I love baking, I really do! But, most of the time, while my confections come out tasting delicious, they aren’t always picturesque – which is why I don’t typically post recipes, haha. That being said, I didn’t even intend to share this one, but I am SO proud of how this Gem turned out that I simply can’t help it!
**This post may contain affiliate (which means I make a small commission when you shop from them) because we all have to pay our bills, and I’d rather keep creating awesome content for you than get a real job. All opinions are our own.**
Normally, I prefer to bake from scratch. However, I was pressed for time and I cheated a bit by using a chocolate chip cookie mix. Now, a word to the wise, cookie cakes are tricky because it can be difficult to tell when it’s done baking. So, if you’re making this for an occasion or you have people counting on you, do yourself a favor and grab a second pouch of cookie mix justtttt in case. The one I used was literally less than $2 and was worth grabbing a back up of because I dropped my first attempt at this cookie cake on the floor (way to go, Allyn). Long story short, I went to flip it over and thought I had a really smart strategy, but evidently I did not. Luckily, I was smart and I know that I tend to screw things up so I bought enough for a second cookie cake in case of an emergency!
Alright, let’s get to it!
Ingredients:
- Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix – 17.5 oz
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 egg
- M&M’S Easter Milk Chocolate Candy
- Spring sprinkles (I used these, but these and these are also cute)
- Vanilla Pillsbury Pastry Bag Frosting – 16 oz
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°
In a mixing bowl, add butter and egg to cookie mix as instructed on package. You don’t have to use a mix, but I normally do because I find it improves the texture. You do, however, need to make sure that you use butter that is softened! Also, try not to substitute margarine if you can avoid it because it makes the consistency of the dough thinner and also can cause recipes to burn more easily.
Grease a 9 inch circular cake pan (like this one). I highly recommend using PAM Baking Spray (grab the one with flour because it will save your life and your cake will release so much easier!).
Scoop dough into the pan and add M&M’s. Because the dough was thick, I pressed a few M&M’s into each spoonful rather than trying to mix them in. You want the pan to be filled about half way up, which will leave you with some extra cookie dough that you can use for a few cookies. I chose to eat the extra cookie dough, but I obviously shouldn’t actually recommend that because you could die or whatever (if it’s that horrible, why does it taste SO GOOD?!).
Put in oven for about 3 minutes. This is just to let things melt a tad so that the next step is easier.
Using oven mitts, take the cookie out of the oven and tap the bottom of the pan on the counter a few times. This allows the dough to settle evenly, which will help the cake lay flat when it’s removed later.
Put back in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes (or until the top is an even light golden brown). I pressed a few more M&M’s into the top of the cake once I took it out of the oven, because why not?
Cool for about 15 minutes. Wait until the center has firmed up a bit to increase the chances your cookie cake survives the next step.
Remove cookie from the pan. Use a butter knife or metal spatula to loosen the sides of the cookie from the sides of the pan. Flip the pan onto a cookie sheet and lightly tap the pan until the cookie comes out. Then comes the tricky part – getting the cake upright! With your cookie now upside-down on the cookie sheet, place a plate on the bottom of the cookie (which is facing up because it’s upside-down). With one hand on the plate and the other on the bottom of the cookie sheet, quickly flip everything over. Now your cookie cake should be right side up on the plate! NOTE – This is not the method I used when I dropped it on the floor – I tried to use a second cookie sheet instead of a plate and that ended tragically.
Let the cookie cool completely
Decorate! This was the first time I used the Pillsbury Pastry Bag Frosting and I was amazed! It made piping the icing around the edge such a breeze. The star tip is already on it so you’re ready to roll. I did find it helpful to practice a few dabs of piping on a plate before doing it on the actual cookie. Then add sprinkles (here’s the bunny ones I used) or whatever else you want to adorn your masterpiece with.
And there you have it! A delicious Easter treat that everyone will love.
Gems – this is my first time writing a post like this, so if any of these steps don’t make sense or if you have any questions, just ask me in the comments!
