Pin it
This tall cowboy cookie cake brings on pure joy. Picture chewy and crispy cookie rounds loaded with oats, walnuts, chocolate chips, and coconut. They're all stuck together with a slightly sour cream cheese frosting. Feels like the ultimate bake-sale treat, but extra fun for birthdays or any day you want to wow your friends.
My closest friend asked for this cake once for her birthday, and ever since people ask for it at every party. When I go in for a slice, everyone raves about those extra-thick cookies.
Delicious Ingredients
- Powdered sugar: thickens and sweetens the frosting Sift so it’s not lumpy
- Cream cheese: gives a bit of tang while making the frosting rich Always choose the blocks, not the tubs, for a firmer frosting
- Vanilla extract: makes both cookie layers and frosting taste cozy If you can, use pure vanilla for max flavor
- Chopped walnuts: bring a nice crunch and a nutty hit Toast them if you want them extra flavorful
- Unsweetened shredded coconut: brings chew and a touch of the tropics Sweetened makes for a sweeter bake
- Old fashioned oats: make it hearty and chewy Steer clear of quick oats for best results
- Semi sweet chocolate chips: melt to create gooey bits throughout Try mixing up chip sizes or using chopped bars for more fun
- Vanilla extract: rounds out the frosting’s taste and brings things together Same one you use in the dough works great
- Egg: helps all the dough stick together It’s best to use at room temp for lighter cookies
- Granulated sugar and light brown sugar: both give chew and sweetness with brown sugar making them moist and caramel-y
- Unsalted butter: adds richness and keeps cookies soft Let it sit out so it softens up
- Salt: balances the sweet Fine sea salt blends in nicely
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger: bring a warm, old-school cowboy cookie flavor Change out your spices if they’ve lost their scent
- Baking soda and baking powder: give the layers a little puffiness so they’re not dense Always use fresh for best results
- All purpose flour: holds up the cookie structure Unbleached flour gives better flavor if you’ve got it
Simple Steps
- Stack It All Up:
- Pop one cookie layer down, spread on a good layer of frosting, keep stacking and frosting until they’re all piled up. Leave plenty of frosting on each one, just to the edges. Chill the whole tower for at least an hour to help it stay together when you slice.
- Frost It:
- Put the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Beat until super fluffy. If it seems runny, a quick chill will help it thicken up.
- Cool and Shape:
- If the cookie layers baked up uneven, run something flat around the sides while hot to tidy them up. Wait until they firm up, then carefully move to a wire rack. Make sure they’re totally cool before you ice them.
- Divide and Bake:
- Form the dough into four even chunks. Spread them out on your baking sheets and pat them into circles four to five inches across and about half an inch thick. They spread out more as they bake. Pop them in the oven for 13 to 17 minutes. Look for set golden edges and barely soft centers. They set more as they cool.
- Mix-ins Next:
- Dump the flour mix into your butter-sugar mix and stir just until merged together. Overmixing makes tough cookies, so go easy. Scrape everything down and gently stir in the walnuts, coconut, oats, and chocolate chips.
- Get the Dough Ready:
- Set your oven to 350°F and line your pans with parchment so nothing sticks. Stir the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger together in a bowl. In a bigger bowl, beat the butter and both sugars till seriously light and smooth—let it go fluffy. Mix in the vanilla and egg and keep beating till the mix looks a bit airy.
Pin it
Texture wins for me every time—walnuts, oats, and coconut in every forkful throw me right back to my grandma’s kitchen. Every single birthday my cousin asks for double the chocolate chips, and it’s always the first dessert gone.
Storage Advice
Wrap up any leftovers tightly and stash in the fridge. It’ll stay good for about a week. If you wanna keep it longer, freeze slices for up to a month. When you get the urge for some, just defrost in the fridge overnight or let it hang out on the counter for a couple hours.
Swaps and Options
Use pecans if you’re not a walnut person, or leave nuts out if needed for allergies. Mix up the chocolate—try dark, milk, or chunks. If coconut’s not your thing, just skip it for a nuttier, chewy cake. Go for a 1:1 gluten free flour blend for gluten free guests.
Pin it
How To Serve
It’s best straight from the fridge since that firms up the frosting and the flavors hit their peak. Cut big wedges for a party, toss on some rainbow sprinkles or nonpareils if you want to make it festive. Want drama? Add extra piped frosting swirls or pour a little melted chocolate on before serving.
Cowboy Cookie Origins
Cowboy cookies are classic American sweets, built tough and hearty for long days outside. Always packed with oats, coconut, chocolate bits, and nuts. This dessert just takes that classic and gives it a party-worthy glow-up. Still got all the cozy nostalgia in every slice—even if the look is new.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How should I store leftover cookie cake?
Just pop it in the fridge and it'll be good for a week. If you want it to last longer, wrap it tight and freeze for about a month.
- → Can the dough be made ahead of time?
Totally. Freeze scooped dough balls for up to a month, then bake them right from the freezer while the oven heats up.
- → What's the best way to achieve round cookie layers?
Once the cookies come out warm, press the edges with a flat spatula to shape them into nice, even circles before letting them cool down.
- → Can I use different chocolate types in the cookie layers?
For sure. Toss in any combo of chocolate chips or chunks—milk, dark, or semi-sweet—whatever you like best.
- → How long should the frosted cookie cake chill before slicing?
Stick the stacked cake in the fridge for about an hour so the frosting sets and you get super clean slices.