Best Gluten-Free American Flag Cookie Cake (Soft Cookie)

This Gluten-Free American Flag Cookie Cake is the ultimate festive centerpiece topped with sweet and fresh strawberries and blueberries. Whether you’re hosting a backyard BBQ, Fourth of July, or a Memorial Day picnic, this soft, chewy sugar cookie base topped with fresh “stars and stripes” fruit is a crowd-pleaser that happens to be 100% gluten-free.

This American Flag Cookie Cake has been made at our festivities for years and years. I updated my sister’s classic fruit pizza to make it into an American Flag, perfect for all the patriotic festivities over the summer months. This soft, chewy gluten-free sugar cookie topped with whipped topping and fresh fruit is sure to be a favorite at your party.

Why you’ll love this American Flag Cookie Cake:

• Easy to make gluten-free with a simple flour switch!
• The cookie is soft and chewy.
• Perfect to customize with other fruits if preferred.
• Make it ahead and store it until ready to serve!
• Holds its shape when baked in a sheet pan!

Ingredients for Cookie Cake:

• Gluten Free All Purpose Flour or Regular Flour – When making gluten-free ALWAYS use a high-quality flour such as Better Batter, King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour or Cup 4 Cup.
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Unsalted Butter
• Granulated Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Cool Whip – If you do not have Cool Whip this would be a light, whipped topping similar to Whipped Cream.
• Strawberries – If preferred slice the strawberries and soak for a few hours in sugar to really get them juicy!
• Blueberries

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine all cookie ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract) in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer.
3. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Using a spatula spread out the cookie dough in about 1/2 inch – 1 inch thick in the shape of a flag (rectangle shape).
5. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until the middle is almost done.
6. Let cool completely before frosting.
7. Once it is cool, trim off the edges to make it even.
8. Then, frost the entire cookie.
9. Next, use the berries to decorate it in the design you would like.
10. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
11. Enjoy!

Tips for Making the American Flag Cookie Cake with Fruit:

I was going for a sugar cookie style crust, basically one huge sugar cookie. The one thing I learned the hard way with cookie cakes is that you generally need to bake them about 20 minutes as opposed to 8-10 minutes because if not the middle will not be fully cooked.

That means your cake will fall to pieces…trust me, I know.

I made one batch of cookie dough then I just spread it out in the shape of a flag, remember it will grow a bit in the oven.

This is best cooked on a half sheet pan or a full sheet pan depending on how big you want the cake to be.

The cake needs to be fully cooled before frosting. When it is cooled, use a pizza cutter to trim it into a perfect rectangle or at least close to it, I say perfect but really mine are never perfect! They still look great though, and that’s the goal!

Once it’s fully cooled and cut, top it evenly with the whipped topping.

Then, simply slice and top it with strawberries and blueberries. It doesn’t have to be exact to the flag unless you want it to be otherwise, we will all get a general idea of what the flag looks like.

I like to cut it into squares when serving, this recipe easily serves 24.

• Do NOT overbake, slightly underbaked for a soft and chewy finish. Remember it will harden up as it cools.
• Pat the berries dry if needed so they do not bleed into the frosting.
• For the best clean cut slices, chill the cake in the fridge before serving.
• If you want to take it off the pan, be sure to line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
• For perfect stars and stripes use a ruler to place the fruit in a line. (This is not me by the way…I am more of an eyeball it person, but if you are more perfect than I am, use a ruler, it will be beautiful!)

How do you make this American Flag Cookie Cake with Fruit gluten-free?

Gluten-Free American Flag Cookie Cake only needs one swap, gluten-free all-purpose flour. While this is the only swap it is very important to use a high-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour. I am regularly using King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour. I’ve been able to find it regularly at Costco for less than $10 for 5 pounds, so it’s become my go-to flour.

Other brands such as Bob’s Red Mill, Better Batter, and Cup 4 Cup will work wonderfully as well.

How do you prevent a crumbly cookie base?

Let the dough fully cool after baking and this will allow it to harden up enough to still be soft but easy to slice without crumbling. This is the key to getting that perfect frosting too. If you need it to cool faster, place it in the fridge for 30 minutes before frosting.

Storage Tips for American Flag Cookie Cake:

Store the remaining cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

If you plan to make this ahead, make the cookie base and store it in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 2 days before adding the frosting and the fruit.

Check out even more Gluten-Free Desserts!

Gluten-Free American Flag Cookie Cake is the ultimate dessert for your summer festivities, trust me when I tell you no one will ever know it’s gluten-free…it’s just that good!

More Patriotic Recipes:

• Patriotic Jello Jigglers Recipe

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  20+ Patriotic Recipes (Red, White, and Blue Recipes)

• Patriotic Chex Mix

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  Gluten-Free Mini Patriotic Cupcakes