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Perfect 4th of July Cookie Cake Recipe with Easy Buttercream Flag Decoration Tutorial

4th of July cookie cake - featured image
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A festive and easy-to-make cookie cake decorated with a colorful buttercream American flag, perfect for summer parties and 4th of July celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (for buttercream)
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2–3 tablespoons whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (for buttercream)
  • Red gel food coloring
  • Blue gel food coloring
  • Optional: a pinch of salt (for buttercream)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 or 10-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract.
  5. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
  6. Fold in chocolate chips with a spatula until evenly distributed.
  7. Spoon dough into prepared pan and spread evenly. Smooth the top.
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges are golden and center is slightly soft. A toothpick inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. To make buttercream, beat softened butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
  11. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with milk and vanilla extract, beating on medium-high speed until fluffy. Adjust consistency as needed.
  12. Divide frosting into three bowls: leave one white, color one red, and one blue with gel food coloring.
  13. Spread a thin layer of white buttercream over cooled cookie cake as base.
  14. Pipe blue section in top left corner, then pipe red and white stripes across the rest to mimic the American flag.
  15. Chill decorated cookie cake in fridge for 15-20 minutes to set buttercream before slicing and serving.

Notes

Let the cookie cake cool completely before frosting to prevent buttercream from melting. Use gel food coloring for vibrant frosting colors. If you don’t have piping bags, a zip-top bag with a snipped corner works well. Bake on the middle rack for even cooking. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use vegan butter and plant-based milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: 4th of July, cookie cake, buttercream, flag decoration, summer dessert, patriotic dessert, easy cookie cake, chocolate chip cookie cake

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