This chewy sheet pan cookie cake is the perfect birthday treat for a crowd! Bake in a rimmed half sheet cookie sheet, this giant cookie cake feeds 24 people!
Save this Recipe!
Enter your email and I'll send this recipe to you.
Move on over Mrs. Fields, we're making our own giant birthday cookie cake today! Based on my round Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe, this chewy chocolate chip cookie cake rivals store-bought and can be made for a fraction of the cost!
Use food coloring and sprinkles to customize the toppings to your event and use my free large number stencils to create a bakery-worthy giant birthday cookie cake!
Why I Love This Sheet Pan Cookie Cake
- Super chewy: The melted butter gives this giant chocolate chip cookie sheet cake the perfect chewy texture.
- Feeds a crowd: This recipe makes a large 13x18" cookie cake, which is enough to feed 24-32 people (depending on how big you cut the squares!). Sheet pan desserts for the win!
- Slices perfectly: Just like my regular sized Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe, this sheet pan cookie cake cuts into perfect, sturdy (but soft!) squares.
- Layer it! For even more cookie cake deliciousness, double the recipe and make a layered sheet pan cookie cake.
Ingredients
- For the Cookie Cake: butter, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, flour, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- For the Homemade Frosting (optional): butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and milk.
- Rimmed Half Sheet Pan
- Large star piping tip (if you plan to pipe!)
- Sprinkles, duh!
Tip: If you want to try more flavors, double my other homemade cookie cake recipes like my Frosted Sugar Cookie Cake or Chewy M&M Cookie Cake!
How to Make Sheet Pan Cookie Cake:
Step 1: Crush Half the Chocolate Chips
Place 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a plastic bag and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to break them down into small pieces (set the other 1 cup of unchopped chocolate chips aside).
Tip: You can also just use a chopping knife to chop the chocolate.
Step 2: Melt Butter & Add Ingredients
In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter for 30-60 seconds until fully melted (you don’t want it piping hot).
Transfer butter to a large 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 eggs. 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 1 cup of chopped chocolate chips and 1 cup of whole chocolate into the dough and mix.
Step 3: Press Dough Into Pan & Bake
Grease a half sheet metal cookie cake pan with nonstick cookie spray and press dough into an even layer. Although this cookie removes cleanly, if you are worried about it sticking, line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper first.
Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes or until edges are slightly brown – do NOT overbake or your chocolate chip cookie cake will not be soft. Allow the cookie cake to completely cool before frosting.
Tip: If you don't need such a giant cookie cake, you can also cut this recipe in half and bake it in a 9x13 pan (bake shorter for 12-14 minutes).
Step 4: Decorate & Serve
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 sprinkles (the frosting will start hardening quick, so add sprinkles right away!). This recipe makes enough to pipe a generous border along the edges, while still having some to decorate the center.
To Serve: After frosted, cut in 24 squares. You can also cut smaller pieces to serve a larger crowd.
Cookie Cake Buttercream Frosting
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 the day of OR gently wrap the frosted cookie after the frosting sets and place it in the fridge.
Cookie Cake Decorating Ideas
Use my free large number stencils to pipe on a birthday number! To do so, simply cut out the center number and then gently place on the cookie. Use a small piping tip or ziploc bag to pipe small dots inside the letter. Remove to reveal your bakery-worthy cookie cake!
Storage & Freezing Tips
Storing: After decorating, allow frosting to harden, and then carefully wrap the cookie in plastic wrap. This cookie cake is best to eat within 2 days; after that it starts to dry out.
Make-Ahead/Freezing: If you need to make this more than 2 days ahead, wrap the unfrosted sheet cake in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze. When ready to serve, let thaw and decorate.
Frequently Asked Questions:
If you don't need such a huge cookie cake, you can alter this cookie sheet cake recipe depending on your pan size.
- For 9x13, cut the recipe in half and bake for 12-14 minutes.
- For a 12" circle, use my Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe (this sheet pan recipe is my standard recipe but doubled for the dough and tripled for the frosting).
Canned frosting will work just fine, just keep in mind that it's not as sturdy when you pipe it. My recipe will create a nice, sturdy pipeable frosting that will harden.
If you do use canned frosting, you will need at least 2 cans to frost this giant chocolate chip cookie cake.
Absolutely! You can customize these cookie cake bars to your liking; add festive sprinkles, M&M's, or your favorite nuts. The fun thing about making a large rectangle cookie cake is that you can also put different toppings in different parts of the dough!
Chewy Sheet Pan Cookie Cake
Ingredients
Cookie Cake Recipe
- 1 cup unsalted butter You will be melting this. Do not use margarine for this recipe!
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (You'll be chopping 1 cup and adding the remaining 1 cup whole).
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons milk
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
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Place 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to break them down into small pieces (set the other 1 cup of unchopped chocolate chips aside).
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the unsalted butter (1 cup, i.e. 2 sticks) for 20-30 seconds until JUST melted.
- Add in granulated sugar (½ cup) and light brown sugar (1 cup) and use a spatula to stir until combined (* do not use a mixer!). Add in eggs (2 large) and vanilla extract (1 tablespoon), then mix. Next, add in baking soda (1 teaspoon), baking powder (½ teaspoon), and salt (½ teaspoon) and mix again. Add in all-purpose flour (3 cups) and mix until all the flour disappears into the dough.
- Add the 1 cup of chopped chocolate chips and 1 cup of whole chocolate chips into the dough and mix. Immediately proceed to pressing into pan (you don't want the dough sitting out or it will set too much with the melted butter).
- Grease a 13x18" half sheet metal cookie cake pan (see notes below for alternate pans. Although this cookie removes cleanly, if you are worried about it sticking, line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper first. Press dough into an even layer in pan.
- Bake at 350℉ for 16-18 minutes - do NOT overbake or your chocolate chip cookie cake will not be soft. You want the cookie cake to be slightly brown on the top and look slightly underbaked (my oven was perfect at 16 minutes). Remove from oven and place entire pan on a cooling rack. Allow the cookie cake to cool completely before removing.
- 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!).
To Make Frosting:
- Beat the softened unsalted butter (¾ cup, i.e., 1 ½ sticks) on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until smooth. Turn the mixer to low speed then add the powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time (3 ¾ cups total). You may need to stop and scrape down sides. Add vanilla extract (1 tablespoon) and salt (¼ teaspoon) and turn mixer to medium speed. One tablespoon at a time, add milk (3 tablespoons total). 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, as well as write a phrase on top.
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.
Notes
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!
Brianna says
Great recipe! Although I’m wanting to transfer the cake from the baking pan, how can I do that without it falling apart?
Melissa says
Hi Brianna! For transferring, I'd use parchment with a couple inches of overhang so that you slide it out. Your best bet is to also make sure the cookie is fully cooled and you could even refrigerate it for about 30 minutes so it firms up to prevent breaking when transferring.
Beth says
So easy, love that I don’t need a mixer to get the dough together…perfectly moist and a real crowd pleaser.
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Beth!
Aneth Lozoya says
I’m curious…if I make the complete original cookie recipe, can I just divide the mix into TWO 9x13 pans?
Would it work rather than having to cut the recipe in half.
Melissa says
Yes, if you make this sheet pan recipe as-is you can divide it in two 9x13" pans!
Becca says
This was so easy and delicious!
Melissa says
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Becca!
Natasha Miller says
Hi Melissa, I'm interested in trying this recipe. Just curious, have you ever made it with browned butter?
Melissa says
I haven't! But I bet it would be good! I would just be brown extra butter so that the amount you use is what the recipe says, since some of the liquid from the butter can burn off in the browning process. If you try it, be sure to report back!
Eileen says
Followed the recipe as directed, did not over mix or over bake.
(Baked for 15 minutes) Perfect taste and texture. Everyone loved it!
Maddie says
Delicious! Pretty straightforward to make too! I made this as written and it fit perfectly into two 8” round cake pans. I cooled them on a wire rack in the fridge (about 30-40min) then stacked them with a layer of icing in-between, to make a two-tiered cookie cake. I doubled the icing recipe and it made just enough to put icing between the two layers and cover the entire top in cute piped designs. The icing is great and is really good the next day! Three other people also loved my cookie cake. It was certainly not dry, but next time I’m going to see if I can make it a bit more moist, it was just a tad more crumbly than I personally prefer. I give it 5 stars!! Thanks!
Melissa says
So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Maddie! Thank you so much for leaving a review, I really appreciate it!
Sherri says
Once cooled can I use a heart cookie cutter to make individual cookies?
Melissa says
Yes, you totally can! I've done that before!
Lindsay Tyler says
Thank you for such an amazing recipe and very clearly written instructions! This is hands down the BEST cookie cake recipe! The cookie is soft and chewy with the perfect amount chips! Crushing half of them really makes this cookie a winner! The frosting is easy and no fail in my book! I do prefer to do 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon of butter flavoring just to give it an extra boost, but completely just a personal preference. Again, thank you for sharing this great recipe!!!
Jenna says
Vanilla in cake or frosting bc I love a hint of vanilla or almond in cakes!
Ashley says
Made this for my 3 years birthday. She doesn't eat cake but loves chocolate chip cookies. I didnt make any icing for it as she doesnt eat that either. I felt this would be a great alternative. It was! My 3 year loved it! My entire family loves it. I actually just made another one because my husband requested it. He wants this instead of cookies from now on.
Melissa says
I am so happy to hear you and your fam loves this recipe, Ashley! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it!