Description
Celebrate any patriotic occasion with these delightful Patriotic Sugar Cookies. Soft, tender cookies baked to perfection and topped with a creamy, smooth cream cheese frosting, decorated with colorful sprinkles to add festive flair. Perfect for Fourth of July, Memorial Day, or any time you want to add a touch of red, white, and blue to your dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (227g) margarine, softened
- 1 large (50g) egg
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) vanilla extract
- 3 cups (384g) all-purpose flour, unbleached
- ½ teaspoon (2g) baking powder
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz (227g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
- 3 teaspoons (15ml) milk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it is fully heated before baking the cookies.
- Cream Ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together softened margarine, egg, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy to incorporate air for a soft texture.
- Add Baking Powder: Stir in the baking powder evenly into the creamed mixture to help the cookies rise and have a light texture.
- Incorporate Flour: Add the all-purpose flour one cup at a time, stirring thoroughly after each addition to ensure a smooth dough without lumps.
- Roll Dough: Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out evenly to about ¼ inch (6mm) thickness to ensure even baking.
- Cut Shapes: Use star or flag cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the rolled dough, perfect for patriotic themes.
- Arrange Cookies: Place cut-out cookies on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them apart to prevent spreading together during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until edges turn very light golden brown and cookies feel firm to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: While cookies bake, blend softened cream cheese and powdered sugar with a hand mixer starting on low speed to avoid splatters, until smooth.
- Add Flavor and Milk: Mix in vanilla extract and milk into the frosting until you achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Decorate Cookies: Once cookies are fully cooled, spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting on top, then sprinkle with colored sanding sugar or festive sprinkles for a decorative crunch.
Notes
- Ensure margarine and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for easier mixing and smoother texture.
- Do not overbake the cookies; they should be just lightly golden at the edges to stay soft.
- Roll dough evenly to about ¼ inch thickness to ensure consistent baking.
- Use festive cookie cutters to match patriotic themes and add visual appeal.
- Frosted cookies can be refrigerated to keep cream cheese frosting fresh but should be brought to room temperature before serving.
- Colored sanding sugar or sprinkles can be chosen to suit any holiday or event theme.
