Do you remember back in elementary school when it was customary for each kid to bring in a treat for the class on their birthday? My mom would spend hours whipping up something for us to take in for everyone, usually something really creative like cookies that looked like mini hamburgers or a personal favorite — puppy chow — before it was popular (hello, 1996). And they were all amazing and loved by my class.

However…..there was something really exciting about when someone would bring in one of those humongous chocolate chip cookies that were decorated in colored icing. I mean, after all, it was from the MALL — a foreign land for a third grader from a small town (we lived 40 minutes from a mall back then and went maybe 2-3 times a year).  After waiting for what seemed like an eternity for the teacher to cut everyone pieces, one would finally land on your desk and you’d immediately dig in. It was, in a word, glorious. Well, truth be told I had one more recently and it was so sweet that my teeth hurt… but to my third grade self, I’m sure the excitement out-won my taste buds.

So all that being said, when I saw a picture of a cookie cake on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it, for old times’ sake. This particular recipe is a chocolate cookie dough base instead of the traditional, but I think it takes it up a notch! Feel free to swap out Reese’s Pieces for your favorite hardshell candy and voila — your third grade self will thank you!

Reese’s Cookie Cake
Recipe adapted from: Life, Love and Sugar

Ingredients
Cookie Cake3/4 cup salted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa (I use Hershey’s Special Dark)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup of chocolate chunks
1 cup Reese’s Pieces

Chocolate Buttercream1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp milk

Instructions 

Cookie Cake Beat Sweet cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla extract. Add flour, cocoa and baking soda and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chunks and M&MS. Dough will be thick and sticky. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.