This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
This cookie dough cake is made with layers of rich, fudgy brownies and edible cookie dough, all enveloped in thick chocolate frosting. This is the ultimate showstopper that’s deceptively easy to make!
Ready for more impressive cake recipes? Try my lemon blueberry cake, Harry Potter cake, Biscoff cake, and snickerdoodle cake next.
If you love brownies and cookie dough, you’re going to be obsessed with my cookie dough cake recipe. It’s the best of both worlds, combining gooey chocolatey brownies with edible cookie dough—and chocolate frosting, of course.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Totally out-of-the-box. I can attest that no one will see this cake coming. I mean, what kind of madman thinks of combining cookie dough and brownies?
- Unbeatable flavor. The brownies’ richness complements the cookie dough’s light and fluffy texture, while the chocolate frosting ties it all together.
- Easy to make diet-friendly. With a few simple swaps, making this cake vegan and gluten-free is easy.
- Foolproof. I wouldn’t take on a cake recipe if it was super complicated. Luckily, this cookie cake is deceptively simple to make.
Ingredients needed
It may look like there are a lot of ingredients going into this cake recipe, but most of them are simple baking staples you likely have on hand already. Here’s what you need for the brownie cake:
- Coconut oil. To bind the ingredients together and add moisture. Use refined coconut oil for no coconut flavor, or use vegetable oil instead.
- Chocolate. I used a baker’s chocolate bar, but you could use chocolate chips.
- Sugar. For sweetness.
- Eggs. Room temperature eggs are best.
- Cocoa powder. I used sifted Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Use dark or black cocoa for a richer chocolate flavor.
- Arrowroot powder. To give stability to the brownies since there’s no baking soda or baking powder. You can also use cornstarch or tapioca flour.
For the cookie dough:
- Butter. For richness and to bind the ingredients. I used room-temperature unsalted butter.
- Light brown sugar. For a subtle caramelized molasses flavor. For a stronger molasses flavor, use dark brown sugar.
- White sugar. For sweetness.
- Vanilla extract. To enhance the rest of the ingredients.
- Milk. To form the dough. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any dairy or dairy-free milk will work.
- All-purpose flour. Heat treated so it’s safe to consume.
- Chocolate chips. For the chocolate chip cookie dough, of course! I prefer to use mini chocolate chips, but regular chips will also work.
To finish the cake:
- Chocolate frosting. I made my 2-ingredient chocolate frosting, but store-bought chocolate buttercream frosting will work, too.
How do you heat treat flour?
Heat-treating flour kills potentially harmful bacteria, making it safe to eat raw. To heat treat flour, spread it into an even layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350F for 5-6 minutes. Allow it to cool before using.
How to make a cookie dough cake
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C, and line 3 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper greased with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Step 2- Make the brownie batter. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt together the coconut oil and chocolate. Add the sugar and eggs, followed by cocoa powder and arrowroot. Whisk until smooth.
Step 3- Bake the brownie cakes. Pour the cake batter into the three cake pans and bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the brownies cool in the cake pan briefly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4- Make the cookie dough. While the brownies cool, make the cookie dough. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars. Add the vanilla and milk and continue mixing on medium-high speed. Slowly add the flour until just combined, stopping midway to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Step 5- Assemble. Once the brownies have cooled, prepare the first cake layer. Lay a thin layer of chocolate frosting, followed by half the cookie dough mixture. Repeat and top with the final brownie layer. Top with the remainder of the chocolate frosting, then refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Make it vegan. Swap the eggs in the brownies for flax eggs, use plant-based butter and milk for the cookie dough, and use vegan frosting and vegan chocolate chips.
- Make it gluten-free. Use almond flour instead of all-purpose flour, and skip the heat-treating step.
- Use other types of cake. If you’re not feeling the brownie cake, this edible cookie dough works just as well with my chocolate zucchini cake or vanilla cake.
- Let the brownies cool completely. Before layering the cakes, make sure they’ve completely cooled. Otherwise, the frosting will melt into the cookie dough.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. To add a subtle savory-sweet flavor, sprinkle the cake with flaky sea salt before serving.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover cake should be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze: Place the cake in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the cake thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying it.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use 9-inch pans, but you’ll want to reduce the cooking time by 5-6 minutes since the cake layers will be thinner. If you use 6-inch pans, increase the cooking time by 5 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
If your cookie dough has a thin batter consistency, it could be because the dry ingredients weren’t properly measured. Add more heat-treated flour, one tablespoon at a time, and continue mixing until it reaches your desired consistency.
More fun layer cakes to try
Cookie Dough Cake
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 3 cups chocolate chopped
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 9 tablespoons cornstarch
Cookie dough layer
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour heat treated * see notes
- 1 cup chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350 and grease 3 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add the coconut oil and chocolate and melt in 20-second spurts. Whisk together. Add the sugar, then add the eggs, one at a time. Add the cocoa powder and arrowroot and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the three cake pans and bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the brownies cool in the cake pan completely.
- While the brownie cakes cool, make the edible cookie dough.
- In a mixer, cream together the butter with brown sugar and white sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and milk and continue mixing. Slowly add the flour until just combined. Fold through the chocolate chips.
- Once your brownies have cooled, prepare the first brownie layer. Lay a thin layer of chocolate frosting, followed by half the cookie dough. Repeat again and top with the final brownie layer. Top with extra chocolate frosting. Refrigerate for an hour, to firm up.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published September 2020, updated and republished June 2024
Looks so tasty. You actually have many “cookie dough” recipe.
Looks so nice oh. I think if I make this for parents they will be so happy.
Can I use almond milk? Doesnt it makes a difference if I choose that one?
I looooove this so much!!
Now if I were to go rogue…would this work with a Blondie recipe instead of the brownie, and do you have a suggestion of which recipe if so?
I’d love to create a funfetti blondie/cookie dough mash up!!
You could try my keto blondies 🙂