Gluten Free Birthday Cookie Cake

Switch up the birthday festivities with a delicious Gluten Free Birthday Cookie Cake made with almond flour, almond butter, coconut sugar, and a creamy chocolate frosting!

The most delicious cookie cake recipe

Birthday cakes are great, but have you ever had birthday cookie cake welcome you with candles into your next year of life? Something about a cookie cake is so fun, and today I'm teaching you how to make one gluten free style!

This gluten free birthday cookie cake is an easy and fun recipe to prepare. It's made with ingredients like almond flour, coconut sugar, and almond butter for a glutenless lineup that tastes incredible.

Make this for the next birthday celebration, or enjoy it this weekend just because!

Ingredients in this birthday cookie cake recipe

To make a yummy gluten free cookie cake, we'll be using ingredients like almond flour, coconut sugar, and almond butter. We'll complete the dessert with a creamy chocolate frosting!

Cookie Cake

• Almond flour: First up for the cookie base is 1 ½ cups of almond flour. This will help create a chewy cookie!
• Baking soda: Use ½ teaspoon of baking soda to help the cookies bake evenly.
• Sea salt: Next, ¼ teaspoon of sea salt will add a delicious flavor to the cookies.
• Eggs: Use 2 eggs to bind all of the ingredients together.
• Coconut sugar: Gotta have a sweet cookie! Use ⅓ cup of coconut sugar to get the perfect flavor.
• Almond butter: ⅓ cup of almond butter adds a delicious flavor component while also making for a nice and chewy cookie texture. You can use any nut butter here!
• Coconut oil: For the oil portion, use ¼ cup of melted coconut oil.
• Vanilla: Add extra flavor with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
• Chocolate chips: Last up for the cookie cake base will be ¾ cup of chocolate chips!

Frosting

• Coconut cream: To make the frosting, begin with ½ cup of coconut cream.
• Chocolate chips: Combine that with 1 ½ cups of chocolate chips for a delicious chocolatey and creamy frosting.
• Sprinkles: Optionally add your favorite sprinkles.

Tools needed to make this birthday cake

To create a cookie cake you will need a cake pan or pie dish, parchment paper, nonstick spray, a medium mixing bowl, a stirring utensil, a large mixing bowl, and a whisk.

Then, grab the following sized measuring cups: ¼ tsp, ½ tsp, 1 tsp, ¼ cup, ⅓ cup, ½ cup, ¾ cup, and 1 cup.

How to make a gluten free birthday cookie cake

Making a birthday cookie cake is easy, especially since the "cake" portion just involves standard cookie-making methods! The recipe will take about 15 minutes of prep time along with 20 minutes of baking time and 40 minutes of frosting chill time.

Cookie Cake

To begin, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cake pan or pie dish with parchment paper and nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, mix together the almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt.

Then, whisk together the eggs and coconut sugar in a separate, larger bowl.

Add the almond butter, coconut oil, and vanilla to the large bowl and combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until well combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Then, pour the batter into the prepared pan and press it into the sides. Add more chocolate chips on top if desired.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

Frosting

To create the frosting, use a double boiler to melt together the coconut cream and chocolate chips. Stir as it melts.

If unfamiliar, a double boiler is a boiling pot of water with a bowl on top. The cream and chocolate will sit in that bowl and will melt from the steam of the boiling water.

Once the cream and chocolate are melted and combined, turn off the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then, refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Add the frosting to a piping bag and pipe onto the top of the cookie cake. Add sprinkles if desired.

Step-by-step Instructions on how to make a Gluten Free Birthday Cookie Cake

How this gluten free birthday cookie cake recipe is healthier

Not only is this cookie cake gluten free, it's also a healthier alternative to many premade cookie cakes you'll find in grocery stores. I made four main ingredient swaps to pack this cake with more nutrients and fewer preservatives!

Almond flour
First up is almond flour. This is a wonderful substitute for white all-purpose flour not only for gluten free purposes, but for flavor, texture, and nutrients too! Because almond flour is made without grains, it's better for blood sugar.

Coconut sugar
Next up is coconut sugar. This is a seamless substitute to use because the sugar swaps in at an easy 1:1 ratio! You can use it in virtually any baked good.

Almond butter
Almond butter is great to use in place of processed peanut butter, especially if using an all-natural kind! I always recommend all-natural to avoid consuming the icky chemicals and preservatives found in many nut butters.

Coconut oil
Lastly, coconut oil was used in place of vegetable or canola oil. This is another easy swap to make that helps the ingredients bind well. It doesn't affect the flavor if you use a refined version!

Additional topping ideas

Cookie cakes can be made complete with any toppings that your heart desires! Some more great ideas include:

• Chopped candies (Reese's Cups, Twix Bars, etc.)
• M&Ms
• Pretzel crumbles
• Nut butter or chocolate drizzle
• Crushed Oreos

Your leftover cookie cake can be stored on the counter at room temperature. Keep it in a tightly sealed container to maintain freshness and enjoy within 2-3 days.

Optionally store it in the refrigerator to preserve the great taste for a couple of extra days!

If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these!

Looking for some more gluten free treats that will wow any crowd? Try these! From cake pops and cookies to tarts and lemon bars, there's something for everyone.

• Cake Pops
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
• Chocolate Tart
• Lemon Bars

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa