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!
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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!
taylor says
made this for my boyfriends birthday, per his request. almost all gone and nothing but good feedback. these taste just like what you’ll find in the mall!
Melissa says
So glad to hear y'all loved this recipe, Taylor! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Azlin says
Very chewy and good. Hard to fail and I have made this recipe many times. My family it’s it fast.
Melissa says
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Azlin!
Melissa says
Made this last year for my niece’s birthday and everyone loved it! She liked it so much she requested it again this year.
Melissa says
So glad to hear everyone loved this recipe! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Melissa!
LaShawna Peo says
The best cookie cake ever! Thank you!
Melissa says
Thank you so much for leaving a review, LaShawna!
Tara says
5 Star winner!!! Delicious cake that was very easy to make. The only part I struggled with was crushing the chocolate chips. I had some mini chips on hand and substituted those in place of the crushed ones.
Melissa says
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Tara! So glad to hear you loved the recipe!
Sabrina says
I’ve made this cookie cake recipe (with M&Ms of course) at least 8 times and my kids still always beg for it for their birthday. It’s better than store bought!
Melissa says
Yay, so happy you and the fam love this recipe so much! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, Sabrina!
Alicia Michael says
Amazing. My family loved.
Amanda says
This is the best cookie cake recipe I have found! My husband is a cookie cake lover and he even said it was the best one!
Melissa says
Yay, so glad you guys loved it! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Amanda!
Shawna says
Can I add food coloring to the frosting?
Melissa says
Yes, absolutely!
Mish says
Thanks! This is great!
Melissa says
Thank you for leaving a review, Mish!
Debi says
This is tasty. The inside is nice and soft. Does seem like it could use just a little more salt. I only made 2/3rds of the frosting and I still had a lot left. All in all very good!
Tabitha Duncan-Hunt says
I made this cookie recipe like a week ago and it was delicious! The recipe was simple and easy to follow! Will make again!!
Melissa says
Yay, so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Tabitha! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Charity Gritts says
Can you sub the chocolate chips for white chocolate chips? If so would the recipe stay the same?
Melissa says
You can swap them and make no other changes! I just recommend a good brand like Ghiradelli so that they get a little melty!
Hannah says
Not sure what happened with my batch but it was sadly very dry :( Tasted great, but had a crumbly, dry texture. I baked it the 16 minutes but would advise anyone trying this to take it out sooner rather than later just in case their oven / pan is to blame like me. Waiting on the perfect occasion to give this one another shot!! The dough looked amazing ◡̈
Melissa says
Sorry this didn’t turn out for you? What kind of pan did you use? Like you said, the right pan and making sure you don’t overbake it is the key to this one. If you don’t already use an internal oven thermometer, I highly recommend it! They’re under $10 and make a big difference since most ovens are off.
Susie Cox says
Haven't made it yet but it sounds great. My question is can you use store bought cookie dough instead. Looking forward to making it either way. Would value your expertise! Thanks
Melissa says
Hi Susie! You can definitely use store bought. The texture or taste isn’t the same, so I still prefer homemade, but it can definitely be used.
JoAnn H says
Turned out great! My daughter has always wanted cookie cake for her birthday and still today at 23, her favorite!
Melissa says
Nothing like a birthday cookie cake! :) Thank you so much for leaving a review, JoAnn!
Lindsey Tompkin says
Love this recipe! My oven requires me to bake it just a couple min longer but the recipe was perfect! Delicious and chewy! My family loved it! Thank you so much for sharing!
Melissa says
Glad you found the sweet spot for your oven, they can be so finnicky! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Lindsey!