Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake (made with whole grain flour!)
Easy-peasy and so delicious, this buttery chocolate chip cookie cake is made with whole wheat flour and brown sugar, for a touch of caramel sweetness. Serve slices warm and topped with vanilla ice cream!
When you can't decide between a batch of whole wheat chocolate chip cookies, whole wheat brownies, or a classic chocolate cake, make a chocolate chip cookie cake!
This gorgeously chewy and buttery cake has all the vibes of your favorite chocolate chip cookies, but turned into an easy-to-nibble cake. My girls absolutely adored this cookie cake, and it was gone within 2 days!
I added whole wheat flour to the mix for a slightly sweet, nutty undertone and a big dose of whole grains. Add nuts if you like, change out the chocolate chip variety, and enjoy.
Want a gluten-free version? See the recipe on my gluten-free baking site.
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What You'll Love
- Simple method. Just a bit of creaming and whisking is all that's needed to put this cake together.
- A perfect mash-up. I love that this cake features the best of two classic recipes - chocolate chip cookies and cake.
- Fancy it up, or not. Add icing, powdered sugar, or ice cream to make this into a fancier dessert. Keep it plain and tuck it into lunchboxes. It's wonderful no matter how you serve it!
Ingredients
Scroll down to my recipe card to see the full amounts and detailed instructions.
- Butter - Unsalted butter is best, but if you prefer a bit of a salty vibe, use salted butter.
- Brown sugar - I love dark brown sugar here, though light brown sugar works, too.
- Eggs - Use 2 large or medium eggs.
- Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste works.
- Whole wheat flour - Use whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
- Baking soda
- Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt.
- Chocolate chips - I love semi-sweet chocolate chips in cookies.
Variations to Try
- Add nuts - Fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts or almonds for crunch.
- Flaky salt - Top the cake with flaky salt just after pulling it from the oven.
- Other chocolate - Mix it up and use your favorite chopped chocolate bar, white chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips.
- Candy - Trade the chocolate chips for mini M&Ms, chopped up peanut butter cups, or toffee.
Instructions
Follow along with the photos below to get an overview of how to make this recipe:
- Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- Step 2: Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Beat the mixtures together, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Step 3: Grease and line a cake pan, then press in the batter.
- Step 4: Bake in a 350 F oven for 25 minutes.
Tip: ADjust The Baking time
For a softer cake with a more gooey center, bake for about 22 minutes or even less. For a more chewy, cookie/cakey texture, bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a tester comes out clean.
Recipe Notes
- What size pan? For a thicker cookie cake, use an 8-inch cake pan. For a thinner cake, bake the batter in a 9-inch round.
- Batter will be thick. This is a thick cake batter, and especially so because of using whole grain flour, which absorbs more liquid.
- Use room temperature ingredients. As with baking cookies, starting with room temperature/softened butter will create a smooth and fluffy base for the rest of the ingredients. I let my butter sit out on the counter for an hour, or warm it quickly in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
- Try all-purpose flour. If needed, swap all-purpose flour for the whole wheat flour. I also like to use spelt flour, another whole grain flour choice.
- Coconut sugar for the brown sugar. For a less sweet/naturally sweet option, use coconut sugar for the brown sugar.
Proper Storage
- Counter - Cover the cake pan tightly with foil or transfer slices to an airtight container and store on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Fridge - Place the cake in the fridge and keep it for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - Transfer the slices of cake to a freezer-safe bag and store them for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
If you tried this recipe, please let me know how it went in the comments below! And I always appreciate a star rating if you loved it ❤️
Recipe
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the ¾ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup dark brown sugar until light and fluffy, Beat in the 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt. Beat this mixture into the butter mixture, then fold in the 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan, place it in the oven, and bake for 22-30 minutes, until the top is set and golden brown and a tester comes out mostly clean.
- Remove from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into slices and serve directly from the pan, or transfer to a plate to serve.
Notes
- What size pan? For a thicker cookie cake, use an 8-inch cake pan. For a thinner cake, bake the batter in a 9-inch round.
- Batter will be thick. This is a thick cake batter, and especially so because of using whole grain flour, which absorbs more liquid.
- Use room temperature ingredients. As with baking cookies, starting with room temperature/softened butter will create a smooth and fluffy base for the rest of the ingredients. I let my butter sit out on the counter for an hour, or warm it quickly in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
- Try all-purpose flour. If needed, swap all-purpose flour for the whole wheat flour. I also like to use spelt flour, another whole grain flour choice.
