Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 large baking sheets. Cut three 10-inch rounds of parchment paper. Place a round on each baking sheet.

2. For cookies, beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy and smooth. Add eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt, and mix until just combined. Stir in flour until dough forms. Fold chocolate chips into dough.

3. Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Press 1 part onto each parchment round and shape into large cookies.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are brown and crisp around edges and set in the middle, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.

5. For the frosting, stir butter, milk, and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Beat confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder together in a separate bowl until combined. Beat butter mixture into cocoa mixture until frosting is smooth and thick.

6. Peel parchment off cookies. Set aside prettiest round for top layer. Spread 1/2 of the frosting onto one cookie. Top with second cookie. Spread remaining frosting onto second cookie, and top with remaining cookie.

Cook's Note:

Be sure to let the cookies cool completely before frosting. I like to make them the day before and store each individual cookie wrapped in plastic in the refrig until ready to assemble the cake.