Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Y'all, this is my 100th post!  I figured I should make something a little special, and it should probably be a cake.  Let's also factor in that Will's birthday was Saturday, and he wanted a cookie cake.  So we've got us a deep dish chocolate chip cookie cake.  Holy.  Moly.

Oh and can we talk about how today is the first day of spring, and we've already had days in the upper 80's?!  Y'all, that's hot.  And it's only gonna get hotter.  So if you need a slice of cookie cake and a cold glass of milk on a screened-in porch with a fan, I totally understand.

This is pretty close to my ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe.  You need: all-purpose flour, baking soda, vanilla extract, eggs, semi-sweet chocolate chips, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and browned salted butter.  Y'all, I never use salted butter when I'm baking.  I made an exception this time and was pleased with the results.  The key is using a good quality butter.  I mean, duh.  With just about any recipe, especially something as simple as a chocolate chip cookie (cake), quality is important.

 Mix your browned butter and sugars in a large bowl.

It's super grainy and buttery.  Just wait!

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

It's amazing what a couple of eggs can do to a batter.  Mix in your vanilla as well.

Flour time!  Make sure you've mixed the flour and baking soda together by sifting or whisking it a bit.  Mix it in with a couple of additions.  It keeps you from wearing the flour.

So now we've got a thick dough with a bit of caramel undertones from the browned butter and brown sugar meeting up.

Stir in your chocolate chips.

Lightly grease a cake pan and spoon your cookie dough into the pan.  Spread it evenly and bake for about an hour to an hour and twenty minutes.  Start checking it at 40 minutes to make sure it isn't getting too brown.  If it is, cover it with foil.

 Oh heeeey, cookie cake.

Y'know, you could totally do this in a springform pan.  Work with what you have.  Let it cool before you cut it.

Oh goodness, melty chocolate and a tender, buttery crumb.

You need a glass of milk with this.  It's the only way.  If you have something to celebrate, shucks, celebrate that today is Tuesday, make this cookie cake.

Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake (makes one 9-inch cake)

2 sticks salted butter, melted, browned, and cooled (I used Challenge European butter)

1 c dark brown sugar, tightly packed

3/4 c granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350º.  In a large bowl, beat together the browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.  The mixture will be grainy and buttery.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat until fully incorporated.  Stir in the vanilla extract.  
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda.  Gradually add flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until just incorporated.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan.  Spoon cookie dough into the cake pan and spread evenly.  Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes.  Start checking at 40 minutes to make sure the top doesn't brown too much.  Cover with foil if necessary.  Remove cake when center and top are set.  Let cool and cut into slices.