Description
Celebrate the 4th of July with these festive, colorful sugar cookies perfect for any patriotic gathering. Twisted and marbled with red and blue hues, these soft and buttery cookies are topped with patriotic sprinkles, making them a delightful and eye-catching treat for your holiday dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Coloring and Decoration
- Red food coloring
- Blue food coloring
- Patriotic sprinkles or sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt throughout the flour.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Egg and Extracts: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) to the creamed mixture until fully incorporated, adding flavor and moisture to the dough.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently just until combined to avoid overworking the dough which can toughen cookies.
- Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough into three equal parts. Leave one portion plain, tint one with red food coloring, and the third with blue food coloring to create the patriotic colors.
- Shape Cookies: Roll each color of dough into long ropes. Gently twist the red, white (plain), and blue ropes together, then roll the twisted dough into balls or shape into swirls for a vibrant marbled effect.
- Decorate: Flatten the shaped dough slightly on the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle with patriotic sprinkles or sanding sugar for a festive look.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden, ensuring a soft center.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- For crispier cookies, extend baking time by 1 minute but watch closely to avoid burning.
- Chilling the dough before shaping can make handling easier and help maintain the cookie shapes during baking.
- For added sweetness and a twist, try incorporating white chocolate chips into the dough to complement the red, white, and blue theme.
