Gluten Free Cookie Cake Recipe That’s Soft, Chewy, and Easy to Make

From his birthday wish to a new family tradition

It all started with a birthday request. Not for a fancy layered cake or a rich tart, but for a cookie cake. Just one big, warm, chewy cookie topped with frosting and sprinkles.
Simple, Nostalgic, Familiar, My husband remembered it from his childhood: a giant chocolate chip cookie from the mall, shared with friends and candles stuck right in the center.

When we had to switch to gluten free baking, I made it my mission to recreate that memory. This gluten free cookie cake recipe isn’t just a dessert, it’s a way of saying “I remember that joy, and I still want it for you.” And now? It’s become a tradition.

Gluten free cookie cake recipe is one of those recipes that brings people together, like our favorite gluten free red velvet cake recipe or the gluten free ice cream cake recipe I make for summer birthdays.

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gluten free cookie cake recipe with frosting and sprinkles

Gluten Free Cookie Cake Recipe That’s Soft, Chewy, and Easy to Make

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  • Author: ina Garten
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 10 slices 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

A soft, chewy gluten free cookie cake topped with vanilla frosting—perfect for birthdays and celebrations. Includes cookies and cream and Mexican wedding cookie variations.


Ingredients

Scale

For Cookie Cake:

1½ cups gluten free all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup gluten free chocolate chips

For Frosting:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1½ cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk or dairy-free milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Cookies and Cream Variation:

1 cup gluten free flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup dairy-free yogurt

1 cup crushed GF sandwich cookies

Mexican Wedding Cookies:

1 cup butter

½ cup powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups gluten free flour

¼ tsp salt

1 cup chopped pecans


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 9-inch pan.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

3. Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla.

4. Mix dry into wet ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.

5. Spread dough evenly in the pan.

6. Bake 18–22 minutes or until edges are golden.

7. Cool completely before frosting.

8. To make frosting, beat butter until fluffy.

9. Add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix until smooth.

10. Frost cooled cookie cake and decorate.


Notes

Use 1:1 gluten free flour for best results.

For vegan, use a flax egg and vegan butter.

Cookies and cream and wedding cookies can be made as standalone bakes.

Chill dough slightly to reduce spreading.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 280
  • Sugar: 20g
  • Sodium: 120mg
  • Fat: 14g
  • Saturated Fat: 8g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 6g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 36g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 2g
  • Cholesterol: 35mg

The gluten free cookie cake recipe base is soft in the center, slightly crisp on the edges, and packed with melty chocolate chips. It’s everything you want in a classic chocolate chip cookie, just super sized and gluten free.
This dough also works beautifully for smaller cookies, like the ones in my gluten free egg free bread recipe when I’m making allergy-friendly batches.

IngredientAmount
Gluten free all-purpose flour1½ cups
Baking soda½ teaspoon
Salt½ teaspoon
Unsalted butter (softened)½ cup
Brown sugar½ cup
Granulated sugar¼ cup
Egg1
Vanilla extract1 teaspoon
Gluten free chocolate chips¾ cup
pressing gluten free cookie dough into cake pan; gluten free cookie cake recipe

This simple frosting is creamy, spreadable, and holds its shape well if you want to pipe a border. You can flavor it with almond or lemon extract, or even dye it to match your occasion, just like I do with our gluten free carrot cake recipe for spring birthdays.

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk or dairy-free milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Optional toppings: sprinkles, crushed cookies, mini chips

This gluten free cookie cake recipe bakes like a dream, golden edges, soft center, and just the right thickness for a sliceable treat. If you don’t have a cookie cake pan, don’t worry. A 9 inch round pizza pan or even a springform pan works beautifully. I’ve done it all.

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or line a 9 inch round pan with parchment paper.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Cream the butter and sugars In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
  4. Add the egg and vanilla Mix until fully combined.
  5. Combine dry with wet Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir until a soft dough forms.
  6. Fold in the chocolate chips evenly throughout.
  7. Spread the dough: into the prepared pan. Press it out evenly, it will spread just slightly while baking.
  8. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden and center is set.
  9. Cool completely in the pan before frosting. The cookie cake will firm up as it cools.

This is one of the few desserts that always gets polished off, just like our vegan gluten free almond cake recipe or the gluten dairy free banana bread recipe I keep in rotation.

Make the Frosting

This vanilla buttercream is soft, smooth, and perfect for decorating, or simply spreading with a spoon.

  1. In a medium bowl, beat softened butter until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
  2. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low at first, then increasing speed.
  3. Add milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth and creamy.
  4. If desired, transfer frosting into a piping bag with a star tip to decorate the edges of the cooled cookie cake.
  5. Finish with sprinkles or your favorite toppings.

Frosting is optional, but in this house, it’s what makes it a celebration.

For more information about gluten free cookie cake recipe see this article:
The Magic Behind a Perfect Gluten Free Cookie Cake Recipe.

gluten free cookies and cream cake recipe

A fun twist on tradition

Gluten free cookies and cream cake recipe is one of those flavors that always takes him back, to birthday parties, school lunches, and that feeling of being a kid again.
So when I created this gluten free cookies and cream cake recipe, I knew it had to deliver not just on taste but on memory. This version is rich, creamy, and packed with crushed gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies in every bite.

It’s become our go to for more playful celebrations, especially when I serve it alongside a scoop from my gluten free ice cream cake recipe or balance it with a slice of gluten free angel food cake recipe for lighter moments.

Ingredients for gluten free cookies and cream cake recipe

slice of gluten free cookie cake with frosting

For the Cake:

  • 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter or dairy free butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup plain dairy free yogurt or sour cream
  • 1 cup crushed gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies (like GF Oreos)

For the Frosting:

  • ½ cup butter or vegan butter
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk or milk substitute
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup more crushed cookies for garnish

Instructions for gluten free cookies and cream cake recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 inch round cake pan or line with parchment.
  2. In one bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In another, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and yogurt.
  5. Slowly stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
  6. Fold in crushed cookies gently.
  7. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.
  8. Bake for 25–28 minutes or until center is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Let cool fully before frosting.
  10. For the frosting, beat butter until light, then add powdered sugar and milk.
  11. Spread over cooled cake and top with extra cookie crumbles.

gluten free mexican wedding cake cookies recipe

Mexican wedding cake cookies, sometimes called snowballs or butterballs, are delicate, melt in your mouth treats that feel like a whisper of sweetness.
My husband remembers them from holidays growing up, always on a platter next to the pies and layered cakes.
When I adapted them into a gluten free mexican wedding cake cookies recipe, I wanted to keep that same soft, nutty texture and powdered sugar finish that made them so special.

Now, they often show up beside our gluten free communion bread recipe during special gatherings or even on casual afternoons, paired with tea and our gluten free carrot cake recipe.

gluten free mexican wedding cake cookies recipe Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup powdered sugar (plus more for dusting)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

gluten free mexican wedding cake cookies recipe Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar until creamy and light.
  3. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  4. Gradually mix in the gluten free flour and salt until dough forms.
  5. Fold in chopped nuts until evenly distributed.
  6. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly golden.
  8. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes, then roll gently in powdered sugar while still warm.
  9. Once fully cooled, roll again in powdered sugar for that snowy finish.

These cookies are sweet but subtle, perfect for thoughtful gifts, holiday trays, or quiet moments when you need just one perfect bite.

Conclusion

This gluten free cookie cake recipe is more than just dessert, it’s celebration in every slice. Whether you’re baking for a birthday, a family milestone, or just a cozy weekend at home, this recipe brings joy without the gluten.
With its rich cookie base, creamy frosting, and thoughtful variations, from cookies and cream to delicate Mexican wedding cookies, it’s a tribute to the small things that make us feel remembered.

Because sometimes, the best way to say “I love you” is with a cookie the size of a cake, baked from the heart, and gluten free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which gluten-free flour is best for cookies?

The best gluten free flour for cookies is a 1:1 baking blend that includes xanthan gum. It gives cookies structure and chew without that gritty texture. Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure are both excellent choices.

How can I make a vegan gluten-free cookie cake?

To make your cookie cake vegan and gluten free, replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water) and use vegan butter. Choose dairy-free chocolate chips and plant based milk for the frosting. The result is still soft, chewy, and every bit as indulgent.

What if I don’t have a cookie cake pan?

No cookie cake pan? No problem. Use a 9 inch pizza pan, round cake pan, or even a square 8×8 pan. Just be sure to line it with parchment and leave a little room at the edges for spreading.

Can I use a round pizza pan instead?

Yes, a round pizza pan works beautifully. It gives that classic cookie cake look with nice golden edges. Just make sure to press the dough evenly and reduce the bake time slightly if the dough is thinner.

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