Ready for the oven in minutes, this make-ahead Easter Cookie Cake is an easy dessert. Easy and chewy, it’s a a giant sugar cookie – Cadbury mini egg cake!
I am always looking for quick, make-ahead desserts I can whip up and have on hand, especially for holidays! And this is a fabulous recipe for leftover Easter candy!
Why You Will Love This Easter Cookie Cake Recipe
- Easter Pleaser – This giant cookie cake is great for a family potluck; everyone will want a slice!
- Crowd-Pleasing Dessert – Who doesn’t love sugar cookies and for a crowd! Studded with crunchy and creamy mini Cadbury Eggs – Yum!
- 30-Minute Recipe – This easy recipe only takes 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes to bake!
- Leftover Easter Candy – Use your leftover Easter candy, whether it’s Hershey’s chocolate eggs, Cadbury Mini Eggs or your Rolos!
I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!
What is a Cookie Cake?
The Great American Cookie Company made the huge chocolate chip cookie cake popular in the 1980s and 90s. Located in malls, the cookies were loved by all. But I say making them at home avoids a trip to the mall and allows you to customize it to any special occasion.
Thus, this Cadbury Mini Egg Cake! Great idea, right? I have even made cookie cakes for other special occasions, like this Cookie Heart and my 4th of July Cookie Cake.
Simple Ingredients for Cadbury Cookie Cake
- Butter | Use high-quality butter (it has less water in it). I used salted butter, but unsalted butter will work. Increase salt by ¼ tsp.
- Sugar | I use all-natural cane sugar, but classic granulated sugar will do the trick!
- Brown sugar | Adds chewiness to the cookie. I prefer light brown sugar, but dark is also delicious!
- Vanilla | Because no baked good is complete without vanilla extract.
- Eggs | Eggs give it the perfect chewy cookie cake texture. I use large eggs at room temperature.
- Flour | I use organic, unbleached, all-purpose flour for baking.
- Baking soda and powder | Make sure your leavening agents are fresh!
- Salt | Every baked good needs kosher salt to enhance the sweetness believe it or not!
- Easter Candy | A cup of Cadbury Mini Eggs is the perfect Easter topping for this delicious dessert.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make a Cadbury Mini Egg Cake
Step 1 | Prep
Start by preheating your oven to 350º F (175° C) and grease a 10-inch or 12-inch tart dish. You could also use a large springform pan, a 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet, or use a large cake pan. Or split the dough into two smaller 8×8 round pans.
Step 2 | Mix wet ingredients
Start by adding the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and whipping it for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the sugars to the whipped butter and beat at medium-high speed for 2-4 minutes. I use all-natural cane sugar, which is more coarse than refined white sugar, so I whip it longer than usual. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Fresh Tip
The process of mixing the butter and sugars is called “creaming”. As it results in a light, fluffy and creamy mixture.
Mix in the vanilla, and then add the eggs one at a time, mixing for 1 minute per egg. If desired, use one egg and one egg yolk for an even denser cookie.
Step 3 | Combine dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix. Press into prepared baking dish.
Step 5 | Finish and bake
Spoon the batter into the prepared tart pan and press and smooth to fill the entire pan as evenly as possible. It may help to place a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap on top and smooth the cookie dough.
You have a couple options with the Cadbury mini eggs:
- You can push them into the dough before baking, covering them with dough, then add a few to the freshly baked Easter cake straight from the oven.
- Or bake for about 9 minutes, remove from the oven (close the oven door), pressing the Cadbury mini eggs into the dough, then return to the oven to finish baking.
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°F (175° C), then remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Press a few extra mini Cadbury chocolate eggs into the cookie in your desired pattern. Remove from the oven and let the cookie cake cool on the rack completely, then slice and serve like a pie. Enjoy!
Fresh Tips
- Instead of a tart pan, make this giant cookie in a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet or a 10″ spring form pan!
- I didn’t use the entire cup of candies – Feel free to use as many as you’d like.
- This cookie cake is extra delicious when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Looking for more adorable and festive Easter desserts? I’ve got you covered! These Robin Egg Easter Egg Sugar Cookies are easy and cute on the holiday table! You can also make the mini version of this huge cookie with my Cadbury Egg Easter Cookies. And this favorite sweet, Easter Dirt Cake, is loved by the kids and kids at heart!
High Altitude Cookie Cake Adjustments
I bake at mile high (5280 ft above sea level) – this recipe has been tested at high altitude and at sea level.
- Increase flour by two tablespoons.
- Decrease baking soda to ½ teaspoon, keep baking powder the same.
- Decrease granulated sugar to ⅔ cup and brown sugar to ¾ cups.
- For an even chewier cookie, use one whole egg and one egg yolk in place of two eggs.
- Bake in 375° F (190° C) oven until puffed, just pulling away from the edges, and no longer glossy in the center, start checking on it at about 18 minutes. For a more cakey cookie, bake on the longer side. The cookie should never really get brown, just a slight golden around the edges. Cool completely before slicing.
Variations & Substitutions
- Mix in the Candy: If you prefer, add the candy eggs directly to the batter, keeping them whole, or crushing them ahead of time. Or place Cadbury Mini Eggs before you bake, pressing gently into the soft dough.
- Different Candy: To have some fun with this recipe, try M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, chocolate chips, or another favorite candy.
- Homemade Frosting: Make it extra special and frost with buttercream frosting; try green frosting (or pink, or white, or yellow 😉 ). Place in a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip. Pipe around the outside edges.
- For a different treat, try using my chocolate chip cookies recipe, pressing in the Cadbury mini eggs right after baking.
Storage Tips for this Fun Easter Treat
Countertop – Store this cookie cake like you would any other cookie, the fridge tends to dry it out faster, so I like to store on the counter well covered or in an airtight container for up to 3 days (if it lasts that long).
Refrigerate —Or store in the refrigerator for an additional day or two. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for at least half an hour.
How to Freeze a Cookie Cake
You can freeze a homemade cookie cake for up to a month. Wrap cooled cookie cake well in plastic wrap and then again in aluminum foil. Allow it to thaw on the countertop before enjoying it again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most people cut a cookie cake like you cut a pizza– Into wedges. Start by cutting a line right through the center of the cake, dividing it into two halves. Then, cut it again into fourths and so on until you get your desired size and number of slices.
A cookie cake should be lightly golden brown around the edges and no longer glossy on top when it’s finished baking and ready to cool. The giant cookie will continue to bake while it cools.
We like our cookies more underdone than overbaked. Overbaked cookies yield dry, crumbly, cakey cookies, so I always err on the side of underbaking slightly. It’s a soft, chewy center.
Sure! Keep the cookie dough covered in the fridge for up to two days before baking.
What to serve with Easter Cookie Cake
Best Easter Dessert Recipes
For more Easter sweets, try my Easter Egg Sugar Cookies, Oreo Dessert and Robin Egg Brownies and this no-bake Mud Pie Dessert. You won’t regret one single bite.
More Tasty Spring Desserts
- Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
- Strawberry Brownies Recipe
- Lemon Coffee Cake
- Strawberry Phyllo Cups
Make sure your ingredients are room temperature. If you forget to take your eggs out, submerge them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 5-7 minutes.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature (2 sticks)
- ¾ cup sugar I use all-natural cane sugar (reduce to ⅔ cup for high altitude)
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed, reduce to ¾ cup for high altitude
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour Add 2 tablespoons addt'l flour for high altitude
- 1 teaspoon baking soda reduce to ½ teaspoon for high altitude
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt Increase to ½ teaspoon if using unsalted butter
- 1 cup Cadbury Mini Eggs or try M & M's, chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, Reese's Pieces, or your favorite leftover Easter candy
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° (175° C) Grease or spray a 10 or 12" tart pan, springform pan, pie plate or cast iron skillet.
- Combine butter (1 cup) in mixer, whipping for 1 minute. Add sugars (¾ cup granulated, 1 cup brown) and mix on medium-high for 1-2 minutes, mix longer 2-3 minutes if using natural cane sugar. Add vanilla and combine. Add eggs (2) one at a time, mixing until just combined, about 30 seconds per egg.
- In a medium bowl stir together flour (3 cups), baking soda (1 tsp), baking powder (½ tsp) and salt (¼ tsp). Add flour mixture to wet dough, and mix on low until just combined. Spoon dough into prepared tart pan and smooth out as much as possibly, pressing evenly. I place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment on top and smooth.
Three ways to add mix-ins
- Preferred: press cadbury mini eggs into the sugar cookie dough and cover, then bake as directed below. ORBake for 9-11 minutes, remove from oven (close the door) and press Cadbury mini eggs into the dough, then return to the oven — this will help the hard candy shells not to crack. Or once removed from oven, quickly press chocolate candies into the giant cookie cake.
- Bake for 18-25 minutes until lightly browned on top. I prefer mine a little less baked, crisp edges and chewier center. Cool completely on cooling rack and slice like you would a pie.
Notes
High Altitude Cookie Cake Adjustments
I bake at mile high (5280 ft above sea level) – this recipe has been tested at high altitude and at sea level.- Increase flour by two tablespoons.
- Decrease baking soda to ½ teaspoon, and keep baking powder the same.
- Decrease granulated sugar to ⅔ cup and brown sugar to ¾ cups.
- For an even chewier cookie, use one whole egg and one egg yolk in place of two eggs.
- Bake in 375° F (190° C) oven until puffed, just pulling away from the edges, and no longer glossy in the center, start checking on it at about 18 minutes. For a more cakey cookie, bake on the longer side. The cookie should never really get brown, just a slight golden around the edges. Cool completely before slicing.
Storage Tips
Countertop – Store this cookie cake like you would any other cookie, the fridge tends to dry it out faster, so I like to store on the counter well covered or in an airtight container for up to 3 days (if it lasts that long). Refrigerate—You Can store it in the refrigerator for an additional day or two. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for at least half an hour.How to Freeze a Cookie Cake
You can freeze a homemade cookie cake for up to a month. Wrap the cooled cookie cake well in plastic wrap and then again in aluminum foil. Allow it to thaw on the countertop before enjoying it again.Nutrition
Andrea Metlika
Love how easy this giant cookie cake is to make. It’s perfect for Easter.
Michaela Kenkel
Showed this to my niece and she made it with her kiddos — so cute and so yummy, too!
Madi
What a cute idea! Definitely making it for Easter!
Madi
What a cute idea for Easter! Definitely making it this week!
Thanks Madi, hope you love it!
Jules
What a fun cookie! We made this with our granddaughter and she loved helping make it and was so proud of it when it came out of the oven.
Elizabeth A Passmore