Everything’s bigger in Texas, but thank goodness these rich, chocolaty, and decadent treats are a reasonable size because nobody can eat just one!
So, here’s a problem I often have with a sheet cake, especially if I plan on cutting the squares before serving. I get a fork and take one small bite from the corner just to test it. This is necessary, right? And then I take another bite, just to be sure it’s as good as that first bite told me it was. And then I have to have a few more little bites to even out the jagged edges of my first two bites, but I’m not good at making things even, so the next thing I know, I’ve eaten a quarter of a sheet cake! And at no time is this a bigger problem than when I make a Texas sheet cake.
This is why I am in love with this recipe for Texas sheet cake cookies. Each one possesses its namesake’s super moist, über-fudgy taste and texture and is covered in the cake’s signature rich and decadent chocolate icing. But they’re cookies, individual spheres I can pick up with my hand and polish off in a couple of bites, so there’s no repeatedly going back in with a fork and not being able to stop. I am satisfied and full of pure pleasure after eating one scrumptious Texas sheet cake cookie. Okay, maybe two.
This is a no-muss, no-fuss recipe, starting with a boxed chocolate cake mix, to which you’ll add vegetable oil and eggs; that’s your cookie dough, and when it’s all mixed thoroughly, you’ll scoop the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake the cookies off. While they cool, you’ll make the rich, luxuriant chocolate icing that gets drizzled on top with our favorite rich, luxuriant icing ingredients: melted butter, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. I’m telling you: these cake-like cookies drenched in sweet, glossy goodness are a chocolate lover’s dream. Just super-duper delicious.
Why is it called a Texas sheet cake?
Good question, and one no one seems to be able to answer definitively. Some historians say the cake got its name because of a recipe printed in a Texas newspaper. Others think the name might have come from the fact that the cake is big like the state of Texas. There have even been suggestions that Lady Bird Johnson was involved in creating and naming the cake (though no one has been able to document this connection). But even though it remains a mystery as to how this cake got its name, one thing is very clear: when you say Texas sheet cake, everyone knows you’re talking about a thin, super moist, very brownie-like cake baked on a sheet pan and topped with a velvety smooth, cooked chocolate icing (and often pecans!).
How do I store leftovers?
Store cooled Texas sheet cake cookies in an airtight container in a single layer at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
Deciding what to serve with Texas sheet cake cookies depends upon the occasion, don’t you think? If they are a mid-afternoon or after-school snack, you’ll find they pair perfectly with a Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Spice Latte or a Chocolate Cream Cold Brew for the grown-ups and a Vanilla Milkshake or Almond Milk Smoothies for the kiddos. If you’re serving them for dessert after a light dinner, by all means, top each one with a big scoop of Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream and a dollop of Chocolate Whipped Cream; if you’re serving them after a heavy dinner, they are just as delish topped with a couple of teaspoons of Macerated Strawberries and a sprinkle of Vanilla Sugar.
Texas Sheet Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 package chocolate cake mix (15.25 ounces)
- 2 eggs
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil. Stir until the mixture is well blended. The dough will be thick.
- Use a cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon to drop ball-shaped portions onto the prepared cookie sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until the cookies are just set. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes.
- While the cookies are cooling, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the unsweetened cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla, whisking until the mixture is smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar until the icing is completely smooth. If the frosting is too thick to drizzle, add another splash of milk to thin it. Drizzle the frosting evenly over the warm cookies and let it set before serving.
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