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A white plate filled with July 4th red white and blue cookies with icing and star sprinkles.
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4.72 from 7 votes

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 Time8 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time18 minutes
Course: Desserts & Sweets
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Icing Recipe, July 4th cookies, M&M Cookies
Servings: 36
Calories: 221kcal

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

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