This simple and delicious Christmas Cookie Cake recipe is the perfect addition to any holiday gathering. With a soft and chewy texture and festive colors throughout, this chocolate chip cookie cake is a family favorite!
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Each Holiday season, my kids help me with all the yummy baking. From my Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies, to Buckeye Balls, Fantasy Fudge, and Bacardi Rum Cake, we make lots of delicious treats to share with friends, neighbors, and family. To change things up, we love to add this Christmas Wreath Cookie Cake to our trays. Not only is it easy to make, but its a fun variation to all the other desserts on the plates!
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Why is it called a Cookie Cake?
Cookie Cakes literally take classic cookie dough and bake it into cake form. All the same texture and flavor of chocolate chip cookies, but in cake form that can be cut into slices and serve on it’s own or with a scoop of ice-cream. For this Holiday cookie cake, we use a ribbon of green frosting to make it look like a wreath. You can change it up however and use red frosting, add some white in there for more of a candy cane or Santa look, etc.
Christmas Cookie Cake Ingredient Notes
Below is a brief overview of each ingredient needed to make this festive treat! To see printable recipe card with exact ingredient amounts, scroll to the bottom of this post.
- Butter– I like to use unsalted butter since I add salt to this recipe. If using salted butter, decrease salt by ¼ tsp.
- Brown Sugar– light brown sugar is my go to for this cookie cake.
- Granulated Sugar– this adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the recipe.
- Eggs– you’ll need 2 large eggs at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract– use pure vanilla versus imitation for the best flavor boost.
- Salt/ Baking Soda– this gives the cake its rise and helps contribute to the texture.
- Chocolate Chips– I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, however, milk chocolate chips work great too.
- M & M’s– look for the Christmas colors to add the festive look.
- Powdered Sugar– you’ll use this to make the frosting that decorates the top of the cookie cake.
- Milk– any type works, use whatever you have on hand.
- Food Coloring– green gel food coloring is what I use, but if you want to change the color to red, use red. If wanting to use white for a snowman type look, omit the food coloring altogether.
- Sprinkles– opt for the festive ones, I love finding Holiday blends.
How to make a Christmas Cookie Cake
- Heat oven oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a spring form pan with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup butter until smooth using an electric hand mixer or your stand mixer. Add the sugars, and cream together for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the eggs and 1 ½ tsp. vanilla, and mix again until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly mix the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Add the chocolate chips and M&Ms, and fold into the dough.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top is beginning to turn golden brown. PRO TIP: You’ll know the your Christmas Cookie cake is done baking when it’s golden brown on the edges and the center is set. Be careful not to over-bake so that it keeps that soft cookie center!
- After baking, allow the cookie to cool completely.
- In another large bowl, beat the remaining ½ cup butter, until smooth.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix until well combined.
- Add the green gel food coloring and mix until the color is evenly distributed.
- Use a closed star tip on a piping bag to pipe the frosting around the outside edge of the cookie cake base. Sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles.
Storing Leftovers
- This cookie cake recipe will stay fresh for up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container, or you can freeze it for up to three months. Let the cake thaw, still wrapped, and come to room temperature before serving.
- You can enjoy the cake at room temperature, or warm it in the microwave for short increments. Be careful not to melt the frosting, or you can make another batch of frosting and re-pipe it on top.
More Christmas Recipes
- Peppermint Kiss Sugar Cookies– with a soft and chewy texture and a festive candy cane Hershey kiss on top, they are sure to be a hit at any holiday gathering.
- Chocolate Chunk Peppermint Cookies– soft, fluffy, and packed with flavor!
- Macaroon Kiss Cookies– combine flaky sweetened coconut flakes and cream cheese for a chewy cookie everyone will enjoy!
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies– a classic Holiday cookie! Soft and fudgy center, with a crisp outside edge. Rich, decadent, and perfect for any chocolate lover!
- Peanut Butter Blossoms– made with creamy peanut butter, the dough is rolled in sugar and pressed with a chocolate Hershey kiss. These easy to make cookies turn out perfectly soft and chewy every time!
- Candy Candy Chocolate Crinkle Kiss Cookies– take the classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookie and stuff it with a Candy Cane Peppermint Kiss. Sweet, fudgy, and the perfect addition to any Holiday tray!
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Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter divided
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour all purpose
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup chocolate chips semi-sweet
- ½ cup M & M's red and green
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- green gel food coloring
- Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a spring form pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup butter until creamy and smooth.
- Add in both sugars, creaming together for about 2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs and 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, mixing until just combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and M & M's.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the top is just starting to turn golden brown.
- After baking, allow the cookie cake to cool completely.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the remaining ½ cup butter until smooth.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar, remaining vanilla, and milk.
- Add in the food coloring and mix until all is colored and combined.
- Use a closed star tip to pipe the frosting around to mimic a wreath. Sprinkle with festive Christmas sprinkles. Slice and serve!
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