Chocolate chip cookie dough sandwiches are a dreamy combination for cookie dough lovers everywhere… two soft chocolate chip cookies sandwiched together with a creamy egg-free cookie dough frosting. Get the best of chocolate chip cookies AND their unbaked starting point in this fun chocolate chip-studded treat.
If I had to use the term “wowza!” to describe a dessert recipe, it would certainly apply here. 😉
I originally got this recipe idea from The Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook by Lindsay Landis. She has recipes for all things cookie dough, like cookie dough swirled marshmallows and cookie dough filled crepes. (!!!)
As I first paged through her book back in 2012, Lindsay’s incredible chocolate chip cookie dough sandwiches spoke to me, and I knew immediately that I had to create my own version. I quickly found that my popular soft chocolate chip cookies and homemade egg-free chocolate chip cookie dough frosting—sandwiched together—are truly a match made in chocolate chip cookie heaven.
If you’re like me and can’t decide what’s better, the “taste test” of raw cookie dough or the baked cookies themselves, today is your lucky day. We get to enjoy both!
Tell Me About These Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sandwiches
- Taste: No matter how you like your chocolate chip cookies (crispy, chewy, or soft) you’ll find that classic taste here. That nostalgic buttery, brown sugar flavor is present in both the cookies and the cookie dough, and, of course, you’ll enjoy plenty of sweet chocolate chips in every bite.
- Texture: Two soft chocolate chip cookies serve as the”bread” to sandwich our creamy, smooth chocolate chip cookie dough buttercream. Mini chocolate chips add a perfect little crunch throughout!
- Ease: Chilling the dough for at least 1 hour is imperative, and be sure to set aside a few minutes to heat-treat your flour for the cookie dough buttercream. It’s rather quick and easy, and I include directions on how to heat-treat flour below. Or, you can purchase it online. While there are a couple added steps, this is still a fairly simple cookie recipe.
Start With My Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
We’ll start off with a batch of my soft chocolate chip cookies to use as the “bread.” While my recipes for chewy chocolate chip cookies and crispy chocolate chip cookies are great, these softer cookies have a melt-in-your-mouth texture that works best for creating a sandwich.
If you haven’t tried this cookie recipe before, you’re in for a treat. Like my shortbread cookies, this recipe includes a touch of cornstarch to produce thick, soft cookies. Using creamed butter produces a fluffy, soft center with crisp edges, and a mixture of brown sugar and white sugar gives them the perfectly soft, somewhat chewy bite.
Cookie bliss! They’re wonderful on their own, or all jazzed up as these chocolate chip cookie dough sandwiches. It’s no wonder that recipe has served as the jumping point for several other cookie variations on my website, like triple chocolate chip cookies, white chocolate chip cranberry cookies, and salted caramel pecan chocolate chip cookies. All excellent choices the next time you’re in the mood to try a new cookie recipe. 😉
Safe-to-Eat Cookie Dough Frosting
For that ooey-gooey cookie dough center, we’ll make a safe-to-eat cookie dough frosting. It’s egg-free and made with heat-treated flour. Raw flour must go through a heating process to kill the bacteria. Think about it: flour is usually baked in recipes. You can heat-treat your flour using the microwave or oven methods outlined below, or purchase heat-treated flour online.
Aside from the heat-treated flour, we have the usual lineup of frosting MVPs: Butter for creaminess; brown sugar, vanilla, and salt for flavor; milk to help thin everything out. And, of course, a cup of mini chocolate chips! You’ll notice we don’t have any confectioners’ sugar in this frosting—our heat-treated flour provides enough structure.
It’s just like the frosting used on these chocolate chip cookie cupcakes, only slightly reduced to make just enough.
How to Heat-Treat Flour
Option 1 – Microwave
- You can heat-treat your entire bag of flour or just the amount you need for a single recipe. If you’re heating just enough for the recipe, add an extra 1/2–1 cup to be sure you have enough.
- Place the flour in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds at a time, stopping and stirring after each. Stir well to make sure none of the flour burns. Use an instant-read thermometer to test the flour in several places to make sure it has reached 165°F (74°C). If you get a lower reading in one area, stir and heat for an additional 30 seconds until it’s all ready.
- Measure the amount of flour you need for the recipe, then let it cool completely.
Option 2 – Oven
- Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Spread more flour than the recipe calls for on an un-greased rimmed baking pan, such as a 9×13-inch baking pan or 9-inch square baking pan. Then follow a process similar to the microwave method by stirring and checking the temperature at 2-minute intervals. Be sure to check multiple spots of the flour to make sure it has all reached 165°F (74°C).
- If some flour sticks to the bottom or sides of the pan, don’t worry, just leave it there. You used more flour than needed in the recipe anyway. Don’t scrape it off because it will add small clumps to your batter/dough.
- If your flour is really clumpy, your oven might be too hot. Break it up with your fingers or pour all the flour into a bowl and whisk it. Discard any chunks if necessary.
- Measure the amount of flour you need for the recipe, then let it cool completely.
Or, you can purchase heat-treated flour online.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sandwiches
- Chill the cookie dough: Chilling the cookie dough is imperative for this recipe. Without it, the cookies will overspread in the oven. A bit of time in the refrigerator ensures our cookies stay nice and thick—just what we want! Many of my most popular cookie recipes, like double chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies, require dough chilling. Good things come to those who wait!
- Use mini chocolate chips: Just like for cookie ice cream sandwiches and chocolate chip loaf cake, I prefer to use mini chocolate chips. In the cookies, it allows for more chocolate chips in each bite and makes it easier to bite through all those cookie sandwich layers. For the frosting, mini chocolate chips are easier to pipe and, again, deliver more chocolate in each bite! I know you’ll appreciate that! You can even roll the outer edges of the buttercream in more mini chocolate chips like we do with cookie ice cream sandwiches.
- Room temperature ingredients: Starting with room temperature ingredients seems finicky, but it’s the easiest way to set yourself up for recipe success. Room temperature ingredients will mix together more easily and allow for a more uniform dough and buttercream.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sandwiches
- Prep Time: 2 hours (includes chilling)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 50 minutes (includes cooling)
- Yield: 14-15 cookie sandwiches
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Two soft chocolate chip cookies sandwiched together with egg-free cookie dough frosting. The cookie dough (for the baked cookies) must chill for at least 1 hour before baking.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (180g) mini chocolate chips
Cookie Dough Frosting
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons (140g) heat-treated all-purpose flour*Â (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
- 1 cup (180g) mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, and both sugars together on medium speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together. Add the dry into the wet ingredients, then beat on low speed until combined. The cookie dough will be slightly thick. On low speed, beat in the chocolate chips.
- Cover dough tightly and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 3–4 days. Chilling is imperative for this cookie dough.
- While the cookie dough is chilling, make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar. On medium speed, beat until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla, flour, and salt and beat on low speed until everything is mixed. The mixture will be thick and heavy. Add the milk and beat on low for 30 seconds, then switch to high and beat for at least 2 minutes until combined and creamy. Gently fold in chocolate chips. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Once chilled, the dough will be slightly crumbly, but will come together if you work the dough with your hands as you roll into individual balls. Scoop out the dough and roll into balls, about 1 Tablespoon of dough each. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. They will look extremely soft when you remove them from the oven.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. If the cookies are too puffy, try gently pressing down on them with the back of a spoon. They will slightly deflate as they cool. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely before sandwiching.
- Sandwich dollops of cookie dough frosting between two cooled cookies, creating sandwiches.
- Cover and store leftover cookie sandwiches in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Freeze baked cookies (without frosting between them) for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough. The frosting can be made 1 day in advance; cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Cooling Rack | Heat-Treated Flour
- Egg: Room temperature egg is preferred for the cookies. To bring egg to room temperature quickly, simply place in a cup of warm water for 5 minutes. I usually set out my egg when I set out my butter (for the cookies and the frosting) to soften about 1 hour before beginning.
- Heat Treated Flour: Though you can use raw flour in the cookies since they are baked, it’s safest to use heat-treated flour in the frosting recipe. See note/instructions above recipe or purchase heat-treated flour online.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
- Inspired by The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook: Cookies, Cakes, Candies, and More by Lindsay Landis.
Always love your recipes! How many cups would you say the frosting makes? I plan on making just the frosting to fill the inside of a 3-layer 8″ cake. Should I double the recipe?
Hi Anna, it makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes (it’s the same cookie dough frosting recipe used for these cupcakes), so if you’re using it just as a filling between layers, it should probably be enough; if you want to be on the safe side, go ahead and double it. Enjoy!
Hi Sally and friends. I am a long time lover of the recipes on this site. Soon, I will be making this one. 🙂 I was wondering, would you suggest increasing the filling at all if I want a nice thick layer like the pictures and also plan to take it to the edges so they can be rolled in mini chips and sprinkles.. like your Chipwich recipe calls for. Thanks!
Hi Melissa, we found this amount to be plenty but you can definitely make a larger batch of the cookie dough frosting if you prefer! We would love to hear how they go for you 🙂
We love the soft chocolate chip cookie recipe so naturally, we loved these!
Is raw flour safe to use..? Most cookie dough recipes call for heating the flour before using.
Things have certainly changed over the years since I published this recipe and these days, it’s recommended to use heat treated flour.
These look super good, Sally! I’m hoping to make them soon; who can resist cookie dough?! I’m thinking I’m gonna need to make double the frosting, though, because there definitely won’t be enough for the cookie sandwiches, what with all the cookie-dough lovers in my household! I was wondering if I could use your recipe for Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies? Thanks.
Yes, definitely! The Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies would work wonderfully here.
I made these tonight for my boyfriend.  He took a bite, closed his eyes blissfully  for about 5 whole minutes, kissed me and said “perfect”. Chocolate chip cookies are his favorite and all recipes have failed us, except yours. These are outstanding. I’m not a big chocolate chip lover but the Mini’s really made it a true chocolate chip cookie. Not too much chocolate!  Perfect ratio! Perfect.Â
Thank you!Â
These are absolutely, positively delicious!
I adapted these to be gluten free and dipped them in white chocolate instead of sandwiching them! They were so delicious, thank you so much!
Hello. I don’t have a silpat and will probably not have a chance to buy one soon enough. Can I bake these on a regular cookie sheet? If so, should I use parchment or skip it? Thanks!
You can use parchment.
These were so amazing! I love all your recipes!! 10/10 would recommend
Went over super well at my son’s wedding reception. My married now son has a sweet-tooth. I used a chocolate cookie from your site and used this filling. So a soft oreo with the cookie dough filling — disappeared and yet it was a double batch. My son told me it was the best thing he’d ever had for cookies. Can’t top that 🙂 Recipe was easy and tasted wonderful on it’s own. Would make a great dip – put in a little serving knife and have various cookies to match up!! No complaints or changes. Worked as is 🙂
Hi Sally,
Is there a substitute for butter because 2 members from my family are intolerant for butter and dairy stuff and I’m afraid this will taste too buttery and I wish everyone eats form it if possible. I don’t know is there anything I can use like margarine maybe? Not only in this recipe though even for example for the Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies please ?
Thanks a lot for your dedication!!! 😉
Perhaps solid coconut oil? I do not suggest margarine. And I wouldn’t make the frosting at all (with anything besides butter). The taste and texture wouldn’t be the same at all.
I made the dough for these last night and the dough balls are chilling in my fridge until I bake tomorrow night…not sure how I’ll resist eating some before then.
Question – can I make the frosting tonight and refrigerate overnight? I’m going to be baking a lot of cookies tomorrow night and it gets so hot in my apartment when baking in the summer and frosting gets so melty…I was hoping to avoid this by using chilled frosting. What do you think? Thanks in advance!
The frosting may be made in advance and refrigerated, yes.
I made these this past week and they were fantastic! I’ve got a sweet tooth and they more than satisfied it! Very good!!!
Amazing!!! I have been waiting to make these for a while now. I decided to make them today and YUM. I can’t wait to share them with my in-laws! I added a bit of icing sugar to the frosting because I have a crazy sweet tooth.
Thank you for this recipe~! 😀 Mmmmm, delicious.
Made these twice! I put dark chocolate chips in the cookies and semi sweet in the frosting. The second time was for a family gathering; and my grandfather had two. He asked why we were bothering to make dinner afterwards, as these cookies were all he wanted. Thanks for the great recipe!
MMMM cookie dough! Is there a way to avoid using cornstarch (I don’t have the ingredient on hand) and use an alternative ingredient? Thank you!
Cornstarch is the secret ingredient to my sift and chewy chocolate chip cookies. You may omit it, but the cookies will not be as thick and soft.