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    Broken Oven Baking » Recipes » Cakes & Cupcakes

    Cowboy Cookie Cake

    Published: Aug 9, 2021 · Modified: Apr 1, 2022 by Kayla Burton · This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

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    Take your cookie cake game to the next level with this Cowboy Cookie Cake! Frosting layered cakes can be a time-consuming pain, but this cake is quick and hassle-free. It's as easy as baking giant cookies and slapping some frosting on them! These cowboy cookies are filled with chocolate, coconut, walnuts, and oats, which are even more delicious combined with layers of cream cheese frosting!

    This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I could earn from purchases made through them. It doesn't add any extra cost to you, but it does help support this blog!

    a cowboy cookie cake on a cake stand with chocolate chips and walnuts around it

    What You Need to Make This Recipe

    Ingredients:

    • All-purpose flour
    • Baking soda
    • Baking powder
    • Cinnamon
    • Nutmeg
    • Ginger
    • Salt
    • Unsalted butter
    • Granulated sugar
    • Light brown sugar
    • Egg
    • Vanilla extract
    • Chocolate chips (semi-sweet or your favorite kinds)
    • Old-fashioned oats
    • Unsweetened shredded coconut
    • Chopped walnuts
    • Cream cheese
    • Powdered sugar

    Equipment:

    • Baking sheet
    • Mixing bowls
    • Stand mixer with paddle attachment, wooden spoon, or hand mixer
    • Measuring spoons
    • Whisk
    • Kitchen scale (recommended) or measuring cups
    • Parchment paper (optional)
    • Cooling rack (optional)
    • Spatula
    • Piping bag & tip (optional)
    cowboy cookie cake ingredients laid out and labeled

    Recipe Notes

    Cowboy cookies have been one of my favorites since I was little! My family used to always get them from Colectivo when we'd take trips to Milwaukee. After creating my own copycat cowboy cookies recipe, I decided to turn them into a cookie cake for my birthday! The texture and flavors pair so well with cream cheese frosting. It's the perfect party cake!

    See exactly how I make this cake in my recipe video on YouTube!

    Tips & Storage:

    How big are the cookies?

    The dough balls should be flattened to about 4-5 inches in diameter, and then they should be about 6-7 inches in diameter when baked. I recommend weighing the balls to make sure they're even.

    How do you get the cookies to be so round?

    Before you bake them, flatten them down to about ½ inch height and shape them as round as possible with your hands. Then, right when you take them out of the oven, run a flat edge (like the back of a spoon) around the edges to press them back into a nice circle.

    What piping tip did you use for the frosting?

    I used the large closed star tip from this set. If you don't have piping bags and tips, you can just spread the frosting around with a knife or spatula.

    How should I serve this?

    I recommend refrigerating the cake for at least 60 minutes before serving it so that it's firm and easier to cut into.

    How should I store leftovers?

    In the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month. It shouldn't be stored at room temperature because of the cream cheese frosting.

    Can I make this ahead of time?

    Yes! The cookie dough balls can be frozen and baked later. Or, you can freeze the cookie layers and refrigerate the frosting for a few days, until you're ready to assemble it. See the recipe card notes below for more details.

    a fork cutting into a slice of cowboy cookie cake

    More Recipes You'll Love

    • Maple Pecan Cookies
    • Easy Banana Snack Cake with Frosting
    • Mini Brownie Bites
    • Oatmeal Craisin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Did you try this recipe?
    Tag @brokenovenbaking on Instagram and leave a star review below!

    Cowboy Cookie Cake

    Kayla Burton
    Take your cookie cake game to the next level by layering giant cowboy cookies with cream cheese frosting!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save for LaterSaved!
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Cooling Time 20 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 cake
    Calories 7415 kcal

    Equipment

    • Baking sheet(s)
    • Parchment paper (optional)
    • Mixing bowls
    • Whisk
    • Spatula
    • Measuring Cups or Scale
    • Measuring spoons
    • Piping bag & tip (optional)

    Ingredients
     
     

    Cookie Layers

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup light brown sugar packed
    • 1 large egg room temperature
    • ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
    • ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*
    • ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
    • ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 8 ounces (1 package) cream cheese room temperature
    • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
    • 4 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    Cookie Layers

    • Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.
    • In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars really well. Add the eggs and vanilla one at a time and mix until light and fluffy.
    • Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, just until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
    • Gently stir in the chocolate chips, oats, coconut and walnuts (again, just until combined).
    • Split the dough into 4 even balls and place them on baking sheets, leaving at least 3 inches between each ball (I bake 2 cookies per sheet). Press down on the dough to flatten them slightly (~½ inch height, 4-5 inches in diameter).
    • Bake until the edges are slightly tan (about 13-17 minutes). The centers may not look fully done but that's okay, they'll continue baking from the heat of the pan.
      The baked cookies should be ~6-7 inches in diameter.
      If they aren't perfectly round, immediately run a flat edge around the side to form nice circles.
    • Let them cool on the pan until they're firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack, then let them finish cooling completely.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • Mix together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until combined and smooth.
    • Cover the cookie layers with frosting by spreading it around with a knife or offset spatula, or using a piping bag and tip. Alternately layer them until all 4 cookie layers are stacked with frosting.
      I recommend letting the cake chill in the refrigerator for about an hour before slicing into it. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    *For more of a chocolate variety, I like to mix mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, jumbo milk chocolate chips and dark chocolate chunks. Feel free to use your favorite kinds!
    Store leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
    To Make Ahead:
    Cookie Layers: Make the dough, form the dough balls, and freeze them (up to 1 month) until you want to bake them. Place them on the baking sheets while the oven preheats. Make the cream cheese frosting while they bake (or while they're cooling after baking).
    A less fresh option would be to bake the giant cookies and then freeze those (up to 1 month) after they cool.
    Cream Cheese Frosting: The frosting can be made a few days ahead of time. Refrigerate it and then let it soften at room temperature for ~30 minutes before assembling the cake.
    The provided nutrition information is an estimate for the entire cake, the calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 7415kcalCarbohydrates: 928gProtein: 63gFat: 400gSaturated Fat: 228gPolyunsaturated Fat: 43gMonounsaturated Fat: 95gTrans Fat: 8gCholesterol: 952mgSodium: 2247mgPotassium: 2264mgFiber: 34gSugar: 741gVitamin A: 9317IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 758mgIron: 24mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Cake & Cupcake Recipes

    • Lemon Snack Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Easy No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake
    • Raspberry and White Chocolate Loaf Cake
    • Easy Almond Coffee Cake

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bobby says

      November 26, 2021 at 9:23 pm

      5 stars
      This Cowboy Cookie Cake is sooo good and easy to make! Instead of 4 massive cookies, I made 8 humongous ones to make 2 cakes, these are still 2 lbs each. They’re packed with chocolate chunks, coconut, I used pecans that I had on hand in place of walnuts and then a cream cheese frosting to hold everything together. Easy to make, modify, and a crowd pleaser! Highly recommend!

      Reply
      • Kayla says

        November 27, 2021 at 9:28 am

        I love that you turned this into two big cookie cakes!! Thank you for sharing them on Instagram, seeing my recipes come to life and being enjoyed always makes my day! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Gale says

      August 10, 2021 at 8:14 pm

      What is the best and easiest way to slice this?

      Reply
      • Kayla says

        August 10, 2021 at 8:22 pm

        Hi Gale! I've found it easiest to refrigerate it for about an hour and then slice it into triangles with a chef's knife

        Reply
    3. Annie says

      July 29, 2021 at 11:31 am

      Do you know approximately how big around your cookies were - like 8 or 9 inches? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kayla says

        July 29, 2021 at 11:43 am

        Hi Annie! I believe mine were about 6 inches in diameter when I used 180g for each cookie. However, if you split the dough evenly into 4 cookies I think they should be closer to 8 inches!

        Reply
        • Annie says

          July 29, 2021 at 8:05 pm

          Thanks so much!

          Reply
    4. Gigi Bobb says

      March 19, 2021 at 1:46 pm

      5 stars
      I made the Cowboy Cookie Cake for my son's 47th birthday and the family was a little dubious since I was the former "Cake Lady". But after some had seconds, I sent half of it home with my son. I was sorry to have to give it away, 'cus I wanted it all for myself & my friends.
      Very rich and sooo satisfying. I may do this again with Snickerdoodles.

      Reply
      • Kayla says

        March 19, 2021 at 1:58 pm

        Gigi Bobb I'm so glad you commented! I tried responding to your message a while back but received a reply saying the email was not found! Thank you so very much for your kind words and for making my cowboy cookie cake! I'm thrilled that the Cake Lady herself enjoyed my recipe 🙂 Happy birthday to your son!

        Reply

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    About Kayla

    Hey, I'm Kayla! I'm a self-taught baker, recipe developer & food photographer in Chicago! This blog is a way for me to share recipes, tips, and everything I love related to baking & photography. If you have any questions or want to connect, I'd love to hear from you!
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