Divine Festive Sugar Cookie Cake in 1 Step

You know those moments that absolutely demand something big and show-stopping? Birthdays, anniversaries, or just getting through a massive week? Store-bought cakes just don’t cut it sometimes! Trust me, I remember begging my mom for a giant cookie instead of a layer cake for my eleventh birthday—and she finally agreed. That giant cookie was epic! That’s why I perfected this recipe for the ultimate Festive Sugar Cookie Cake. It’s incredibly soft, perfectly chewy, and honestly so much easier than getting fancy with tiered baking. You’re going to love how simple this big beauty is to put together!

Why This Festive Sugar Cookie Cake is Your Go-To Celebration Dessert

You need a dessert that travels well and tastes like pure nostalgia, and that’s exactly what this recipe delivers. It’s designed for big impact with minimal fuss!

• It’s incredibly soft right out of the oven and stays delightfully chewy for days.
• We use one big pan, so cleanup is a breeze compared to stacking layers.
• It’s the perfect blank canvas! You can dress it up for any holiday or birthday theme imaginable.
• Seriously, who doesn’t love a giant cookie? It feels instantly celebratory.

If you’re looking for something faster than a traditional cake but way more festive than a plate of small cookies, you’ve found your winner. See how easy it is to make another crowd-pleaser over here: delicious cookies for a bake sale!

Essential Ingredients for the Perfect Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

The ingredients list here is straightforward, but those little notes matter big time for getting that signature soft texture. Don’t try to wing it with ingredients—they are underlined for a reason! You need one full cup of unsalted butter, and it absolutely must be softened up before you start.

We are using a good amount of sugar here—one and a half cups of granulated sugar—to get that classic sweetness and great spread. You need two large eggs, and please, when you measure your vanilla extract, use the real stuff! A teaspoon of pure vanilla extract makes such a difference compared to the imitation versions; it really brightens up the whole cake.

For the structure, we call for three and three-quarter cups of all-purpose flour, one teaspoon of baking powder for a little lift, and just a half teaspoon of salt to balance everything out. Lastly, you need a half cup of milk for moisture, plus whatever gorgeous royal icing or buttercream frosting and sprinkles you plan on using to decorate it!

If you need a great, sturdy frosting to go with this, I highly recommend checking out my guide for favorite buttercream frosting recipe—it pipes beautifully!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Your Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

Okay, baking is all about order, and this cookie cake is no different! First things first: get that oven warmed up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I always take a minute to prep my 12-inch cake pan—grease it well and dust it with flour, or even better, line the bottom with parchment paper so you never have a sticking scare. Remember that note about the 10-inch pan? If you use that smaller size, your cake will be much thicker, so you’ll need to keep an eye on it and give it an extra five or so minutes of baking time.

You’ll mix the wet stuff first, making sure that butter and sugar are incredibly light and fluffy before adding the eggs one at a time. Then, whisk your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) in a separate bowl. When you combine them, alternate splashes of your milk with the flour mixture. Don’t rush this part, and please, stop mixing as soon as you see it barely come together. I usually finish bringing it together by hand right after the mixer stops.

If that dough feels a little sticky right now—and sometimes it does—pop it in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Chilling makes it so much easier to press evenly into that pan without getting it all stuck to your fingers! After it’s pressed out, it’s ready for its trip into that hot oven for about 25 to 30 minutes. You’re looking for edges that just barely start turning golden. When a toothpick comes out clean, it’s done—no more, no less!

Preparing the Dough for the Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

The creaming of the butter and sugar is your workhorse step here. Get it pale and fluffy! When you add the dry mixture, it’s crucial you add it in stages, alternating with the milk. My biggest rule? Do not overmix! Overmixing develops the gluten and suddenly, your soft cookie cake turns into a hockey puck. Seriously, just mix until the last streaks of flour disappear. If you feel like you just can’t handle it, chill that dough for 30 minutes—it firms up beautifully and is much easier to handle when pressing into the pan.

Baking and Cooling the Festive Sugar Cookie Cake Base

Get that prepped dough into the 350°F oven for a solid 25 to 30 minutes. You know it’s done when the edges look light gold and the toothpick test comes back clean—no wet batter clinging to it. It’s tempting to dig in right away, but resist! Let the cookie cake cool in that pan for a solid 10 minutes. This gives it just enough time to set up so it doesn’t collapse when you move it. Then, carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before you even think about touching the frosting. Nothing ruins a flawless base faster than frosting a warm cake!

If you’re planning out your decorations, make sure you have your royal icing ready to go once that base is completely cool.

Expert Tips for Decorating Your Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

The actual cookie is the foundation, but the decoration is what makes it festive, right? Once that giant cookie is totally cool—and I mean stone cold, don’t rush this part—it’s time for the fun! If you opted for buttercream, my advice is to use an offset spatula and work quickly. Do a light, thin crumb coat first, let that set for five minutes in the fridge, and then go in with your final, gorgeous layer.

If you’re using royal icing, you’ll want to outline the edge first. This creates a neat barrier. Then, flood the center and let that dry enough so you can pipe on dots or swirls without them sinking in. Honestly, the magic comes from the sprinkles. I always say, if you think you have too many sprinkles on your Festive Sugar Cookie Cake, you probably need to add a handful more. Sparkles and color are mandatory for a proper celebration!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

I get asked all the time about the butter if you only have salted on hand. If you must use salted butter, skip adding that extra half teaspoon of salt in the dry ingredients, especially if your butter brand is quite salty. You can certainly use margarine in a pinch, but the flavor just won’t have that rich, buttery depth that makes this cake so good.

What about the milk? Since we only use a half cup, if you’re out, you can substitute it with heavy cream cut with water (a 1:1 ratio) or even plain unsweetened almond milk. Just try to keep the liquid measurement exact! If you want to experiment with flavor, try swapping out half the vanilla extract for almond extract—it brings out a really lovely, traditional cookie flavor profile.

Speaking of butter experimentation, have you seen my quick recipe for 3 ingredient butter cookies? That recipe shows you how essential good fat is!

Making Ahead and Storing Your Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

This is the best part about making a giant cookie instead of a layered cake: the make-ahead plan is super flexible! You can absolutely bake the cookie base a day ahead of time. Just let it cool completely, cover it tightly with plastic wrap right in the pan, and leave it on the counter. It stays wonderfully soft.

However, if you frost it, things change. If you use buttercream, it can sit covered at room temperature for a day or two, provided your kitchen isn’t super warm. If you use royal icing, you can store the frosted cake in the fridge, but you should pull it out an hour before serving so the cookie softens up again. I actually prefer to freeze the unfrosted base; wrap it well in plastic and then foil, and it freezes perfectly for up to two months!

For other party planning ideas, check out these no bake eclair cake options!

Frequently Asked Questions About the Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

Can I use a different size pan for this Festive Sugar Cookie Cake?

Yes, you absolutely can, but you have to adjust time! The recipe is calibrated for a 12-inch pan. If you use that smaller 10-inch pan I mentioned, you’ll get a thicker, denser result, and you must add maybe 5 to 8 extra minutes to the baking time. If you go bigger, like a 9×13 inch rectangle, the cake will spread thinner and cook faster, so watch it closely starting at 20 minutes.

How do I keep the Festive Sugar Cookie Cake soft?

The secret sauce is twofold: Don’t overmix the batter—that’s the number one way to make it tough! Second, don’t overbake it. Pull it out just as that toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached. Storing it wrapped tightly at room temperature also helps lock in that soft texture.

Can I use store-bought cookie dough instead?

You certainly could if you’re running critically short on time! But honestly, this recipe is so straightforward—mostly just creaming and mixing—that using a pre-made tube just sacrifices the superior flavor and buttery texture you get from using fresh ingredients. Give yourself the extra 20 minutes; you won’t regret it!

Want some more easy ideas? Look at these easy to make dump cakes!

Serving Suggestions for Your Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

Because this Festive Sugar Cookie Cake is so rich and wonderfully sweet with its frosting, pairing it with something slightly sharp or tangy works best. We always serve huge slices alongside fresh berries—strawberries or raspberries really cut through the sweetness beautifully. It’s also fantastic with a hot cup of black coffee or a simple glass of ice-cold milk, of course! For a fun, citrusy pairing, I love serving it next to a big glass of homemade classic orange Julius recipe.

Estimated Nutritional Overview

I ran the standard ingredient list through a couple of calculators just to give you a rough idea of what you’re working with per slice. Please remember this is an estimate, as your choice of frosting and how much you decorate with sprinkles will change the final numbers!

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 450
• Sugar: 45g (That’s the good stuff!)
• Fat: 25g
• Protein: 5g

Expert Tips for Decorating Your Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

The actual cookie is the foundation, but the decoration is what makes it festive, right? Once that giant cookie is totally cool—and I mean stone cold, don’t rush this part—it’s time for the fun! If you opted for buttercream, my advice is to use an offset spatula and work quickly. Do a light, thin crumb coat first, let that set for five minutes in the fridge, and then go in with your final, gorgeous layer. If you haven’t settled on a recipe yet, you can whip up some fabulous results using my guide for favorite buttercream frosting recipe!

If you’re using royal icing, you’ll want to outline the edge first. This creates a neat barrier. Then, flood the center and let that dry enough so you can pipe on dots or swirls without them sinking in. Honestly, the magic comes from the sprinkles. I always say, if you think you have too many sprinkles on your Festive Sugar Cookie Cake, you probably need to add a handful more. Sparkles and color are mandatory for a proper celebration!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

I get asked all the time about the butter if you only have salted on hand. If you must use salted butter, skip adding that extra half teaspoon of salt in the dry ingredients, especially if your butter brand is quite salty. You can certainly use margarine in a pinch, but the flavor just won’t have that rich, buttery depth that makes this cake so good.

What about the milk? Since we only use a half cup, if you’re out, you can substitute it with heavy cream cut with water (a 1:1 ratio) or even plain unsweetened almond milk. Just try to keep the liquid measurement exact! If you want to experiment with flavor, try swapping out half the vanilla extract for almond extract—it brings out a really lovely, traditional cookie flavor profile.

Speaking of butter experimentation, have you seen my quick recipe for 3 ingredient butter cookies? That recipe shows you how essential good fat is!

Making Ahead and Storing Your Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

This is the best part about making a giant cookie instead of a layered cake: the make-ahead plan is super flexible! You can absolutely bake the cookie base a day ahead of time. Just let it cool completely, cover it tightly with plastic wrap right in the pan, and leave it on the counter. It stays wonderfully soft.

However, if you frost it, things change. If you use buttercream, it can sit covered at room temperature for a day or two, provided your kitchen isn’t super warm. If you use royal icing, you can store the frosted cake in the fridge, but you should pull it out an hour before serving so the cookie softens up again. I actually prefer to freeze the unfrosted base; wrap it well in plastic and then foil, and it freezes perfectly for up to two months!

For other party planning ideas, check out these no bake eclair cake options!

Frequently Asked Questions About the Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

I get so many messages asking about little things that pop up while baking, so here are some of the most common questions I hear about making this absolute delight. It’s usually just small adjustments! If you’ve already tried this recipe, you might find your specific query answered here first.

Can I use a different size pan for this Festive Sugar Cookie Cake?

Yes, you absolutely can, but you have to adjust time! The recipe is calibrated for a 12-inch pan. If you use that smaller 10-inch pan I mentioned, you’ll get a thicker, denser result, and you must add maybe 5 to 8 extra minutes to the baking time. If you go bigger, like a 9×13 inch rectangle, the cake will spread thinner and cook faster, so watch it closely starting at 20 minutes. You don’t want the thin cookie to burn!

How do I keep the Festive Sugar Cookie Cake soft?

The secret sauce is twofold: Don’t overmix the batter—that’s the number one way to make it tough! Second, don’t overbake it. Always pull it out just as that toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached. Storing it wrapped tightly at room temperature also helps lock in that soft texture. If my family doesn’t finish it in a day, I wrap the leftover slices airtight and they are still perfect the next day!

I forgot to soften my butter! Now what?

Oops, that happens! If you forgot to leave the butter out, don’t just melt it in the microwave, or you’ll end up with a greasy cookie! You can cut your cold butter into tiny cubes and use your electric mixer on medium speed to “cream” them with the sugar for a slightly longer time—maybe three to four minutes instead of the usual two. It won’t get quite as fluffy as softened butter, but it usually works out okay!

For more super quick baking wins, have you looked at how easy some easy to make dump cakes are? They are lifesavers when you need dessert fast!

Serving Suggestions for Your Festive Sugar Cookie Cake

Because this Festive Sugar Cookie Cake is so rich and wonderfully sweet with its frosting, pairing it with something slightly sharp or tangy works best. We always serve huge slices alongside fresh berries—strawberries or raspberries really cut through the sweetness beautifully. It’s also fantastic with a hot cup of black coffee or a simple glass of ice-cold milk, of course! For a fun, citrusy pairing, I love serving it next to a big glass of homemade classic orange Julius recipe.

Estimated Nutritional Overview

I ran the standard ingredient list through a couple of calculators just to give you a rough idea of what you’re working with per slice. Please remember this is just an estimate based on standard measurements for the base recipe and generic white frosting. If you load it up with extra butter in the buttercream, those numbers change quickly!

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 450
• Sugar: 45g (That’s the good stuff!)
• Fat: 25g
• Protein: 5g

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