The crowd has spoken. And spoken quite clearly, might I add. A chocolate chip cookie cake has been highly requested and I’m here to please. Four fluffy dairy-free chocolate chip cookie cake layers packed full of brown sugar and mini chocolate chips and all wrapped in the most wonderful whipped cookie dough-inspired buttercream frosting. Oh, and did I mention I added a ridiculously delicious amount of chocolate chips to the frosting too?!


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A close up shot of a cake top with chocolate chip cookies and buttercream swirls on top

Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

This cake flavor has been on my to-do list for quite some time now and I’m in the mood to start checking things off. First, on that list, is a chocolate chip cookie-inspired cake packed full of that yummy cookie dough flavor that we love and adore.

The cake batter alone is good enough to eat straight from the spatula with its bold brown sugar cookie taste. And the buttercream, oh my good heavens! It was sweet, warm, and so totally decadent with the mini chocolate chips.

A chocolate chip cookie cake topped with buttercream swirls and chocolate chip cookies. A child's hand is reaching in going to pick a cookie off the top of the cake.

What Makes A Good Chocolate Chip Cookie

My go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe (which if you haven’t baked stop what you’re doing and go bake it right now) is loaded with brown sugar and mini chocolate chips. The chip-to-bite ratio is maximized in each chewy chocolate chip cookie bite with hints of coarse sea salt to elevate its flavor palette.

How Do I Make A Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Knowing what makes a delicious chocolate chip cookie, I implemented those very same elements into these cake layers. It’s my basic vanilla cake recipe but with brown sugar instead of white and a healthy dose of mini chocolate chips tossed right into the batter.

A slice of cake full of chocolate chips and white frosting. a fork is taking a bite out of it.

Why Do Chocolate Chips Sink In A Cake?

Have you ever tried baking chocolate chips in a cake only to have them all sink to the bottom? Bummer, right?! This problem has a super simple solution though. First, grab a small mixing bowl and measure in the chocolate chips. Second, add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Third, give this combination a good mixture to make sure all the chocolate chips are coated in flour.

When the cake batter is mixed and ready for the chocolate chips, simply add in the entire mixture of chocolate chips and flour. Gently mix the batter with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not the overmix. Divide the batter between the cake pans and there you go. Problem solved!

A picture of the top of a cake with chocolate chip cookies on it and frosting swirls between each cookie.

How Do I Make Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting?

The trick to the most glorious delicious chocolate chip buttercream frosting is creaming together the butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar first. If you add the brown sugar at the same time as the icing sugar, you will end up with yummy but grainy frosting. First, with the paddle attachment, let the butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar cream together on high speed for approximately 10 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients.

I think you’re ready to start now. You’ve got the cookie and cake basics down and the next step is to combine them into one seriously scrumptious dairy-free Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake. Top this decadent dessert off with a chocolate ganache drip and some chocolate chip cookies, and you’ll have a crowd-pleasing cookie cake!

If you give this recipe a shot, make sure to let me know what you think!

A close up shot of a cake topped with chocolate chip cookies and fluffy white buttercream swirls between each cookie. A large slice is being taken out of it.

Got You Craving Cookies Now?

Here are a few cookie recipes to give a go:

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A chocolate chip cookie cake topped with cookiea and swirls on top and a large slice taken out of it.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake (Dairy-Free)


  • Author: Katie Stymiest
  • Total Time: 1 Hour 23 Minutes
  • Yield: 10 Slices 1x

Description

The perfect dairy-free chocolate chip cookie cake for the cookie-lover in your life. Packed full of brown sugar, mini chocolate chips, and the most delicious whipped chocolate chip buttercream frosting.


Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

  • ¾ cup dairy-free milk, room temperature
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cup cake flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅔ cup dairy-free salted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup dairy-free mini chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Chocolate Chip Buttercream

  • 1 ½ cup dairy-free salted butter, room temperature
  • 1 pkg. (8 oz.) dairy-free cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 6 cups icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dairy-free mini chocolate chips
  • optional: chocolate chip cookies for decor

Chocolate Ganache Drip

  • ⅓ cup dairy-free chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon dairy-free milk

Instructions

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF degrees and prepare four 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper.
  2. In a small mixing bowl combine the mini chocolate chips and all-purpose flour and set them aside.
  3. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer and with the flat beater attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and give it a quick mix together for approximately 1 minute.
  5. In small pieces, slowly add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until it looks like coarse sand.
  6. Slowly pour in approximately half of the liquid mixture and mix on medium for 2 minutes.
  7. Pour the remaining liquid mixture in and mix on medium for another 2 minutes. Scrap the sides of the bowl when necessary.
  8. Add in the mini chocolate chip and flour mixture and mix until just combined with a spatula.
  9. Divide the cake batter into the four prepared cake pans and bake for approximately 17-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  10. Allow the cake layers to cool for 10 minutes and then invert them on a cooling rack to fully cool.

Chocolate Chip Buttercream

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar on high speed with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, approximately 10 minutes.

  2. Add the icing sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and mix on low until combined.

  3. Turn the mixer up to high and let mix for 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl when necessary.

  4. Remove two cups of buttercream and set aside. This will be used in the final decor for the swirls. *
  5. Add in the mini chocolate chips and mix until just combined.

Chocolate Ganache Drip

  1. In a microwave-safe bowl heat the chocolate chips and milk in 30-second intervals until fully melted and smooth. Stir between each interval.

  2. Depending on the kind of milk, the drip may require a touch more milk to thin or a bit more chocolate chips to thicken. **

Cake Assembly

  1. Place one leveled layer of chocolate chip cookie cake on a cake board, plate, and/or cake turntable. Top with approximately 1 ½ cups of chocolate chip buttercream.

  2. Repeat with the remaining layers and apply a thin coat of chocolate chip buttercream all over the cake. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

  3. Cover the cake with a final layer of chocolate chip buttercream and smooth the sides using the Wilton Cake Smoother. Refrigerate while the chocolate ganache drip is prepared.

  4. On a well-chilled cake, with a spoon or a piping bag, drip the warm chocolate ganache over the edges of the chilled cake and put it back in the refrigerator to set.

  5. Decorate as you please. I topped the cake with mini chocolate chip cookies and cookie crumbs and piped some simple Wilton 1M buttercream swirls between each cookie (using that buttercream that was set aside before the chocolate chips were added in.) Enjoy!

Notes

* skip this step if you will not be decorating the cake with swirls on top

** I always test my ganache drips over the edge of the kitchen sink before applying to a cake to check the consistency.

  • Prep Time: 1 Hour
  • Cook Time: 23 Minutes
  • Category: Cakes
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 1134
  • Sugar: 127 Grams
  • Sodium: 1028 Miligrams
  • Fat: 59 Grams
  • Saturated Fat: 31 Grams
  • Unsaturated Fat: 22 Grams
  • Trans Fat: 3 Grams
  • Carbohydrates: 150 Grams
  • Fiber: 1 Gram
  • Protein: 6 Grams
  • Cholesterol: 129 Miligrams

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