This Red, White and Blue Cookie Cake Is Always A Hit

This Red, White and Blue Cookie Cake is soft, chewy, and packed with colorful M&Ms and melted chocolate throughout, with golden brown edges and a thick, bakery-style center. Finished with a simple frosting and patriotic sprinkles, it's a fun dessert that feels festive without being complicated.

It's the perfect dessert for patriotic holidays like Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, or Labor Day, especially when you need something easy that feeds a crowd. Whether it's part of a dessert table or a casual backyard celebration, this cookie cake always disappears fast.

If you love recipes like our Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookie or Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake, this festive version brings that same soft cookie texture with a colorful summer twist.

Ingredients

This patriotic dessert uses simple pantry staples to create a soft cookie base with colorful candy and a sweet frosting finish.

See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.

• All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cookie cake structure while keeping it soft and chewy.
• Sea Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor.
• Baking Soda: Helps create a chewy texture.
• Baking Powder: Adds a bit of lift for a softer bite.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps create lightly crisp edges.
• Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and creates that classic cookie texture.
• Egg: Helps bind the dough and keeps the center soft.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and depth of flavor.
• M&Ms: Adds crunch, sweetness, and the red, white, and blue color throughout the cookie cake.
• Chocolate Candy Melts: Adds extra chocolate flavor and soft melted pockets throughout.
• Icing Sugar: Sweetens the frosting and creates a smooth texture.
• Salted Butter: Forms the creamy base of the frosting.
• Whole Milk: Helps thin the frosting to the perfect piping consistency.
• Fun Sprinkles: Adds a festive finishing touch for patriotic celebrations.

A short list of items is needed for this patriotic dessert tart pan, stand mixer with paddle attachment, measuring cups and spoons, and a piping bag.

Variations

• White Chocolate Version: Add white chocolate chips for extra sweetness and texture.
• Colorful Frosting: Tint the frosting with blue food coloring or red food coloring for a more festive finish.
• Pan Options: Use a pizza pan or springform pan if you don't have a tart pan.
• Holiday Twist: Swap the M&Ms colors and sprinkles to match different holidays or celebrations.

How to Make a Red White and Blue Cookie Cake

This cookie cake comes together easily, mix the dough, press it into the pan, bake until golden brown, then decorate once cooled.

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9" tart pan with non-stick spray and set aside (you can use a springform pan if needed).

In a mixing bowl, whisk your dry goods: all-purpose flour, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder and set aside for later.

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together butter and sugars for 2 minutes on medium speed (with the paddle attachment); it should be fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed well.

Run again medium speed for about 30 seconds with the egg and vanilla extract, then add in dry ingredients. Mix on low for about a minute.

If using any chocolate chips or chopped melts, add them in now and run to combine (you can do this by hand, but I find I get a better mix with the machine).

By hand mix in the M&Ms (if you do this in two batches you can spread them easier).

Place the dough in the pan and spread evenly using an offset spatula or your hands. It will spread and rise slightly, so it doesn't need to be perfect.

Push in a couple more M&Ms to the top if desired and bake for about 15 minutes or until it starts to get a golden-brown color along the edges (you can place it on a baking sheet to ensure any butter does not melt through the bottom). 

Let cool completely, this ensures it will be solid to remove without breaking (about 15 minutes or so).

When the cookie cake is cooled, make icing by adding everything into a bowl and mix with a hand mixer (you can use a stand mixer, but it is smaller amount of icing, so you will want to stop and ensure everything mixes well a couple of times).

If needed, add small amounts of milk until you get the desired consistency. Pipe the edges and add any sprinkles if desired.

Hint: Let the butter and egg come to room temperature for a smoother cookie dough.

Recipe Tips

• Reserve Extra M&Ms: Press a few extra candies into the top before baking for a prettier finish.
• Don't Overbake: The center should still look slightly soft when removed from the oven.
• Cool Completely: Let the cookie cake cool fully before frosting so it doesn't crack or melt the icing.

For another easy patriotic dessert, our Red, White and Blue Berry Dessert pairs perfectly for summer gatherings.

More Red White and Blue Desserts

Storage Instructions

• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze slices in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: Enjoy at room temperature or warm slightly for a softer texture.

Serving Suggestions

• More Patriotic Desserts for a Party: Poke Cake, Jello Poke Cupcakes, Candy Bark, M&M Sugar Cookies and Berry Trifle.

Red, White and Blue Cookie Cake Recipe FAQs

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