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!
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 13×18″ 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 9×13 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:
Can I use a different sized pan?
If you don’t need such a huge cookie cake, you can alter this cookie sheet cake recipe depending on your pan size.
- For 9×13, 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).
Can I use canned 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.
Can I add mix-ins?
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
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!
Ingredients
Cookie Cake Recipe
- 1 cup unsalted butter You will be melting this
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 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
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3.75 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 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
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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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).
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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 eggs 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 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).
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Grease a 13×18" 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.
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Bake at 350 degrees 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.
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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:
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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, 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.
Recipe Notes
Alternate Pan Sizes: For 9×13, cut the recipe in half and bake for 12-14 minutes. For a 12″ circle, use my Homemade Cookie Cake Recipe
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: For those asking, I turned my popular cookie cake recipe into the best Chewy Gluten-Free Cookie Cake! You can turn this into a sheet pan cake but doubling the recipe.
Nutrition information is just an estimate but based on 24 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!
Sarah P says
A big hit for my family!! Loved the ease of the recipe and the wonderful directions to follow. The frosting is so good!!
Melissa says
Awesome to hear you and the fam enjoyed this recipe, Sarah! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Sandy Bradley says
I love this it is better than Cookie Co. I have made this several times already. It’s a big hit at all birthdays I have made it for. Thank you for sharing. God bless.
Melissa says
Yay, so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Sandy!
Hether says
The cookie pan I bought is:
Length: 21 1/2″
Width: 15 1/2″
Height: 7/8″
Is this a 1.25 or 1.5 measurement of the recipe? I am making this for my daughters 16th birthday party and we’re hoping for a turnout of 30ish.
Melissa says
Hey Hether! It sounds like you have a full sheet pan, so I would at least 1.5x the recipe. You could even double it if you like it a bit thicker!
Sandra says
I made this, did not try one bite because it was for my husband’s co-worker’s birthday. It was such a BIG HIT people were wondering where I bought it from! thanks for the recipe
Melissa says
Glad to hear everyone loved the recipe, you’ll just have to make another one so you actually get to try it ;) Thank you so much for leaving a review, Sandra!
Hedy Mills says
This recipe is a keeper!!! I now get requests to make “my famous cookie cake” for birthday parties. Thank you!
Melissa says
Lol, I’m so glad everyone enjoys this recipe so much! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Hedy!
Chrissy says
Perfect recipe I’m so happy!!
Emily says
This cake turned out so well! The recipe was simple and easy to follow. It mixed together easily and the icing was absolutely perfect. Some comments during our party was that it was not overly sweet but just the right combination of everything. I originally found the round cookie pan recipe but was excited when I came across the larger sheet pan recipe! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe that was simple to prepare and delicious to enjoy!
Melissa says
Yay, I’m so glad everyone enjoyed this cookie cake recipe, Emily! I’m happy to hear you found it easy to make! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, it means a lot!
Lisa says
We used some Ghouls Mix M&M’s and Halloween sprinkles, I think this will become the go to for the holidays just keep changing the mix-ins. So good nice and chewy and easy!!!!
Melissa says
Yay, I love the idea of changing up the mix-ins for the season! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Lisa! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Robin Troxler says
My family enjoyed it and it was easy! I thought the texture was more cake airy than a dense store bought cookie cake.
Melissa says
Hi Robin, thanks for leaving your feedback! Did you happen to mix this with a mixer or use margarine? Both those things can make it a bit airy.
Ashley says
My family loved this! Turned out perfect. I had never made a cookie cake or buttercream frosting before but it was simple and everyone really enjoyed it!
Melissa says
Happy to read that you and your family enjoyed this recipe Ashley, thank you for taking the time to leave a review!