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Home » Recipes » Baking

Patriotic July 4th M&M Cookies

Published: June 16, 2022 | Last Updated: June 16, 2022 | Lisa 22 Comments
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A graphic with patriotic July 4th icing stripes and star sprinkles.

These M&M Sugar Cookies are decorated with red, white, and blue M&Ms, icing stripes, and star sprinkles. Great for beach days, picnics, summer parties, and the 4th of July.

Baked with a classic sugar cookie dough and an easy icing recipe. Get great baking tips for same-size m&m cookies, and how to freeze and reuse leftover icing. Bake a batch of July 4th cookies to celebrate America's birthday and sweet summertime...

How To Bake Fourth of July Patriotic Cookies

M&M cookie recipe

  • 2  ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 egg or Egg Beaters
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1  ½ cups red, white & blue m&m candies

icing recipe

  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 3-4 tablespoons of milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • red white & blue sprinkles

Sugar Cookies

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a large mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add flour, egg, baking powder, orange juice, and vanilla.
  3. Beat at low speed, scraping the bowl down, and remix until well combined for 2 minutes. Mix in M&Ms using your hands or a spatula.
  4. Use a 1" ice cream scoop, and place 1” apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets.
  5. Bake 7-10 minutes at 400 until edges are just turning golden brown.
  6. Cool cookies before decorating with frosting on a cooling rack.

Icing Recipe

  1. In a mixer, using a wire beater/s combine powdered sugar, soft butter, milk, and vanilla.
  2. Beat on low speed until soft and fluffy for 1-2 minutes.
  3. Place in gallon zip-top bag, snip a tiny corner and drizzle on cookies to decorate in a zig-zag pattern and sprinkle with star sprinkles while the frosting is wet.

Variations and Swaps

  • Use a cup of any red, white, and blue candies in these m&m sugar cookies.
  • Bake these as chocolate chip cookies and just use the icing with colorful sprinkles on top.
  • For a chewy cookie recipe treat, use a baking tray, and bake these into m&m cookie bars. Simply press the cookie dough into the pan, bake, and slice into bars. Drizzle with icing and sprinkles.
  • You can use unsalted butter if that is all you have. The simple ratio is for every stick, half cup, or ¼ pound, use ¼ teaspoon salt.
How long do decorated sugar cookies stay fresh?


About a week sealed well in a container.

How do you keep sugar cookies fresh?


Put them chilled in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator.

How far in advance can you make cookies?


The best way to keep cookies fresh is to bake them ahead and freeze them. When you are ready to eat them, pull them out defrost for a couple of hours, and decorate if desired.

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More July 4th Desserts

Serve an Ice Cream Cake frozen dessert this summer or for birthdays, pool parties, or July 4th. This recipe has an incredible red velvet Oreo cookie crust, layers of ice cream, pound cake, caramel, chocolate sauce, whip cream, and fun sprinkles.

Bake a Blueberry Pie right on your grill, just like an oven! Serve this grilled dessert all summer with ice cream at cookouts and July 4th.

Flag Pie (aka sheet pan or slab pie) is a patriotic dessert that serves 20 people as a July 4th dessert or for summer cookouts and picnics.

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  • July 4th Ice Cream Cake
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A white plate filled with July 4th red white and blue cookies with icing and star sprinkles.
Print Pin Recipe

Patriotic July 4th Cookies

These Patriotic Sugar Cookies are made with red, white, and blue M&Ms, frosting stripes, and star sprinkles. Great for picnics, parties, and the 4th of July!
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 36
Calories 221kcal
Author Lisa Hatfield

Equipment

Spring Loaded Cookie Scoops (3 Sizes)
Patriotic Sprinkles

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies

  • 2  ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 egg or EggBeaters
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1  ½ cups red white & blue M&Ms

Frosting & Decorations

  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • red white & blue star sprinkles
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Sugar Cookie Dough

  • In a large mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add flour, egg, baking powder, orange juice, and vanilla.
  • Beat at low speed, scraping bowl down, and remix until well combined for 2 minutes. Mix in M&Ms using your hands or a spatula.
  • Use a 1" ice cream scoop, and place 1” apart on parchment lined cookie sheets.
  • Bake 7-10 minutes at 400 until edges are just turning golden brown.
  • Cool cookies before decorating with frosting on a cooling rack.

Decorate Sugar Cookies

  • In a mixer, using a wire beater/s combine powdered sugar, soft butter, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until soft and fluffy 1-2 minutes.
  • Place in gallon zip-top bag, snip a tiny corner and drizzle on cookies in a zig-zag pattern to decorate and sprinkle with star sprinkles while the frosting is wet.
  • cookie scoop stand mixer dry ingredients parchment paper baking sheet batter airtight container
  • icing4 cups powdered sugar½ cup butter softened 3-4 tablespoons of milk2 teaspoons vanillared white & blue sprinkles

Notes

Icing

If you have extra icing, you can freeze it. Simply seal in a zip-top bag and freeze. When you are ready to use it in another recipe, remove it from the freezer and bring it up to room temperature. Press the icing in the bag to get it ready to pipe again. 

Cookie Size

To get cookies the same size, use a spring-loaded 1" scoop.  You can also freeze cookie dough this way and have it ready in the freezer to bake, and then decorate. 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Tried this recipe?Let's see it on Instagram! Follow us @Delicious.Table and tag us on your recipe photo with #delicioustable
Need ingredients or equipment to make this recipe? Shop Now Every cooking product recommended I own, use, and love how they perform in my kitchen. Happy Cooking! Lisa
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Delicious Table earns advertising fees from qualified purchases linking to Amazon.com

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rehoboth says

    January 28, 2023 at 6:29 am

    Nice recipe
    Thanks

    Reply
  2. Terri Beavers says

    July 05, 2018 at 6:04 am

    5 stars
    I love red white and blue foods and these cookies are so cute. I'm a little late in celebrating because the kids have been at camp but plan to when they get home.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 05, 2018 at 6:20 pm

      Aww, they will love them! My Mom always made cookies with M&Ms, good memories. Enjoy the recipe and happy summer Terri!

      Reply
  3. Leo T. Ly says

    July 04, 2018 at 2:02 pm

    These cookies look so tasty. Just in time to celebrate Independence Day. It should be fun to make it with the kids.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 05, 2018 at 6:14 pm

      Hope you had a great 4th Leo, and thank you for your comment!

      Reply
  4. LavandaMichelle says

    July 03, 2018 at 2:43 pm

    5 stars
    What a nice post! This looks so good. I love holiday food. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    Reply
  5. Nina Kasper says

    July 02, 2018 at 5:24 pm

    Those cookies are so cute and perfect for the 4th! I could also see easily changing the sprinkles and making these festive for any holiday! Saving for later for sure!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 03, 2018 at 1:42 pm

      Ah, that is so true! with all the colored M&Ms and fun sprinkles in the world you can get so creative with this recipe!

      Reply
  6. Jessica says

    July 02, 2018 at 12:05 pm

    5 stars
    The cookies look delicious. They are very festive for July 4th! I plan to try making them! My kids will love them!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 03, 2018 at 2:01 pm

      Kids go crazy when you tuck those M&Ms in there...my Mom always made them that way growing up. Enjoy!

      Reply
  7. Becca Wilson says

    July 02, 2018 at 8:04 am

    The 4th of July is always such a fun holiday for us and the kids. They would love to have these as a treat!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 03, 2018 at 2:33 pm

      Isn't it fun? The food and fireworks are so all American... enjoy your family party Becca!

      Reply
  8. Valerie says

    July 02, 2018 at 7:10 am

    I could reach through the screen and eat any one of these they look delicious

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 03, 2018 at 2:29 pm

      Well they are goooood! That icing is just the best. Yum! Thank Valerie and Happy 4th!

      Reply
  9. Echo says

    July 02, 2018 at 5:26 am

    5 stars
    These are so cute! I just love themed food. It is so much fun!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 03, 2018 at 2:07 pm

      Thank you, I have a thing for themed food too, kinda my jam!

      Reply
  10. Princess Quinn says

    July 02, 2018 at 4:10 am

    4 stars
    Those were cute cookies. It's perfect for thanksgiving. I gotta try this recipe for a simple treat.

    Reply
  11. brittany says

    July 01, 2018 at 11:35 pm

    OMG these look so delicious! I bet they are fun to make too! Can't wait for 4th of July!!!

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 03, 2018 at 2:27 pm

      I can't wait either, it's tommorrow! Happy July 4th Brittany....

      Reply
  12. Serena Hale says

    July 01, 2018 at 6:06 pm

    4 stars
    Those cookies are ones right up my alley. They are so adorable and I bet they taste yummy. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      July 03, 2018 at 2:33 pm

      Thanks for reading the post Serena! We all love a good cookie right? Happy 4th!

      Reply
  13. Judy says

    March 11, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    5 stars
    These were so cute and perfect for the big day. It's all in the details! Definitely using this recipe in the bake sale fundraiser this year. They will go fast!

    Reply

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