Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Ooey Gooey Jack Skellington Cookie Cake

This isn't really a recipe as much as a method of decoration, but I'm putting it up for a friend.

I've just discovered Earth Balance Baking Sticks.  They're as awesome as my favorite earth balance, but they have a lower melting point (or some other scientific semantics that I won't bore you with).  Bottom line is - they make DELICIOUS cookies.  And dream cheese frosting (I totally just made that up.  It's vegan, made with tofutti "cream cheese.")

My oldest turned 14 last week and is a lover of all things cookie cake.  She asks for one every year, and it's something I'm always happy to do. (hey, no rolling out fondant or icing two dozen cupcakes?  I'm down!)

I set out to find some way to decorate her cookie cake so that it felt - festive.  I considered stacking, layering, icing in between, cookie sandwiches, decorating on top, you name it.  Ultimately, I decided to "decorate" with nondairy chocolate chips.

I made a double batch of my favorite cookie dough, sans chips.  Spread about a quarter of the batter into an 8" cake pan.  (It helps to have oiled or moistened hands, as is usually the case with gluten free batters/doughs)  Smooth it out.  Then press the chips in however your heart desires.  My heart desired Jack Skellington.  (the mouth got a little distorted as it rose in the pan, so you might want to not get so close to the edge).

The result?  Outstandingly delicious, ooey, gooey, soft, delicious mall-quality cookies.  I'm not kidding.  And not a bit of dairy or gluten.  You would never have known!

Ooey Gooey Cookie Cake

3 sticks Earth Balance Baking Sticks

1/4 cup Earth Balance 

(or four sticks of butter if you can do dairy)

4 eggs

1.5 cups brown sugar

1.5 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla

4 1/2 cups Pamela's Baking Flour

(or all purpose flour for you wheat-eaters)

2 bags of chocolate chips (whatever brand you like - we are using the Trader Joe's brand here)

Cream together the "butters" and the sugars.

Add eggs and vanilla.

Mix the dry ingredients, then add gradually until incorporated.

Remove 1/4 of the dough and press into an 8" cake pan 

(I used disposable here - oooh - livin' on the edge!) 

Press chocolate chips into the dough however you'd like.

Divide the rest of the dough into three more baking pans.  

Alternately, you can use a larger pan (like a 9X13) for the rest.  

I did three pans total and a sheet of cookie dough balls, which I froze to bake later on.  

The kids had them last night after dinner and they worked perfectly.

Bake at 375° for 20 minutes.  They will NOT look done when you take them out, but trust me.  

They'll be perfect once they cool.