Almond-flavored sugar cookie cake studded with slivered almonds and finished with a bright cherry buttercream. A simple, nostalgic cookie cake with a perfect balance of crunch and sweet cherry frosting.
Hi friends! I’m Jen from Baked by an Introvert and I’m sharing a recipe for what I think is the best sugar cookie you’ll ever taste.
If you usually reach for a cake to celebrate birthdays or special moments, this cookie cake is a refreshing switch-up. It’s packed with almond flavor, dotted with slivered almonds for texture, and topped with a creamy cherry frosting that complements the almond perfectly.
The method is straightforward: cream the wet ingredients, whisk together the dry ingredients, then combine and fold in the almonds. This recipe uses one whole egg plus an extra yolk. The additional yolk adds moisture without making the cookie cake overly gooey — the aim is a slightly crunchy, tender texture that crumbles and melts in your mouth, reminiscent of classic sugar cookies.
Spread the batter into a 9-inch deep pie dish for even baking. A deep dish with straight sides works best; a shallow or angled pan can cause the cookie to bake unevenly and collapse in the center. Bake for about 25–30 minutes and start checking around 20 minutes, since oven temperatures vary and you don’t want the edges to overbrown.
Once the cookie cake has cooled, frost it with a cherry-flavored buttercream. I make a thick buttercream using butter and powdered sugar, then flavor it with maraschino cherry juice for a bright, authentic cherry note. If you want a stronger cherry presence, fold ½ cup of drained maraschino cherries into the batter along with the slivered almonds before baking — just know that adding cherries will change the cake’s texture because of the extra moisture.
This almond cherry sugar cookie cake is an easy, crowd-pleasing option when you want something different for a birthday or special occasion.
Almond Cherry Sugar Cookie Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 ⅓ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup (42 g) slivered almonds
For the Frosting:
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
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In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, and almond extract, beating until combined.
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Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until moistened. Fold in the slivered almonds.
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Spread the batter evenly into a 9-inch deep pie pan. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until lightly golden and set. Cool completely on a wire rack.
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To make the frosting: beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the maraschino cherry juice and beat until fully incorporated. Frost the cooled cookie cake as desired.
Notes
- For a stronger cherry flavor, gently fold ½ cup of drained maraschino cherries into the batter with the slivered almonds. Be aware this will add moisture and slightly change the cake’s texture.
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