Perfect for summer & patriotic celebrations, these 4th of July cookies are simple pinwheel cookies, with a patriotic twist! These are awesome if you want to make stable desserts (i.e. don't melt in the heat), or take it easy on heavy ingredients, but still want an impressive dessert.
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Here in the South, making desserts in the summertime can be tricky, especially if you'll be enjoying them outside. Why? Because it's a million degrees most of the time and things melt. And 4th of July festivities always fall during the hottest part of summer.
That's why these Red, White and Blue Pinwheel cookies are perfect for Independence Day celebrations. These easy cookies don't have fruit, frosting, or any other temperature-sensitive ingredients, so you can enjoy them, no matter what the weather is doing.
Old Fashioned Pinwheel Cookies
Just a quick history lesson on old-fashioned pinwheel cookies. It's believed that they originated in Germany and then became popular in the United States during the Great Depression.
With no icing or frosting and very little sugar in the recipe, they were an economical treat for families struggling. At the time, the dough was divided in half, then cocoa powdered added to one-half of the dough. Then each piece of dough was rolled out and stacked for a mix of brown and white dough to create the pinwheel sugar cookies.
Love Pinwheel Cookies? Check out these Candy Corn Pinwheel Cookies too!
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Why You'll Love These 4th of July Cookies
These easy 4th of July cookies have so many winning traits! If you've never made a pinwheels cookies recipe before you're going to be surprised at how much you love them and how easy they are.
Simple Ingredients - you probably already have everything you need (except maybe the food coloring) to make patriotic sugar cookies.
Ready in an hour (including chill time) - for such an impressive cookie, these can be made in a short amount of time.
Not Temperature Sensitive - these 4th of July sugar cookies can stand the heat of being served outside at a picnic, poolside, or in a lunchbox. You could even use them as perfect party treats! No refrigeration required (other than during prep)
Can be Made Ahead - make and chill the dough ahead of time, then you can slice and bake just before you need them! And actually - the longer the dough chills, the better!
Festive Fourth of July Cookies - with the red, white and blue theme, Fourth of July Sugar Cookies are actually perfect for any patriotic holiday including Memorial Day, Labor Day, Flag Day or Veteran's Day!
Tools Needed to Make Patriotic Cookies
- Mixing bowls
- Electric Mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer)
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Sheet (or Baking Sheet)
- Floss (preferred) or really sharp knife
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
If you bake regularly, you probably already have everything you need to make these festive cookies. If not, you can easily grab what you need at your local grocery store.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Butter
- Granulated White Sugar
- Large Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- Milk
- Red and Blue Food Coloring
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Wilton No-Taste Red Gel Coloring
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How to Make 4th of July Cookies
This is an easy cookie recipe that you're going to love!
Sugar Cookie Dough
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat room-temperature butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in egg, vanilla, and milk.
- Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and beat until smooth.
How to Make Pinwheel Cookies
- Divide the cookie dough into thirds.
- Add about ½ an ounce of Wilton No-Taste Red Gel Coloring to one-third, and 20-30 drops of blue gel coloring, or ¼ ounce of Wilton blue gel color to another third and stir them until well combined. In order to make the cookie dough truly patriotic red, you need to add quite a bit of food coloring, so if the dough seems thinner than it was, go ahead and add 1-2 tablespoons more flour. You'll need a dough that will roll out well.
- Roll each third of dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper to about ⅜ inch thick, and 8x12 inches rectangle.
- Chill cookie dough sheets for at least 30 minutes (the longer the better)!
- Preheat oven to 325ºF.
- Remove cookie dough from refrigerator.
- Lay one sheet on your work surface, and flip a second sheet on top, peeling off the parchment paper. Repeat with the third sheet.
- Roll cookie dough as tightly as possible so there are no gaps between the layers, making a 12 (or so) inch long log.
- Use floss to cut ⅓-½ inch thick cookies. You can use a knife, but it will flatten the bottom side of the cookie.
- Place cookies on a baking sheet, and bake about 8-10 minutes, until cookies are set, but not golden brown. This is one cookie you don't want to brown on the edges (it ruins the festive colors).
- Remove from oven, and let cool on a wire rack.
- Enjoy the BEST 4th of July cookies!
Flavor Variations: use lemon extract or almond extract in place of or in addition to the vanilla extract for different flavors.
Pro Tips
- As with all baking, unless the recipe specifies otherwise, use room temperature ingredients.
- For best results, use dental floss (unflavored) to cut the dough into slices. This will give you the cleanest cuts without squishing the cookies.
- To make ahead, go ahead and do steps 1-12, then wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill the dough again until ready to bake. This can be done hours or a couple of days in advance.
Serving Suggestions
These red white and blue cookies can be served as part of a dessert table for a 4th of July celebration or just as a fun snack for kids. It's such an easy recipe to whip up no matter the occasion.
Storage Directions
- Storage - store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freezing: this dough can be made and frozen for up to 3 months. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to a month.
More 4th of July Recipes
- Easy Ice Cream Sandwich Cake with Patriotic Sprinkles - an easy dessert made with ice cream sandwiches, chocolate and vanilla ice cream, OREO cookies and chocolate syrup
- Red White and Blue Rice Krispie Treats
- Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Easy Red, White and Blue Trifle for Patriotic Holidays
- 4th of July Cake Mix Cookies
- Red White and Blue Fruit Salad
- 4th of July Bundt Cake
- Easy 4th of July Cupcakes
- Firecracker Marshmallow Pops
- Red White and Blue Jello Shots
Recipe
4th of July Cookies (Red White and Blue Pinwheel Cookies)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 24 1x
Description
Perfect for summer & patriotic celebrations, these 4th of July cookies are simple pinwheel cookies, with a patriotic twist! These are awesome if you want to make stable desserts (i.e. don't melt in the heat), or take it easy on heavy ingredients, but still want an impressive dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- Red and blue food coloring (I used a combination of Wilton no-taste red, and generic blue liquid food coloring)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together
- In a larger mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light
- Beat in egg, vanilla, and milk
- Add flour mixture, and beat until smooth
- separate the cookie dough into thirds
- Add about ½ an ounce of Wilton no-taste red food coloring to one third, and 20-30 drops of liquid blue, or ¼ ounce of Wilton blue gel color to another third and stir them until well combined. In order to make the cookie dough truly red, you need to add quite a big of food coloring, so if the dough seems thinner than it was, go ahead and add 1-2 tablespoons more of flour. You need a dough that will roll out well.
- Roll each third of dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper to aout ⅜ inch thick, and 8x12 inches
- Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes
- Preheat oven to 325º
- Remove cookie dough from refrigerator
- Lay one sheet on your work surface, and flip a second sheet on top, peeling off the parchment paper. Repeat with the third sheet.
- Roll cookie dough as tightly as possible so there are no gaps between the layers, making a 12 (or so) inch long log
- Use floss to cut ⅓-½ inch thick cookies. You can use a knife, but it will flatten the bottom side of the cookie.
- Place cookies on a baking sheet, and bake about ten minutes, until cookies are set, but not browned.
- Remove from oven, and let cool
- Prep Time: 20
- Chill Time: 30
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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