If you’re looking for an easy 4th of July dessert, look no further! These Patriotic Sugar Cookies are the prefect treat for both kids and adults. They’re soft and chewy and rolled in sugar.
Need more ideas for red, white and blue desserts? Check out this Flag Cupcake Cake and this easy vanilla cake.
Easy 4th of July Desserts
Going to a party? Bring the dessert. That’s my motto. Everyone always eats the dessert, so you won’t be stuck having to take any leftovers home.
These sugar cookies are fun, festive and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I took my favorite, no-roll sugar cookies, and just dyed the dough. You can make these with any colors you want, but I obviously went with the red, white and blue theme. They’re perfect for Memorial Day or July 4th.
You’ll love this recipe because it’s easy to make the dough, and you can prepare them ahead of time, and throw them in the freezer until it’s party time. You could even mix in some sprinkles or top them with some buttercream. These would go great with a scoop of ice cream too.
Creating the tye dye effect is really quite simple, let me show you how. Each cookie will be unique and different, I just love them.
Cookie Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Pure vanilla extract (almond extract works too!)
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cream of tartar- these help keep the cookies nice and chewy. Don’t skip it!
- Salt
How To Make Tye Dye Cookies
I recommend a super red color and electric blue color (navy works too) to create these cookies. I recommend using gel colors instead of food coloring because they’re highly concentrated. They produce great colors without watering down the consistency. Wilton is another brand you can find at local craft stores that will work for this. I highly recommend wearing food safe gloves to protect your hands from turning colors.
Prepare the cookie dough an instructed.
Divide the dough into 3 equal size balls. Dye one of them red and one of them blue, leaving the third one undyed. Flatten the ball of dough and place a couple drops of gel color in the middle. Work the dough in your hands until the gel is incorporated.
Use a small cookie scoop to spoon balls of dough, one color at a time, and place on the parchment paper. Combine one scoop of red, white and blue. Tear and press the dough back together to create a tye dye effect. Roll the dough into a smooth ball and then roll it in granulated sugar.
Place the dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 1 hour.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the dough about 2 inches apart, and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes prior to baking. Bake at 350° F 12-15 minutes.
A note about the baking time
I like to pull my cookies when they’re slightly underdone. They’re continue to bake on the hot cookie sheet, but undone cookies also make for perfectly soft and chewy cookies. Keep an eye on these the last couple minutes of baking. If you prefer a cookie that’s baked more in the middle, bake these for a couple extra minutes.
Pro Tip For Perfectly Shaped Cookies
These make rather large cookies, and since you’re rolling them in your hands, sometimes they don’t bake in a perfect circle. Right when you pull them out of the oven, take a large round cookie cutter and gently move the cookie around the inside, pushing the edges back towards the middle. Then you’ll have perfect circles. This only works if you do it right away, and if the edges of the cookie aren’t over done.
If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can use a spoon or the flat edges of a spatula or knife and also press the edges of the cookie back towards the center.
How To Freeze Cookie Dough
If you need to prepare the dough ahead of time, roll the tye dye cookie dough balls. Refrigerate until firm then transfer to an airtight container. If preparing more than 48 hours in advance, then I recommend freezing the dough in an airtight container. Thaw to room temperature, roll them in sugar and then bake.
Prepared cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to two months.
Patriotic Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 90 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Patriotic Sugar Cookies are the prefect treat for both kids and adults. They’re soft and chewy and rolled in sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (380g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups (420g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (2g) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (2g) cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon (1.2g) salt
- Red gel color
- Blue gel color
- Additional 1/2 cup granulated sugar for finishing
Instructions
- Soften the butter in the microwave for 10-12 seconds. Combine the butter with the sugar and beat on medium speed until well creamed together. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix into the butter and sugar until the eggs are well beaten.
- In a separate bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients. Slowly add into batter and beat on medium low speed until well combined and dough forms.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal size balls. Dye one of them red and one of them blue, leaving the third one undyed. Flatten the ball of dough and place a couple drops of gel color in the middle. Work the dough in your hands until the gel is incorporated.
- With one color at a time, use a small cookie scoop to spoon balls of dough onto parchment paper. Combine one scoop of red, white and blue. Tear and press the dough back together to create a tye dye effect. Roll the dough into a smooth ball and then roll it in granulated sugar.
- Place the dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the dough about 2 inches apart, and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes prior to baking. Bake at 350° F 12-15 minutes. Allow cookie to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
Notes
- Highly recommend using food-safe gloves when working with gel colors and parchment paper to protect surfaces.
- Decorate these cookies: Rolled in granulated sugar, sanding sugar or sprinkles. Or top these with Perfect Vanilla Frosting
- Make ahead and storage options: Prepare the dough ahead of time, rolling into balls and leave it in the refrigerator or freezer. If it’s more than 48 hours, I recommend freezing the dough in an airtight container. Thaw to room temperature and roll in sugar prior to baking. Finished cookies can be frozen and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 196
- Sugar: 8.2g
- Sodium: 57.9mg
- Fat: 8.2g
- Saturated Fat: 4.9g
- Carbohydrates: 28.7g
- Fiber: .4g
- Protein: 2.2g
- Cholesterol: 35.8mg
