Chewy M&M Cookie Cake

This Chewy M&M Cookie Cake is the perfect way to celebrate birthdays or other special occasions! It’s quick to make, tastes better than store-bought, and can be made for less than $10!

Looking for more cookie cake recipes? Check out my 5 star homemade cookie cake recipe!

What makes this the best M&M cookie cake recipe?

1. It has a chewy, soft texture and doesn’t requiring chilling the dough, which means you can make it in less than 30 minutes!
2. It only costs less than $10 to make – forget the $25 store-bought ones! These rival Great American Cookie and are cheaper than the bakery or grocery store ones!
3. Don’t have a cookie cake pan? Use the DIY pan hack below or bake my Chewy M&M Cookie Bars in a 9×13 pan instead!

Tips to Make the BEST M&M Cookie Cake:

1. Use melted butter and mix by hand: The melted butter in this chocolate chip cookie dough makes it super smooth and helps it bake up into the perfect chewy, yet sturdy cookie. Rather than whipping air into it and making the dough light and fluffy, mixing by hand allows it to have a denser texture (and also makes it easier to press into the pan as it’s not sticky!).
2. Spread into a 10.5″ Metal Round Pan ($8 from Amazon!) or bake in 9×13 metal pan or DIY foil cookie cake pan: The key to the perfect cookie cake is only spreading the dough to be about 1/2″ thick. If you use a smaller pan, the dough will be thicker and require a longer baking time. If you use a larger pan, the dough will be spread too thin and result in a crispy cookie.
3. Do Not Overbake: This is the trick to the perfect, SOFT, chewy M&M cookie cake. Take it out when the top is slightly brown and the center looks like it is baked through. My oven bakes the perfect cookie cake in 12 minutes in my 10.5″ pan, but you just want to keep a close eye on it to prevent it from baking too long (no one likes crunchy cookie cakes!).
4. Allow to FULLY cool before removing from pan: To remove from pan, use a knife to go around the edges, place a flat platter or baking sheet on top (must be larger than the cake and not be indented in the middle), then flip over the pan to remove. If you used parchment paper, this should come out rather smoothly. After flipping over the cookie cake, flip it over again on the final decorate plate or platter (I LOVE these cute paper serving platters and the largest one in the pack is perfect for a 10.5 cookie cake).

What You Need to Make This Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Recipe:

• For the M&M Cookie Cake: butter, white sugar, brown sugar, 1 egg, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, flour, M&M’s, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• For the Homemade Frosting (optional): butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and a little milk.
• 10.5″ Round Cookie Cake Pan (don’t have one? scroll for alternatives & instructions!)
• Large star piping tip (if you plan to pipe!)
• + M&M’s for decorating!

How to Make this M&M Birthday cake

Step 1: Melt Butter & Add Ingredients

In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter for 20-30 seconds until JUST melted (you don’t want it piping hot).

Transfer butter to a larger mixing bowl and add in white sugar and brown sugar. Use a spatula (don’t use a mixer!) to stir by hand until combined. Mix in egg. Next, add in baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix again.

Add flour and mix until all the flour disappears into the dough. Lastly, add the chocolate chips and M&M’s into the dough and mix.

Step 2: Press Dough Into Pan

Grease a 10.5″ metal cookie cake pan (don’t have one? See tip below). Although this cookie removes cleanly, if you are worried about it sticking, line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper first.

Using a spoon or your clean hands, drop the dough into small chunks in the pan. This will help disperse everything so that you can easily smooth it out.

Once all dough as been added, use a spatula or your hands to press down the dough into a smooth layer (being sure to get all the corners). This method is my best tip to make a cookie cake evenly.

Tip: If you notice 2-3 chocolate chips or M&M’s are stuck together, separate them before baking. This will allow the chocolate to be evenly dispersed and prevent the cookie from having a giant clump of chocolate in one spot (which could cause it to more easily break while cutting).

Don’t have a round 10.5″ cookie cake pan?

1. You can bake in a 9×13 metal pan (they’ll be a little thinner so watch the oven around the 12 minute mark). You can use the baking time in my Chewy M&M Cookie Bars as a guide.
2. Create a DIY cookie cake pan using a large mixing bowl (that is about 10.5″ in diameter) with aluminum foil (scroll to FAQ section for instructions). Because you don’t have as much heat from a real metal pan, these typically take an extra 4-6 minutes to bake.

Step 3: Bake

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes – do NOT overbake or your chocolate chip cookie cake will not be soft.

How do you know when cookie cake is done? The top should be slightly brown (see below) and the center baked through. The cookie may still look slightly underbaked but this is the trick to a soft, chewy cookie. If you overbake it and it gets too brown, you will have a crunchy cookie cake. Allow the cookie cake to cool completely before removing.

To remove from pan: use a knife to go around the edges, place a flat platter on top, then flip over the pan to remove. If you used parchment paper, this should come out rather smoothly. After flipping over the cookie cake, flip it over again on the final decorate plate or platter (I LOVE these cute paper serving platters and the largest one in the pack is perfect for a 10.5″ cookie cake). Allow cake to fully cool before frosting.

Step 4: Pipe or Spread Frosting

Use the instructions in the recipe card below to make my homemade vanilla buttercream (it tastes like ice cream!) or you could also use canned frosting.

Using a large star piping tip, pipe around the edges then immediately add M&M’s on top (the frosting will start hardening quick, so add M&M’s right away!).

If you’re feeling fancy, pipe phrases like “Happy Birthday” on the top with frosting (although this can be risky unless you’re a skilled frosting writer!) OR use this fool-proof letterboard cake topper kit (these are made from plastic so you can wash and reuse for years!). So many options to decorate this M&M birthday cake!

Step 5: Slice & Enjoy!

Use a sharp, large knife to cut. Depending on how many you’re needing to feed, cut the cookie cake in normal triangles or in smaller squares.

Can Cookie Cake Be Made Ahead?

Yes, but I would wait to decorate it until day-of because the color from the M&M’s on top will start to bleed into the white frosting after sitting for a while. I’d instead suggest wrapping the baked cookie in saran wrap then waiting to frost until day-of.

If you do make & frost it 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.

How Long Will A Cookie Cake Stay Fresh?

Wrapped in saran wrapped or placed in an airtight container, these will be best when eaten within 2-3 days. They technically last longer than that, but they will start getting a dry texture.

Can Cookie Cake Be Frozen?

Yes, but I would suggest freezing it before frosting or you risk the frosting getting smashed. To freeze the baked cake, allow to completely cool, remove from pan, then carefully wrap in several layers of plastic wrap. When you’re ready to eat it, let it thaw to room temperature then frost.

Note: Frozen cookies will naturally get dry over time (and start absorbing a freezer burn taste), so I’d suggest only freezing for about a month.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What if I don’t have a cookie cake pan?

Don’t have a round 10.5″ cookie cake pan? You can turn these into m&m cookie cake bars by using a 9×13 metal pan (they will just be a little thinner, so you may need to bake a couple minutes less) OR create a DIY cookie cake pan using the instructions below. Super easy to do!

1. Take about 2 feet of aluminum foil and fold it a few times to create a long skinny strip. Wrap that strip around the top of a large mixing bowl (that is about 10.5″ in diameter) to use as your guide.
2. Remove it from the bowl then take a smaller strip to secure the two ends closed, completing the circle.
3. Place the foil ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet then press dough into the middle, trying not to let any slip below the bottom ridge of the foil (it should all be contained within).
4. Bake. Because you don’t have as much heat from a real metal pan, these typically take an extra 4-6 minutes to bake through. Immediately after baking, carefully remove foil ring then use a butter knife to push in any rough edges. You’re not going have as clean of edges as you would with a real pan, but the foil ring definitely helps create a wall rather than having the cookie spread onto the pan.

Do you keep cookie cake in the fridge?

You can but you don’t have to (the sugar content in the frosting will help it not go bad as fast). If unfrosted, this cookie cake will be good covered/wrapped at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you use the homemade frosting, I would refrigerate it if not eaten within a day.

That said, I find that chilling cookie cakes will typically dry them out a bit so for the freshest flavor and texture, I wouldn’t make this more than a day or two ahead of when you plan to eat.

Can I make this into a layered cookie cake?

You sure can! To do this, make two 10.5″ cookie cakes, double the icing recipe, then spread half of the frosting between the two cookies and the remaining to pipe on top.

With a layered cookie cake being a little richer in flavor with the additional frosting, you can cut it into smaller squares or wedges.

Can I double this cookie cake recipe?

You can, but you still want to make sure the dough is only 1/2″ thick once spread in the pan (so you would need a larger pan than 10.5″). Note that thicker dough will require longer baking times and won’t be as much like the traditional, chewy cookie cake recipe you may be used to.

How much does this cookie cake recipe cost to make?

A store-bought cookie cake will likely run you around $20 and if you’re getting one from somewhere like Mrs. Fields or Great American Cookies, those can go upwards to $40. If you’ve already got the staples on hand (like sugar and eggs), then this homemade cake cake costs less than $10 to make!

Does this taste like the Great American cookie cake recipe or the cookie cakes you get at Walmart or Publix?

For years, I tried recreating the chewy texture of store-bought cookie cakes and while I wouldn’t say this is an EXACT match, I would say that it’s pretty dang close! I actually like this homemade cookie cake more than those (the frosting is so much better and doesn’t have that fake taste), which are words that I didn’t think I’d ever say.

What occasions can I make this homemade cookie cake recipe?

• Birthday Cookie Cake: Top with frosting, M&M’s, sprinkles, and add a Happy Birthday message on top! Or make a double batch to make a layered cookie cake.
• Valentine’s Day Cookie Cake: Line a baking sheet with parchment then shape the dough into a large heart (or use a heart shaped pan!). Use a Valentines M&M mix, then pipe red or pink frosting along the edges and top with sprinkles.
• Easter Cookie Cake: Line a baking sheet with parchment then shape the dough into a large egg shape (or use a egg shaped pan!). Use pastel or Easter themed M&M’s then spread frosting on the top and pipe on the squiggly lines and polka dots to make it look like an easter egg.

Love this recipe? Try my other chocolate chip recipes below:

• Chewy M&M Cookie Bars
• Copycat Panera Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Two Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies