This cookie cake is everything you love about M&M-studded cookies in cake form. Crispy edges with a soft, chewy center. A festive cake pan and a piped frosting border makes this a perfect Valentine treat.
Meet your new favorite dessert! This cookie cake comes together so easily, and you don't need to stand at the oven baking batch after batch of cookies. Just mix, bake, and cool. Then, decorate however you wish. I love adding frosting to give this cookie cake celebratory status.
Why you will love this
For more Valentine's inspired treats, try Valentine Rolo Pretzels and Maraschino Cherry Milkshakes.
Ingredients
- Cake flour provides a softer, more tender crumb. If you don't have cake flour, you can use all-purpose flour mixed with cornstarch. For each cup of cake flour called for in the recipe, start with 1 cup of AP flour. Then remove two tablespoons of the flour and replace with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk together.
- Cupid Mix M&M's add a festive Valentine vibe. You can substitute any variety of M&M's for any occasion.
Do I need to use heart-shaped pans?
Heart-shaped pans are fun for Valentine's Day, but any shape pan will work. Use a 9x13 cake pan or two 8-inch square or round pans. Allow a few extra minutes of baking time for a 9x13 pan.
Step-by-step instructions
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the pans with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Add the butter and sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer. Blend together until well combined and creamy, approx. 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Blend until fully combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and M&M's (reserving some M&M's for the top).
- Divide the dough evenly between the two pans. Press the dough into an even layer and top with the reserved M&M candies.
- Bake for 18-23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cookie cake.
- Cool completely in the pan. Run a knife or spatula around the edge of the pan to loosen, if necessary. Remove the cookie cakes from the pans.
- Pipe the frosting on the cookies and decorate with extra M&M's. Slice and serve.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Tips for making
- Spray pans with cooking spray so the cookie cakes can be removed easily. I like using baking spray with flour. Alternatively, you can butter and flour the pans.
- Reserve some M&M's to press into the top of the dough before baking. This makes for a pretty presentation.
- Cool completely before removing from pan and decorating with frosting.
- Frosting is optional but totally recommended! It adds another layer of deliciousness! I used store-bought frosting for ease and convenience and tinted half of it pink.
- For extra fluffy frosting, whip the store-bought frosting with a hand-held mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. This lightens up the frosting and gives it a wonderful piping and spreading consistency.
Equipment
KitchenAid Stand mixer | Measuring cups and spoons | Heart shaped cake pans | Piping bags and tips
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Other bar recipes you may enjoy
Valentine M&M Cookie Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups cake flour ((Note 1))
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter (softened to room temperature)
- 1 cup light (or dark) brown sugar (lightly packed)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 10 ounces Cupid mix M&M's ((1 bag) plus extra for decorating)
- ¾ cup dark chocolate morsels
- 24 ounces store-bought frosting ((1 ½ tubs) or homemade buttercream)
- pink food coloring gel (optional)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars. Blend until well combined, approx. 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and blend for another 2 minutes until well combined.
- Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and M&M's. Evenly spread one-half of the dough into each cake pan. Bake for 18-23 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool completely in the pans. Remove from pans and place on a wire rack to decorate. Pipe the frosting around the border and decorate with extra M&M's. (Note 3)
- Leave whole for presentation or cut into squares or wedges. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Cake flour can be substituted with a mixture of all purpose flour and cornstarch. For each cup of cake flour, start with 1 cup of all purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons flour and replace with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk together.
- You can also a 9x13 cake pan or 2 8-inch round or square pans. If using a 9x13 cake pan, allow a few extra minutes of baking time.
- For lighter, more fluffy frosting, whip the store-bought frosting using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or hand-held mixer). Tint with food coloring gel if desired.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending upon the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
This post was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated.
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