Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer Cake – the ultimate cookie cake for cookie lovers! 12 layers of chocolate chip cookies and buttercream frosting stacked tall, layer cake style.
Last month we celebrated a very special birthday in my house… my husband’s! Of course my husband likes cake. Or is at least smart enough not to tell me that he doesn’t like cake. But I know, deep down, that his true favorite is chocolate chip cookies. It’s pretty apparent. And trust me, I’ve come to terms with this over the years. So this year I decided to celebrate his inner cookie monster and do something a little different for his birthday ‘cake’. A cookie cake like none I had seen before. The ultimate cookie cake, with one cookie layer for each of the years we’ve been together. Layers upon layers of chocolate chip cookies and buttercream icing, stacked tall and high. So grab a knife and a cold glass of milk because we’re celebrating a wonderful man, my best friend and most loyal supporter, with a 12 layer Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer Cake!
No, this is not your typical cookie cake from the cookie place in the mall food court. Yes, it is a cookie cake for extreme cookie lovers! 12 layers of chocolate chip cookie, filled with buttercream icing and stacked high. Ready to slice for a statement making presentation! This cake definitely says “Happy Birthday to YOU…. Dear Cookie Lover!”
Okay, so I know this idea is not rocket science. And a cake-ish dessert made from cookies is not a new concept. Great ladies such as Martha, Paula Dean and many others have created amazing cake-ish desserts using cookies. But they aren’t cakes, like a stacked cake. Given that I’ve never seen one made in the true style of a layer cake (12 layers no less!) and that it did take some trial and error before getting this right (translation: this was not my first attempt) …. I thought I’d share a quick DIY with you today.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE CAKE
a DIY by Carrie Sellman
Supplies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Mini Chocolate Chips
- Buttercream Icing
- Ice Cream Scoop
- Cookie Trays
- Parchment Paper
STEP 1 : Mix up your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough using mini chocolate chips. Using an ice cream scoop, place one ball of cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie tray. The size of your scooper will determine the final size of your cookie. I used a #10 food scoop, which is roughly 3.25 oz. This resulted in layers that were roughly 8″ round. I highly recommend using a scoop, no matter which size you choose, to ensure that each layer comes out very close to the same size.
STEP 2 : Place a second square of parchment paper on top of cookie dough. Pressing with your hand, gently flatten the ball of dough using an even circular motion. Continue flattening until dough is a thin round disc, about the thickness of the mini chocolate chips. The more you do this, the easier it gets. Reusing your top square of parchment builds a thin layer of butter on the parchment, helping it peel off easily.
STEP 3 : Remove top parchment and bake at 375 for 8 to 9 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges.
STEP 4 : Let cookie cool until set. Remove from tray and set aside. Repeat Steps 1 to 4 with remaining cookie dough, making roughly 10 to 12 layers. You can double up and bake two trays at a time. Simply rotate their placement in the oven half-way through baking. Let all cookies cool.
STEP 5 : Place a cooled cookie directly onto serving platter. Cover with a thin layer of buttercream. Top with another cookie. Continue alternating layers of cookie and buttercream until all 12 cookies are stacked.
STEP 6 : Cover cake with a dome or cling wrap and let rest for 4 hours or overnight. Cookies will soften slightly, making the cake easier to cut. Slice somewhat modestly, as each piece is quite rich and full of cookie goodness! Pour a cold glass of milk and enjoy!
Bakers Notes : I originally made this cake using my grandmother’s cookie recipe, a highly-guarded family favorite for decades. Ironically, that cookie recipe didn’t translate well for this project. After several variations, I finally decided that the classic recipe on the back of the Nestle Toll House bag was the winner. I know, right?! Could it really be that simple? I felt like I was in an old episode of Friends, searching for the perfect cookie recipe. Only to find the recipe right on the back of the chocolate chip bag. {I might be dating myself with that TV reference but I know some of you will get it!} I didn’t reprint the recipe here because well… it’s not mine. And it’s quite easy to find. HERE’s a link.
Whether you top if off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or simply serve with a cold glass of milk, I hope you enjoy this ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer Cake!
Happy Birthday to my sweet, cookie-loving husband!
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY:
Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwich
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip S’mores Cookies
I love this idea. I’m making this for my birthday next week for sure!!! can’t wait!!
Love it!! I’m not a huge cookie fan, but it’s definitely worth trying. Btw, as I was reading the last part, I pictured Phoebe pronouncing Nestlé Tollhouse with a French accent before you even mentioned that Friends episosode.
Great post!
Elizabeth @Party In Style
I’m so going to try this out. Thanks for sharing your “how to”!
Great idea Carrie…super cute execution, and I love them stacked on that gorgeous brown cake stand! Fabulous as always!
Hi. I love this receipe!!! Though I am Belgian I don’t exactly know what buttercream is?!? Something with butter probably 😀 Maybe you can also put the receipe from buttercream here? :-)))
Greetings
Vanessa
You’re a genius! This looks ahhhhmazing!
I love that episode of Friends! I also love this idea!
A beautiful and very tasty looking creation!
Oh wow!! That’s gorgeous!
Wow, what a fun idea! Cookies as cake, that’s brilliant!
love love LOVE this idea.
the perfect ‘cake’ for non-cake lovers (although this is definitely a concept i do not understand…)
beautiful photography too.
xx
looveee eett.. very creative and sooo tempting..
My son turns 15 tomorrow and when I showed him this the other day he was amazed. Then this morning i asked what cake he wanted he said the stacked cookie , lol. I guess I’ll get started on one . Maybe I’ll get 15 layers to work for me, one for each year? Thank you so much for sharing.
I am so coming to your house for my next birthday! You are so talented and amazing! I am literally drooling right now!
I just got fatter reading your post. J/K…what a great idea and looks delicious
Such a great idea! I also was invisioning Phoebe as I read your post 🙂 no worries about dating yourself. If your going to do it, its best to do it well with something as worthy as Friends!
Mmm…I think I’ll try this with German Chocolate cookies & chocolate frosting for my birthday next month…
Love this idea! How fun! Can’t say no to a giant stack of cookies turned into a cake. Pinned!
I love this idea! My husband is a cookie lover and his bday is coming up so I thought about trying this! I was wondering how much cookie dough did you use. From the Nestle Tollhouse, was the one batch enough for the 12 cookie layers?
thank you! and great post!
Wow! This is totally what I am making my husband for his birthday next year! He is in love with chocolate cookies, the kind his Mother always made when he was growing up (back of the Chipits bag but all brown sugar). I’m so excited and it’s not until the end of July!!! His age won’t work (I’m not making 32 layers!) and neither will the years we’ve been together (we just got married last July so it would be one cookie, not a stacked cake). I think I’ll do the months we’ve been married (12). So excited! Thanks for the idea and the steps!
Can you imagine if the layers were ice cream instead if buttercream??!! You would probably have to whip a tub of icecream in your mixer, then smear the layers on and wrap and freeze.
Yeah…I must do this, and soon.
My husband sounds like yours! He likes cake but chocolate chip cookies are his absolute fave. This is brilliant and I will be making it for him…maybe for Valentine’s Day! Thank you for sharing.
Donna
Owner at Let’s Do Cake!
Looks amazing!! Your husband is lucky! Gorgeous photos as well.
Holy Hanna I need that cake, err cookie, uuh cookie cake. Mmmm. Wouldn’t that be cute for a first birthday too???