When it comes to celebrating the 4th of July, nothing brings people together like delicious, festive treats. If you’re looking for a simple dessert that’s bursting with patriotic spirit and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, this 4th of July Sugar Cookie Cake is it!
Using convenient Pillsbury sugar cookie dough and frosting, this recipe takes the stress out of holiday baking so you can focus on enjoying time with family and friends.
Why You’ll Love This Sugar Cookie Cake
✨ Super easy with shortcuts!
Thanks to ready made Pillsbury cookie dough and frosting, you’ll save time and effort, no mixing from scratch required!
✨ Festive and fun to decorate.
This cake is a blank canvas for your patriotic creativity. Kids will love helping out too!
✨ Perfect for parties.
It’s large enough to feed a crowd, and it slices up beautifully for serving at BBQs, picnics, or fireworks gatherings.
✨ Soft, chewy, and sweet.
The cookie cake has that soft sugar cookie texture we all love, topped with creamy frosting and festive sprinkles.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s all you need to make this festive treat:
- 1 package (16.5 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
- 1 container (16 oz) Pillsbury White or Vanilla frosting (or cream cheese frosting)
- 1/2 C red, white and blue M&M’s
- Red and blue gel food coloring (if you want red, white and blue icing or you can do all white with spirnkles)
- Patriotic sprinkles (red, white, and blue)
Tools & Equipment
- 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan
- Parchment paper
- Cooking spray
- Icing bag and tip for frosting (optional, you could just spread the frosting on with a butter knife too)
How to Make 4th of July Sugar Cookie Cake
1. Preheat and Prep
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your round pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
2. Prep the Dough
Add the cookie dough to a bowl and add in M&M’s and sprinkles. Mix to combine well and press it evenly into the prepared pan. Try to spread it out as evenly as possible to ensure consistent baking.
3. Bake
Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center is set. The cookie will continue to cook a bit in the pan as it cools, so avoid overbaking.
Tip: If you want a chewier cookie cake, aim for the shorter bake time.
4. Cool Completely
Allow the cookie cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a cooling rack or serving plate. Let it cool fully before frosting to prevent melting.
5. Color the Frosting
This step is optional, you can leave all the frosting white and just decorate with sprinkles or you can scoop out about a third of the Pillsbury vanilla frosting into a small bowl and tint it red with the gel food coloring. Do the same in another small bowl for blue frosting. Leave the remaining frosting white.
6. Decorate
You can pipe the icing on with a piping bag or just spread it on with a spatula or butter knife. Then you can add some more sprinkles and M&M’s to the top.
Tips for Success
Don’t skip the parchment paper — it makes it so much easier to lift the cookie cake out of the pan without breaking it.
Cool completely before frosting to avoid a melty mess.
Use gel food coloring rather than liquid for bolder colors without thinning out your frosting.
Make it your own! You can easily swap in different Pillsbury frosting flavors (like cream cheese or even chocolate) or use a different shape pan (like a star or heart) for added fun.
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: You can bake the cookie cake a day in advance. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap once cooled. Wait to frost until the day you plan to serve it.
Storage: Store frosted cookie cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. If it’s very warm where you are, pop it in the fridge. Leftovers are delicious chilled!
If you’re searching for an easy, festive dessert for Independence Day that requires minimal effort but delivers maximum fun and flavor, this 4th of July Sugar Cookie Cake with Pillsbury is your answer. It’s simple, colorful, and a guaranteed hit with both kids and adults alike.
So, grab your cookie dough, your frosting, and your sprinkles, and let’s celebrate the red, white, and blue in the sweetest way possible. Happy 4th of July!
4th of July Sugar Cookie Cake
Ingredients
- 1 (16.5 oz) tube Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
- 1 (16 oz) container Pillsbury vanilla or white frosting
- 1/2 C M&M's (red, white and blue ones)
- 1/4 C Sprinkles for the cake and extra for the top
- Red and blue gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment and grease sides.
Add dough to a bowl and mix in M&M's and sprinkles
Press dough evenly into pan.
Bake 30-35 mins until golden at edges. Cool completely.
Divide frosting; tint portions red and blue. (optional)
Frost cookie with white, then decorate with colored frosting and sprinkles.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
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