Description
Celebrate Independence Day with these festive 4th of July Cookies featuring a delightful marbled swirl of red, white, and blue doughs topped with patriotic sprinkles. Soft, buttery, and subtly sweet, these cookies are perfect for holiday gatherings and are easy to make with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Decoration
- Red gel food coloring
- Blue gel food coloring
- Red, white, and blue sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the perfect baking temperature for the cookies.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes using a mixer.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition, then add vanilla extract and blend thoroughly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder, then gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Divide and Color Dough: Split the dough evenly into three separate portions. Add red gel food coloring to one portion, blue gel food coloring to another, and leave the last one plain (white).
- Create Marbled Dough: Gently swirl the three colored dough portions together lightly to achieve a marbled, patriotic pattern without completely blending the colors.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced adequately. Sprinkle with red, white, and blue sprinkles for decoration.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the edges turn a golden brown, then remove and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without altering the dough’s consistency.
- Do not overmix the dough to maintain a tender cookie texture.
- Chill dough briefly if it becomes too soft to handle easily.
- Storing cookies in an airtight container keeps them fresh for up to 5 days.
- Optional: Add a pinch of salt to balance sweetness if desired.
