A patriotic dessert that everyone will love!? This 4th of July Cookie Cake is it! It's a fantastic party dessert that will be gone in no time and it truly tastes as good as it looks.
This post may contain affiliate links; please read my disclosure policy.
So many reasons to love cookie cake
Why is cookie cake so much better than regular cookies or regular cake? It’s way less effort. No need to shape cookie dough balls and no need to worry about the perfect rise of a cake. Plus, there’s so much room for decorating! Making it a perfect canvas for a festive dessert.
Cookie cake is delectable. Have you ever had a cookie skillet? It’s super moist and much softer and chewier than your typical cookie. Feel bad about eating 5 cookies? Just slice a larger slice of cookie cake instead;)
Bake this 4th of July Cookie Cake for your backyard barbecue, potluck, family get together, or kids party this summer. It'll be gone so fast, you might want to bake two.
Ingredients for your Fourth of July Cookie Cake
Butter - Gives your cookie cake a tender texture.
Brown Sugar - Adds sweetness but with some additional moisture as compared to white sugar alone. Brown sugar also makes our cookie cake chewier.
White Sugar - For a bit more sweetness, but also helps to get adequate rise.
Vanilla Extract - Adds warm flavors and enhances the taste of the cookie.
Eggs - Eggs add structure to the dessert.
All Purpose Four: - Serves as a classic base to our cookie cake. I've not tried any flour alternatives.
Baking Powder - To give the perfect rise to your Fourth of July Cookie Cake.
Salt - This contrasts the sugar so the cake isn't too sweet. Salt also helps strengthen the proteins in your dough for a chewier cookie.
Mini Chocolate Chips - You'll want to use mini to get the perfect ratio of chocolate to cookie in this cookie cake.
Frosting - I used Betty Crocker Fluffy White Frosting. Use your favorite or make your own, but Betty Crocker is IT in my opinion.
Kitchen equipment & tools needed
To make this 4th of July Cookie Cake you will need KitchenAid mixer, measuring cups and spoons, baking sheet (9x13), parchment paper, and a rubber spatula.
How to make a 4th of July Cookie Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease it with cooking spray.
- In a KitchenAid stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until creamed completely (roughly 3-5 minutes).
- Add in vanilla extract and eggs and mix together again.
- Then, add all of the dry ingredients into the bowl: flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix together until dough forms and all of the flour is absorbed.
- Pour in mini chocolate chips and stir briefly until they’re combined.
- Pour the batter into the greased, parchment lined baking sheet and spread so it’s an even thickness all the way to the edges. You may need to use your hands to push the batter into place on your baking sheet because it’s thicccc.
- Bake for 11-14 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Do not over bake. Due to the sheer size of the cookie cake, the middle should still be a little gooey and underdone. We want it this way.
- Then allow the cookie to cool. It needs to chill up in order for the center to harden prior to serving. Break out that willpower sistaa, this one’s so worth waiting for (30 minutes longer).
- Add food coloring dye to white frosting if desired. Once your cookie cake is completely cooled, add frosting to a piping bag, ziplock with the corner cut off (DIY piping bag) or you could frost with a knife in any fashion you see fit. ENJOY!
Make this Cookie Cake for other holidays too
Use this recipe for any holiday or celebration and just switch up the frosting colors and decoration. It's a crowd pleasing dessert that's so versatile!
- Christmas: Use red and green frosting. Pipe trees, stockings, snowmen, gift boxes, or snowflakes.
- Halloween: Use orange and black frosting! Pipe pumpkins, ghosts, or spider webs.
- Valentine’s Day: Use pink, red, and purple frosting. Pipe some hearts!
- Baby Shower: Use pastel pink or blue. Pipe the word “baby” or numbers or the ABC’s.
- Birthday: Use rainbow frosting or the birthday boy/girl’s favorite colors. Add the person’s name or age!
4th of July Cookie Cake FAQs
Both are typically large, flat desserts decorated with frosting, but cookie cake has a cookie base and dessert pizza is typically a shortbread crust.
I suggest cutting your cookie cake into squares if you’re making a rectangular cookie cake or triangular, pizza-like slices if you’re making a circular cookie cake. Using a sharp knife, make straight cuts into your cookie cake. You want to make sure you cut all the way through so the pieces don’t crumble when you grab a slice.
Don’t over bake your cookie cake! You want to pull the cookie cake from the oven right as it starts to brown on top. It’ll continue to bake after you pull it out. This is important so you avoid a crunchy cookie center!
Keep your cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days (if it lasts that long). You can store it on the counter or in the fridge depending upon your own preference.
More party desserts you might love
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Blondies
Funfetti White Chocolate Chip Cookies
4th of July Cookie Cake
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- parchment paper
- KitchenAid mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled
- 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 bag mini chocolate chips, 10 oz
- 1 can Betty Crocker Fluffy White Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease it with cooking spray.
- In a KitchenAid stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until creamed completely (roughly 3-5 minutes).
- Add in vanilla extract and eggs and mix together again.
- Add all of the dry ingredients into the bowl: flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix together until dough forms and all of the flour is absorbed.
- Pour in mini chocolate chips and stir briefly until they’re combined.
- Pour the batter into the greased, parchment lined baking sheet and spread so it’s an even thickness all the way to the edges.
- Bake for 11-14 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Do not over bake. Due to the sheer size of the cookie cake, the middle should still be a little gooey and underdone. We want it this way.
- Allow the cookie to cool. It needs to chill up in order for the center to harden prior to serving. Break out that willpower sistaa, this one’s worth waiting for (30 minutes longer).
- Add food coloring dye to white frosting if desired. Once your cookie cake is completely cooled, add frosting to a piping bag, ziplock with the corner cut off (DIY piping bag) or frost with a knife in any fashion you see fit.
- Enjoy!
Notes
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved, something that you think it might need, or just say hi!
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find Cookie Cake calories and nutrition facts
1 serving: 61 grams Carbs | 23 gram Fat | 3 grams Protein
**Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
SHOP THIS POST!
Note: The links above will open in Amazon.com
I couldn't decide if eating the raw dough or cooked dough was better - it's just SO TASTY!
A dangerous treat to make when it ends in a fight over the last bite!
OMG I made these for the fourth only I used red white and blue M&Ms, covered the top with a little of my own frosting and sprinkled a couple more M&Ms over the top for color since I’m too impatient to decorate. I took the cookie bars to a party and they were the first treats gone…I also ate WAY too many.
They also freeze well.
Thank you for this recipe!
I brought this to a family gathering and it was gone so quick! Such a cute dessert idea!
My bestie made this for our party! It was SO good! I cannot wait for more recipes like this 🙂
Amazing recipe! I made this for the fourth and ate WAY too much of it. Was definitely a hit at our party. Thank you for sharing.