Make a heart-shaped cookie cake without a pan! With some aluminum foil & my homemade cookie cake recipe, you can make the cutest giant heart with a few simple supplies that you probably have at home!
Supplies for Valentine heart cookie cake:
I’m a big believer that you don’t need to buy 28 different shaped cake pans to be able to make the cutest homemade cookie cakes! So today I’m sharing with you a simple tutorial for making a DIY heart-shaped cookie cake pan using aluminum foil!
- Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe (or any of my other cookie cake flavors!)
- Large cookie sheet
- Aluminum foil
- Parchment paper
- Free printable heart cookie cake template
- Scissors & tape
How to make a heart cookie cake without a pan!
Step 1: Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Whip up a batch of my Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe (recipe below!) or any of my other cookie cake flavors like Red Velvet Cookie Cake or Chewy Funfetti Cookie Cake!
Make it gluten-free! You can also make a gluten-free heart cookie cake using my Chewy Gluten-Free Cookie Cake recipe!
Step 2: Cut Out Template
Print off my free printable heart cookie cake template on 8.5×11″ paper, cut out, and then tape together to form a heart. Place template on cookie sheet and top with a piece of parchment paper.
Step 3: Press Dough Into Heart & Add Foil Strip
Using the heart template as your guide, press the cookie dough into a heart. Remove the paper heart template before you bake.
Roll out about 4 feet of aluminum foil and fold the long edge into a strip. Spray the foil strip with nonstick cooking spray, then wrap it around the heart cookie dough (gently press it to “adhere” to dough). This will be the barrier that will help prevent your cookie from spreading.
Tip: For a video tutorial, watch me make this on TikTok!
Step 4: Bake
Remove the paper heart template before you bake. Bake the heart cookie cake for 16-18 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the foil ring (if it’s sticking, use a knife to loosen).
Tip: Because we don’t have the heat of a metal pan, this is a bit longer than using a pan. If using a real metal pan, bake for 12-14 minutes.
Step 5: Decorate
Cool cake completely before decorating. To decorate, I like to pipe a border using a large star tip and bright pink frosting (formula below), then finish it off with some Valentine-themed sprinkles.
How to Make Bright Pink Frosting
To get this vibrant pink frosting, I simply added 1 drop of Wilton Red food coloring gel to the buttercream! If you want to use a pale pink color, learn my toothpick trick in How to Make Light Pink Frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What star tip do you use to decorate?
The Ateco #849 is my favorite large star tip to create a simple cookie cake border. You can also just use a ziploc bag and cut off the top for a large dot border.
What size is this heart cookie cake?
If using my template, the cookie will measure about 10″ tall and 11″ wide.
What’s the baking time if I use a metal heart-shaped pan?
If you’re using a metal heart pan and my Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe, bake for 12-14 minutes. If using the DIY foil pan hack shown in this post, bake for 16-18 minutes.
Do you have any other cookie cake flavors?
Yes! You can make this Valentine cookie cake using my Red Velvet Cookie Cake, Chewy Funfetti Cookie Cake (with Valentine sprinkles!) or even use Valentine M&M’s to make my Chewy M&M Cookie Cake. Move on over Great American Cookie…we’re making homemade this year!
Valentine Heart Cookie Cake (without a pan!)
Make a heart-shaped cookie cake without a pan! With some aluminum foil & my Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe, you can make the cutest giant heart with things you already have at home!
Ingredients
Cookie Cake Recipe
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter You will be melting this
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Chop 1/2 cup and keep 1/2 cup whole
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of Salt
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- Food coloring if desired
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make DIY foil pan according to step-by-step instructions in post above.
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In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter for 20-30 seconds until JUST melted.
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Add in white sugar and brown sugar and use a spatula to stir until combined (* do not use a mixer!). Add in egg and vanilla, then mix. Next, add in baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix again. Add in flour and mix until all the flour disappears into the dough.
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Add 1/2 cup of chopped chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of whole chocolate chips into the dough and mix.
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Place a piece of parchment on top of the printable heart template. Press cookie dough into heart shape, then wrap with greased foil strip (see instructions in post above). Remove the paper heart template from underneath the parchment paper before you bake.
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Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes (12-14 minutes if using a real metal pan). Do not overbake or your chocolate chip cookie cake will not be soft.
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After baking, cool for 5 minutes then remove foil strip. Cool completely before decorating.
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To decorate: Using a large star piping tip, pipe around the edges then immediately add sprinkles (the frosting will start hardening quick, so add sprinkles right away!).
If you're feeling fancy, you can double the frosting recipe to have enough to pipe phrases like "Happy V-Day" on the top. Or use this fool-proof letterboard cake topper kit (these are made from plastic so you can wash and reuse for years!).
To Make Frosting:
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Beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for 2-minutes until smooth. Turn the mixer to low speed then add the powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time. You may need to stop and scrape down sides. Add vanilla and salt and turn mixer to medium speed. One tablespoon at a time, add milk. Beat on high for 2-3 minutes until creamy and the frosting is at a good consistency to pipe. If it looks too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it looks too stiff, add a tiny bit of milk until you get to the desired consistency.
This will make just enough frosting to pipe a border along the edges. If you would like more frosting to cover the top or to write words on top, simply double the frosting recipe!
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Recipe Notes
Frosting Tip: This homemade buttercream will start developing a crust, which makes it a great frosting to make a day ahead. Because of the sugar content, you don’t need to refrigerate the frosted cookie cake if you plan to enjoy it within 1 day. If you are making ahead earlier, I’d suggest waiting to frost until day of OR gently wrap the frosted cookie after the frosting sets and place in the fridge.
Freezing/Make Ahead Tip: I don’t typically like freezing chocolate chip cookies because I feel like they get dry and not as chewy in the freezer. If you do need to make this in advance, you could wrap the baked, unfrosted cookie in plastic wrap and when you’re ready to eat it, let it thaw to room temperature then frost.
Gluten-Free: You can also make this heart shaped cookie cake using my Chewy Gluten-Free Cookie Cake!
Nutrition information is just an estimate but based on 12 servings.
Nutrition
If you make these (keyword), be sure to leave a comment below and tag me on Instagram @designeatrepeat. I LOVE seeing what you made!
Grace Perrera says
LOVE IT🍪 i made a double batch and cooked it for the same amount of time as regular and it worked perfect! i only used about half of the second batch and made normal cookies with the rest of the dough, was for my sisters bday and was so good, very chewy and moist so good i saw on her tik tok page that she adds cornstarch to make them more chewy but in this recipe there was no cornstarch so i also added 1/2 tsp and i don’t really know if it did anything but was absolutely delicious! i would recommend for sure!
Melissa says
Wow, you baking queen! So glad you loved this recipe, Grace! I love adding cornstarch to cookies as it makes them chewier. 1/2 teaspoon likely didn’t change much of the texture, so I’d recommend using at least 1 tablespoon next time to see a change!
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review – I appreciate it so much!
Jenny says
My family and I have always loved great American cookie cakes, and it’s been our favorite, until I tried this recipe! I was SO happy how it turned out, and it is now my favorite one I’ve tasted!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Melissa says
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear! Move on over Great American Cookie ;)
Thank you for leaving a review – I appreciate it so much!
Raquel says
My family said it’s the best thing i’ve baked so far, and i bake a lot! Super soft in the middle.
Melissa says
Wow that makes me so happy! So glad you all loved them. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review – I appreciate it so much!