautiful , slightly crisp edges .. cooked in the middle. Might be great if your an icing fan but with out icing this cookie is hohum. Nothing special I will not be making again. Perfect portion for 12 inch round although I cooked it just under 20 minutes and it was pretty perfectly cooked ( more overdone than underdone )
Nav says
This cookie cake came out FANTASTIC! Thank you for posting this 🙂 we loved eating the great American cookie company cake at the mall in Jersey when we were younger. The only note from me, and this depends on your oven, is that it only took 12-13 mins to bake! I would recommend watching the cookie cake as it bakes every 5-10 mins. Thank you!!
Amanda Henderlong says
Do I refrigerate it after if I’m going to serve a day later? Or room temperate
Laurie says
Room temperature is fine Amanda! 🙂 Hope that helps!
Terri Hill says
Delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Taylor says
I wish I would have read the comments before making this. Not a great American Cookie recipe. You should change the name on this recipe.
It was tasty but not what I was excepting, unfortunately.
Nany says
Can i get this recipe emailed to me
Laurie says
Hi Nany! At the top of the the post there’s a button to “print recipe” – that should help!
Baker says
This is the toll house cookie recipe
Marcopolo says
Ugh! This is NOT the great American cookie company’s recipe. It’s just a cookie on a sheet cake. Do NOT make this if you’re looking for the “mall cookie cake hack” recipe. Bummer.
Kathy B says
I LOVE Great American Cookie frosting – chocolate and vanilla!!! Crossing fingers this will be a close match!!! Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!
Kathy B says
Hi! What recipe did you use for the frosting? When I clicked on the link it took me to allrecipes but it had 83 different buttercream frosting recipes on there. I was just curious as to which one you used? Thanks 🙂
Laurie says
This one is the closest to it – I just used smaller measurements. Hope that helps Kathy! http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Special-Buttercream-Frosting/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=buttercream%20frosting&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe&soid=sr_results_p1i2
(I use milk instead of heavy cream)
Bonnie Gregory says
I wanted to make your dessert for easter, If I shaped it into an egg would it hold its shape on a baking sheeet?
Pam Marcum says
That looks so good! Thanks!
Angela says
What an amazing young lady you have! The chore list and now this? Laurie, you’re doing a great job with those kiddos! 🙂
Laurie says
It’s been a good week for her Angela! 🙂 She could run the house completely I think without me – my other two kiddos would be crazy, but things would sure be organized around here!
Jen says
What a sweet sister!