Crumbl Birthday Cake Cookie Copycat Recipe

This crumbl birthday cake cookie recipe gives you those thick, bakery-style sugar cookies with the pink almond frosting and rainbow sprinkles, made in your own kitchen. It’s a weekend bake that comes together in about an hour, and the results are close enough to the real thing that nobody at the table will complain.

The cookies are soft in the center with slightly crisp edges, and the frosting stays creamy without being cloyingly sweet. If you’ve been spending five dollars a cookie at the mall, this is the version worth knowing.

Why I Love This Recipe

The almond extract in both the cookie and the frosting is what ties the whole thing together. It’s that specific flavor that makes a Crumbl birthday cake cookie taste like something more than just a sugar cookie with frosting.

These also stay soft for days because of the cream cheese in the frosting and the higher fat ratio in the dough. You don’t lose much between day one and day two.

The size matters too. Big, thick cookies like these need more dough than you’d expect, and getting that weight right is what keeps the center from drying out.

Recipe Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour – Spooned and leveled; too much flour makes the cookies cakey instead of dense
• 1/2 tsp baking soda – Gives a gentle lift without puffing the cookie too much
• 1/2 tsp baking powder – Works with the soda for a slightly crisp edge
• 1/2 tsp salt – Balances the sweetness; don’t skip it
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened – Room temperature is essential; cold butter won’t cream properly
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar – Provides structure and the faint crisp edge
• 1 large egg – Binds the dough
• 1 large egg yolk – Adds richness and keeps the center chewy
• 2 tsp vanilla extract – Base flavor in the dough
• 1 tsp almond extract – The defining flavor of a birthday cake sugar cookie
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened – For the frosting; keeps it smooth and slightly tangy
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened – Frosting base; must be soft so it creams smoothly
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted – Sifted to avoid lumps in the frosting
• 2 tbsp heavy cream – Adjusts frosting consistency; add more for a looser spread
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract – For the frosting
• 1/2 tsp almond extract – For the frosting; this is what makes the flavor read as “birthday cake”
• Pink gel food coloring – Gel keeps the frosting thick; liquid coloring can thin it out
• 3 tbsp rainbow sprinkles – For topping; jimmies hold up better than nonpareils on soft frosting

Variations / Substitutions

• Gluten-free flour – A 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour works here; the cookies spread slightly more and the edges are a bit more crumbly.
• Salted butter – You can use it in the dough if that’s what you have; just drop the added salt to 1/4 tsp.
• No almond extract – Leave it out and add an extra 1/2 tsp vanilla; the cookies are still good, but the Crumbl-specific flavor won’t be there.
• Dairy-free – Swap the butter for vegan butter sticks and the cream cheese for a dairy-free cream cheese block; the frosting will be slightly softer, so chill it for 10 minutes before spreading.
• Lemon zest – Add 1 tsp to the dough for a citrus version that works well with the almond frosting.
• White chocolate drizzle – Instead of sprinkles, drizzle 2 tbsp melted white chocolate over the frosted cookies for a cleaner look.

If you enjoy big bakery-style cookies, Crumbl Pink Sugar Cookie Copycat Recipe is worth making next.

How To Make Birthday Cake Cookies

Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) before you start mixing. In a large bowl, beat the 1 cup softened butter and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture looks pale and noticeably fluffy. It should go from looking yellow and grainy to almost white with a light texture.

Add the 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp almond extract. Beat for another 60 seconds on medium until everything is smooth and the mixture looks slightly glossy.

The creaming stage is where the texture of the cookie is decided. Under-creamed butter gives you a dense, flat result. Three minutes feels longer than it sounds when you’re standing there, but it’s worth the time.

Step 2: Fold in the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 2 batches, mixing on low speed just until no dry streaks remain after each addition.

The dough will be thick and slightly soft. It should hold its shape when you press it but not feel sticky on your hands. If it’s sticking badly, chill it for 15 minutes before scooping.

Step 3: Scoop and Bake the Cookies

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 9 or 10 equal balls, each about 3.5 oz (roughly the size of a golf ball, but bigger). Place them at least 3 inches apart and press each one down gently with the palm of your hand to about 3/4-inch thick.

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 11 to 13 minutes. The edges should look just set and very faintly golden, but the centers will still look slightly underdone and pale. Pull them at that point. They firm up on the pan as they cool, and an extra 2 minutes in the oven will make them dry instead of chewy.

Let the cookies cool completely on the pan, at least 30 minutes, before frosting. Warm cookies will melt the frosting.

Step 4: Whip the Frosting

In a large bowl, beat the 4 oz softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup softened butter together on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and lump-free. Add the 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 2 tbsp heavy cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp almond extract. Beat on medium-high for about 2 minutes until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.

Add pink gel food coloring, a tiny amount at a time (start with a toothpick’s worth), and beat it in until you reach the shade you want. The Crumbl version is a soft bubblegum pink, not a hot pink.

Step 5: Frost and Top the Cookies

Spoon a generous dollop of frosting onto the center of each cooled cookie. Use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula to spread it outward in a slight swirl, leaving a small border around the edge so the cookie shows through. Each cookie takes about 2 to 3 tbsp of frosting.

Scatter the 3 tbsp rainbow sprinkles over the frosted cookies right away, before the frosting sets, and serve them on a board or platter with the pink frosting and sprinkles facing up.

Recipe Tips

• Weigh your dough balls if you can. Even portions mean even baking. Cookies that are too small will overbake before the thick ones are done.
• Don’t skip cooling completely before frosting. Even a slightly warm cookie will cause the cream cheese frosting to slide and pool instead of holding its shape.
• Gel food coloring only. Liquid food dye adds water to the frosting and can make it too loose to hold a swirl. A small squeeze bottle of gel gives you control over the shade.
• Sift the powdered sugar. It takes 30 seconds and saves you from a lumpy frosting that won’t smooth out, no matter how long you beat it.

Bake times by cookie size (oven at 375°F / 190°C):

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Store frosted cookies in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Stack with a sheet of parchment between layers if you need to go two layers deep.
• Serve Cold – These actually taste great cold, which is how Crumbl serves them. The frosting firms up slightly and the cookie stays chewy.

What To Serve With Birthday Cake Cookies

A cold glass of whole milk is the obvious move, and it works because the fat cuts through the sweetness of the almond frosting in a way that water or juice doesn’t. Vanilla bean ice cream alongside a warm cookie (before frosting) turns this into a proper dessert plate, since the plain cream and the almond flavor pull in the same direction without competing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate it for up to 2 days, or freeze it in pre-portioned balls for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen and add 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time.

Why did my cookies spread too thin?

Butter that was too warm or too soft is usually the cause. If your kitchen is warm, chill the shaped dough balls for 20 minutes before baking.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, it scales straight up with no adjustments needed. Bake in batches on the same two pans rather than crowding them.

Do I have to use cream cheese in the frosting?

No, but the frosting will be sweeter and less stable without it. A plain buttercream made with just butter, powdered sugar, and cream will work, but it won’t have the slight tang that makes the Crumbl version distinctive.

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Birthday Cake Cookie Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 13 minutes mins

Total Time 33 minutes mins

Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• Pink gel food coloring
• 3 tbsp rainbow sprinkles

Method

 

1. Beat 1 cup softened butter and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy, then mix in 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp almond extract for 60 seconds.
2. Whisk together 2 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt, then add to the butter mixture in 2 batches on low speed, mixing just until no dry streaks remain.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Scoop dough into 10 balls of about 3.5 oz each, place on parchment-lined baking sheets at least 3 inches apart, press to 3/4-inch thick, and bake for 11 to 13 minutes until edges are just set. Cool completely on the pan, at least 30 minutes.
4. Beat 4 oz cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter for 2 minutes, add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 2 tbsp heavy cream, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp almond extract, and beat on medium-high for 2 minutes until fluffy. Tint with pink gel food coloring.
5. Spread 2 to 3 tbsp frosting onto each cooled cookie in a swirl, scatter 3 tbsp rainbow sprinkles over the top, and serve on a platter with the frosting facing up.

Notes

These cookies are best made the day you plan to serve them, but the dough can be shaped and refrigerated a day ahead. Pull cookies straight from the fridge to frost; cold cookies make the frosting easier to spread cleanly. If the frosting feels too stiff after chilling, beat in an extra 1/2 tbsp heavy cream to loosen it.