Cookie Cake Recipe

• ½ cup unsalted butter You will be melting this
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Chop ½ cup and keep ½ cup whole

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• ¼ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
• ¾ teaspoons vanilla extract
• Pinch of Salt
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• Food coloring if desired

• Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175°C). Following the step-by-step instructions provided in the main post above, carefully create your DIY foil pan and prepare your parchment-lined cookie sheet with the heart template.
• In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the unsalted butter (½ cup, or 1 stick). Heat for approximately 20-30 seconds, just until it’s fully melted but not boiling. 
• To the melted butter, add the granulated sugar (¼ cup) and light brown sugar (½ cup). Use a sturdy spatula to stir these ingredients together until they are well combined. *Do not use a mixer for this step!* Next, incorporate the egg (1 large) and vanilla extract (1 ½ teaspoons), mixing until smooth. Then, add the dry leavening agents: baking soda (½ teaspoon), baking powder (¼ teaspoon), and salt (¼ teaspoon), mixing again until evenly distributed. Finally, add the all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups) and mix just until all the flour streaks disappear and a cohesive dough forms. Avoid overmixing, which can lead to a tough cookie.
• Gently fold in your chocolate chips. Add ½ cup of chopped chocolate chips and ½ cup of whole semi-sweet chocolate chips into the dough. Mixing both chopped and whole chips creates a wonderful texture and ensures chocolate in every bite.
• Lay a piece of parchment paper over your printed heart template on the cookie sheet. Press the prepared cookie dough firmly and evenly into the heart shape, using the template as your guide. Once shaped, carefully wrap the greased aluminum foil strip around the dough’s perimeter as detailed in the post above. Crucially, remember to remove the paper heart template from underneath the parchment paper before baking!
• Bake the cookie cake at 350℉ (175°C) for 16-18 minutes. The exact baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven and the thickness of your cookie. Look for edges that are lightly golden brown and a center that appears set but still slightly soft for that signature chewy texture. Be careful not to overbake, as this can result in a dry rather than soft chocolate chip cookie cake.
• After baking, remove the cookie cake from the oven and allow it to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. This helps it firm up before handling. Then, carefully remove the aluminum foil strip. Transfer the cookie cake (still on its parchment paper) to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely to room temperature before you begin decorating. This step is vital to prevent your frosting from melting.
• To decorate: Once fully cooled, transfer your cookie cake to a serving platter. Using a large star piping tip (like the Ateco #849), pipe a beautiful border around the edges of the heart. For added festive flair, immediately add your desired sprinkles! The frosting tends to set quickly, so apply sprinkles right away for best adhesion.

  If you’re feeling extra fancy and want to pipe phrases like “Happy V-Day” or create more intricate designs, simply double the vanilla buttercream frosting recipe to ensure you have plenty to work with.

To Make Frosting:

• In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter (¼ cup) on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until it becomes light, fluffy, and smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar (1 ¼ cups total), adding about ¼ cup at a time. You may need to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated. Once the sugar is mostly mixed in, add the vanilla extract (¾ teaspoon) and a pinch of salt. Turn the mixer to medium speed. Begin adding the milk (1-2 tablespoons total), one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable, and pipeable consistency. Finally, beat on high speed for another 2-3 minutes until the frosting is wonderfully creamy. If your frosting appears too runny, gradually add more powdered sugar. If it’s too stiff, add a tiny bit more milk, a half teaspoon at a time, until you achieve the perfect consistency.

  This recipe makes just enough frosting to pipe a beautiful border around the edges of your cookie cake. For additional frosting to cover the entire top or to pipe intricate designs and words, I highly recommend doubling the frosting recipe!

Freezing/Make Ahead Tip for Cookie Cake: While you can freeze baked cookies, I generally find that chocolate chip cookies can become a bit dry and lose some of their signature chewiness after freezing and thawing. For the best experience, I recommend baking and frosting this cookie cake fresh. However, if you absolutely need to make this in advance, you can bake the cookie cake, let it cool completely, then wrap the unfrosted cookie tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, thaw it to room temperature (this might take several hours) before applying the frosting and decorations.

Gluten-Free Option: Everyone deserves a delicious cookie cake! You can easily adapt this heart-shaped cookie cake recipe by using my dedicated Chewy Gluten-Free Cookie Cake recipe. The shaping and baking instructions with the foil hack remain the same, ensuring a delightful gluten-free treat.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate based on 12 servings and should be used as a general guide. Actual nutritional values may vary.