Red White & Blue Sugar Cookies
Celebrate in style with these Red White & Blue Sugar Cookies! These American flag inspired cookies are perfect for the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, summer BBQs or any day you just want to show off your patriotic pride.
Red White & Blue Sugar Cookies
If you are like me, there are certain times of the year when you set out to SHINE!! I am not a prideful person by any means but when it comes to throwing parties or holidays with strong color themes, I do my best to represent. These Red White & Blue Sugar Cookies are always on my dessert table come summertime.
Summer BBQs for the Fourth of July really spark my creative food gene, I do my best to really WOW in the food area. After all, an American flag cookie may not mean much but it’s a tiny token of thanks to those who have served and to celebrate all that is great in America. THAT I do take pride in!
Google red, white and blue recipes and your computer will go on for days. But what makes this easy sugar cookie recipe a winner in my book is the addition of the red and blue tie dye swirls. Super easy to make and super delicious!
I even have a few in there myself like my colorful Whoopie Pies and my Red White & Blue Patriotic Cupcakes. But if there is one thing I believe in is that you can never have too many recipes for outstanding food!
Holidays are prime time to break out the creativity and let’s be honest, if you are going to be standing outside all day, in the middle of July, melting in the heat and surrounded by sticky little hands while you wait for 30 minutes of fireworks before you try to beat the traffic on the way home, you have the right to irritate Sally from down the street with your impressive and mind-blowing culinary displays of patriotism.
It’s your American right.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- These red white & blue sugar cookies are a lot of fun to make but can be messy if you aren’t careful. Be sure to grab some disposable gloves if you will be using your hands to mix the dough.
- Want to make these patriotic cookies even more extra? Add white chocolate chips or sprinkles!! Simply stir in 1 cup of white chocolate chips to your batter or simply add them on top of your cookies when they come out of the oven.
- Consider picking up some clear vanilla extract. Tastes the same as ‘old fashioned’ vanilla extract but without the brown coloring. Just a little way to keep the ‘white’ batter from tinting darker.
- Colored food gel can be found in the cake decorating section of your grocery store or online.
Enjoy!!
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Red White & Blue Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Red and Blue Gel Food Coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
- Start by adding butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a large mixing bowl and mix until light and creamy
- Add in the egg and egg yolk to the butter and sugar mixture and mix to combine
- Mix in the vanilla and salt
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder and then slowly incorporate into your sugar batter .. this takes time, it will seem very dry at first but will come together nicely
- Separate your batter into 3 separate but equal parts and into individual bowls. Add blue food coloring to one bowl and red food coloring to another bowl and stir to combine or even use your hands to mix the coloring into your dough *suggest wearing disposable gloves if you are using your hands.
- Once your color(s) are incorporated into your dough, pinch off a small amount of the red dough, the blue dough and the non-colored dough so that combined they make a ball about the size of a golf ball. Lightly roll the dough together to make a ball then break the ball in half and rip off some of the dough and place it in a different spot and roll the ball back together. You are looking to mix up the color pattern, that is what will create the 'swirl effect'.
- Add 1/2 cup of sugar to a separate small bowl.. this is the sugar you will roll your cookie in before baking.
- Once you are happy with your color placement, roll your dough ball though the extra sugar and place them on your cookie sheet - do no flatten!
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes and remove.. let sit on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before moving the cookies to a wire rack
- Let cool and enjoy!!
Notes
Expert Tips and Tricks
- These red white & blue sugar cookies are a lot of fun to make but can be messy if you aren't careful. Be sure to grab some disposable gloves if you will be using your hands to mix the dough.
- Want to make these patriotic cookies even more extra? Add white chocolate chips or sprinkles!! Simply stir in 1 cup of white chocolate chips to your batter or simply add them on top of your cookies when they come out of the oven.
- Consider picking up some clear vanilla extract. Tastes the same as 'old fashioned' vanilla extract but without the brown coloring. Just a little way to keep the 'white' batter from tinting darker.
- Colored food gel can be found in the cake decorating section of your grocery store or online.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in June of 2016 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in May of 2024.
