Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

nibbleboard.com/recipes/cookie-cake-recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat the softened butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth, about 1 minute. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on medium speed until well combined and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined — don't overmix or the cookie cake will be tough. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
6. Press the cookie dough into an even layer in the prepared pan. Scatter a few extra chocolate chips on top if you like.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the surface is lightly golden brown and looks set but still slightly soft in the center. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs — not wet batter.
8. Let the cookie cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This takes about an hour — don't rush it or the center will fall apart when you move it.
9. Make the frosting: beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low until combined, then increase to medium speed and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
10. Run a knife around the edges of the cooled cookie cake and carefully transfer to a serving plate.
11. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip and fill with frosting. Pipe rosettes or stars around the entire border of the cookie cake.
12. Scatter rainbow sprinkles over the frosting immediately before it sets. Slice into wedges and serve.

Nutrition per Serving

Chef Tips

• I've found that pulling the cookie cake out when it still looks slightly underbaked is the key — it continues to set as it cools, and you'll end up with that soft, chewy center instead of a dry crumbly one.
• The cornstarch is optional but I always add it. It makes the cookie impossibly soft and thick without any chewiness tradeoff. After trying both ways, I'll never skip it.
• Room temperature butter and egg matter here. Cold butter won't cream properly and you'll get a dense, greasy cookie cake instead of a soft one.
• If you don't have a piping bag, snip the corner off a gallon zip-top bag — it won't look as fancy but it works. Or skip frosting entirely and just dust with powdered sugar.
• Make this ahead: bake the cookie cake up to 2 days in advance and store tightly wrapped at room temperature. Frost the day you plan to serve it.

Storage

Store covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. The cookie cake actually gets softer and chewier on day 2.