3 Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Not what you expected? If you searched for a giant cookie decorated like a birthday cake, that is a different recipe! This is a soft, moist 3 ingredient chocolate chip cookie cake baked entirely from crushed chocolate chip cookies, with no flour, no eggs, and no butter required.

What Is a Chocolate Chip Cookie Crumb Cake?

Most "cookie cakes" you will find online are a giant chocolate chip cookie baked in a round pan and frosted to look like a birthday cake. This is not that.

This cookie crumb cake uses crushed chocolate chip cookies as the flour. The cookies are blitzed to fine crumbs, combined with baking powder and warm milk, and baked into a proper cake that rises, slices, and holds together beautifully.

Here is what makes it special:

• Only 3 ingredients
• No eggs, butter, or flour needed
• Fudgier when chilled and even better the next day
• Works with any cookie variety
• Easily made gluten-free or dairy-free

Ingredients In My Cookie Cake Recipe

The Chocolate Chip Cake

Chocolate Chip Cookies: These are the base of the entire cake, replacing flour, fat, and sugar all at once. When crushed and combined with the other ingredients, they create a batter that bakes into a soft, moist cake with that classic chocolate chip cookie flavor throughout.

Baking Powder: This is the only leavening agent in the recipe. Since there is no traditional flour or eggs to provide structure, the baking powder does the heavy lifting to help the cake rise and hold together.

Warm Milk: The milk binds the cookie crumbs together and creates the batter. Warm milk works better than cold because it absorbs into the crumbs more effectively and helps the batter come together smoothly.

The Optional Ganache

Chocolate: Use milk chocolate for a sweeter, creamier topping or dark chocolate for a richer, more intense finish. Either works beautifully.

Heavy Cream: Combined with the chocolate, this creates a smooth, pourable ganache that sets to a glossy finish on top of the cake.

Cookie Crumbs: A small sprinkle on top of the ganache adds a little crunch and ties the topping back to the cookie base of the cake.

How To Make This 3 Ingredient Cookie Cake

Step 1: Crush the Cookies

Crush your cookies to fine, even crumbs using a food processor, stick blender, or a rolling pin with a zip-lock bag. You want crumbs that look like coarse sand with no large chunks remaining.

Step 2: Add the Baking Powder

Transfer the crumbs to a large mixing bowl, add the baking powder, and whisk together thoroughly. Even distribution is important for an even rise.

Step 3: Add the Warm Milk

Pour the warm milk over the crumb mixture and stir with a spatula until a smooth batter forms. It will look loose at first and that is completely normal.

Step 4: Rest the Batter

Let the batter rest for 3 to 5 minutes. The cookie crumbs need this time to absorb the milk, which thickens the batter and gives the cake its structure. Give it one final stir before baking.

Step 5: Bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 7-inch round cake tin or line it with parchment paper. Pour in the batter, tap the tin gently on the counter to release air bubbles, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 6: Cool

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before adding the ganache.

Step 7: Make the Ganache (Optional)

Place the chopped chocolate and cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until completely smooth and glossy. Pour over the cooled cake and scatter crushed cookie crumbs on top.

Step 8: Serving the Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Serving Suggestions: The cake can be served immediately with the warm ganache or allowed to cool to room temperature. For a firmer, fudgier texture, refrigerate the cake for a couple of hours before serving.

My Top Tips

• Do not skip the resting time. This is the most important step. Five minutes makes a real difference to the final texture.
• Use warm milk. Warm milk binds the crumbs and activates the baking powder more effectively than cold milk.
• Measure by weight. Cookie sizes vary between brands and 400g on a kitchen scale is far more reliable than counting individual cookies.
• The next-day texture is worth trying. Warm from the oven the cake is soft and tender. Refrigerated overnight it becomes dense and fudgy, which is honestly just as good.

Variations And Substitutions

• Different cookies: Oreos, peanut butter cookies, oatmeal raisin, or snickerdoodles all work beautifully as the base. Each one produces a completely different cake.
• Dairy-free: Substitute oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk for the regular milk.
• Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and confirm your baking powder is GF.
• Extra chocolate: Stir 50g of chocolate chips into the batter before baking for extra melty pockets of chocolate.
• Different toppings: Whipped cream, caramel drizzle, cream cheese frosting, or a dusting of powdered sugar all work well.
• Mini cakes: Divide the batter into a greased muffin tin and reduce baking time to around 20 to 25 minutes.

Storage and Freezing

Room temperature: Covered, for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator: Covered, for up to 5 days. Best served at room temperature or slightly warmed.

Freezer: Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.