This easy Fourth of July Cookies recipe is perfect for any patriotic holiday! Make the delicious sugar drop cookies with red white and blue flair to enjoy on Memorial Day or the 4th of July!
If you're looking for a fun holiday cookie idea, you can't go wrong with this patriotic dessert!
These chewy, sugar drop cookies are so easy to make and even more fun to decorate! They're covered with red, white, and blue frosting and spangled with patriotic sprinkles.
Whip up a batch of these delightful treats to bring to your next holiday potluck or serve under the sparkle of fireworks. (You can bring this 4th of July Smore's Dip too. It's perfect for a Memorial Day celebration!)
The best part? This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make, with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It makes the perfect patriotic snack or light dessert. Red white and blue desserts like this always add festive flair to a holiday party.
- Freezer friendly. Save time by making a double batch of cookie dough at one time. It freezes well for up to 4 months!
- Fun activity for kids. In addition to being easy to make, these cookies are perfect for kids to help decorate.
Ingredients
You only need a few ingredients to make these delicious Fourth of July cookies!
- all-purpose flour: I recommend using unbleached all-purpose flour.
- granulated sugar
- unsalted butter: Unsalted butter is used to enhance the sweet, rich flavors of the sugar cookies. If you don’t have any unsalted butter, you can use salted butter and omit the additional salt.
- large egg: A single egg is used to add stability to the dough and give the treats a chewy consistency
- milk: A splash of milk adds tenderness and moisture. It might sound a bit odd to add milk to cookie dough, but don’t skip out on this ingredient! It truly enhances the overall flavor and texture of these sugar cookies.
- vanilla extract: I like the flavor of Mexican vanilla, but any type will do.
- baking powder: This leavener adds a slight lift to the cookies. Don’t use too much or they’ll spread!
- coarse salt: Be sure to use a coarse grain sea or kosher salt, not iodized table salt.
- Food Coloring- You can dye the unbaked dough with gel food coloring, and/or use red white and blue sprinkles for decorating the tops.
Substitutions
- all-purpose flour: If you'd like to make gluten-free Fourth of July cookies, substitute the AP flour with a cup-for-cup variety of gluten-free all-purpose flour. Two popular brands are Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour. If you do use a gf substitute, be sure to avoid dry, crumbly cookies by using a couple of tablespoons less than the recipe calls for.
- baking powder: If you happen to be out of baking powder, but you have baking soda and cream of tartar on hand, you can make a baking powder replacement!
To use baking soda as a substitute for baking powder, mix ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder. - white granulated sugar: To reduce the calories, you can substitute the sugar with any cup-for-cup variety of granulated sugar substitute. Monkfruit sugar is a good option.
- unsalted butter: If you need or want to use salted butter, just omit the ¼ teaspoon of salt this recipe calls for.
Although I haven't tested the recipe using plant-based butter substitutes, they'll probably work, but the dough may a bit loose. You may need to add an extra tablespoon or two of flour. - eggs: Egg yolks are important for creating moisture and structure. If you need a substitute, check out my post, Egg Substitutes for Baking.
- vanilla extract: If you need an alcohol-free flavoring, you can use vanilla essence.
Decorating Ideas for Sugar Drop Cookies
The simplest way to add a patriotic look is to dye the cookies in red white and blue. To do this, just separate the dough into 3 equal pieces, then use gel food coloring to dye one section red and the other blue. Leave one section uncolored.
If you want to decorate with sprinkles, colored sugar, and/or other toppings, you'll need something to help them stick. I suggest spreading a thin layer of royal icing or buttercream frosting on the top of the sugar cookies.
Here are links to some of the supplies that I used:
How to Make Fourth of July Cookies
Summary only. The complete recipe instructions are in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️
- Make the sugar cookie dough.
- Add gel food coloring to 2 portions.
- Arrange dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Let cookies cool before decorating.
Liz's Tips for the Best Drop Cookies
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This will prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan.
- Cream the butter and sugar on high speed, for 2 to 3 minutes. When it's properly creamed, the mixture should have a lighter color, and it should feel somewhat smooth between your fingers. If there's still a lot of graininess from the sugar, continue mixing for another minute.
- Chilling the dough isn't necessary, but it does help. Cold dough is less likely to spread.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. This allows them to set up a bit, so they don't fall apart.
Storage
Storing: The baked and decorated cookies will stay fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freezing: You can freeze the bake sugar cookies for up to 3 months. Wrap them well to prevent freezer burn, and thaw completely before enjoying.
To freeze the unbaked dough, portion into balls and freeze them on a parchment lined baking sheet. After 1 hour in the freezer, transfer them to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag.
Check out this post, How to Freeze Cookie Dough, for additional tips.
4th of July Sugar Cookie Variations
By simply swapping out food coloring colors and decorations, you can make this recipe suitable for any occasion! Use pinks, reds, and purples for Valentine’s day, pastels for Easter, red and green for Christmas, or even university colors for a graduation!
Air fry cookies instead of baking!
It takes a bit more effort, but I actually prefer these cookies when they’ve been baked in the air fryer. Simply shape your cookies as desired before placing them into your preheated and well-greased air fryer basket. Fry your cookies at 350°F for 7 minutes to get a crispier, melt-in your mouth texture. Check out my Air Fryer Sugar Cookies recipe for more information.
Other Patriotic Holiday Dessert Ideas
- Patriotic 4th of July S'mores Dip
- Homemade White Cake - Frost it with red white and blue buttercream, so it looks like a flag!
- Mini Cherry Pies
- Homemade Whipped Cream - The perfect topping for any dessert!
Easy Fourth of July Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup milk any dairy milk or non-dairy substitute
- gel food coloring optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Using a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer on high speed, cream together softened butter and sugar for about 2 minutes, until mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla to the bowl. Set the mixer to medium speed and beat mixture until smooth.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. With the mixer set on low speed, mix until a stiff dough forms. Add milk and continue mixing on low speed until thoroughly combined.
- Optional: Divide dough into three equal sized sections. Leave one as is, then use gel coloring to dye one section blue and the other section red.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to create tablespoon-sized balls of dough. Drop them onto the lined baking sheet. Alternatively, use a rolling pin to roll cookie dough into a ½-inch thick sheet, and cut out the shapes of your choosing.
- Bake cookies in preheated oven for 9 minutes, or until the edges of each cookie are just barely golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a couple minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When sugar cookies are cool, decorate as desired.
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