• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • About
  • Contact
  • Boutique of the Week
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Happy Happy Nester

Weekly Inspiration for Your Nest

  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast/Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Dinners
    • Drinks
  • Crafts
  • Decor
  • Shop
    • Fall Decor
    • Kitchen
    • Pillows
    • Holiday Decor
  • Amazon Store
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast/Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Dinners
    • Drinks
    • Snacks
  • Crafts
  • Decor
  • Shop
    • Fall Decor
    • Kitchen Favorites
    • Pillows
    • Holiday Decor
  • Saturday Chitchat
  • Boutique of the Week
  • About
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

See What’s Trending…

Cakes

Cookies

Dinners

Wreaths

Drinks

Home › Recipes › 4th of July Cookies (Recipe)

4th of July Cookies (Recipe)

Cookies Desserts Recipes
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
By Janine Waite · Published on Jun 15, 2023
Affiliate Disclosure: This Post May Contain Affiliate Links.

Make these adorable 4th of July Cookies for a fun and festive treat! Just follow my sugar cookie recipe, grab some cookie cutters, and don’t forget to check out my helpful tips and tricks for creating them. Get ready to enjoy a delicious and patriotic baking adventure!

five 4th of july cookies with red and blue stars on a red paper plate

Have you noticed the trend of adding various cut-out shapes to sugar cookie dough? I experimented with blue and red star shapes and absolutely adore the final result!

This 4th of July, why not make a few fun desserts to your list? And can I suggest these adorable star sugar cookies?

Will you be hosting a fun 4th of July get-together?

With the pandemic somewhat behind us, I’m considering inviting friends over for a fun dinner and serving these adorable, festive cookies as a holiday treat.

Why You’ll Love These Sugar Cookies!

  • They’re cute.
  • They’re festive cookies without all the fuss.
  • Your kids can help make them.
  • They are yummy cookies.
  • You don’t have to frost them.
  • No need for a special 4th of July cookie cutter. Just use a small star cookie cutter.
  • Make them ahead and save time.
  • They freeze well.

You Might Want These Baking Products

Cream Colored Bowl

Scalloped Cookie Cutters | Wooden Rolling Pin

Mini-Cookie Cutters | Parchment Paper

close up photo of 4th of july cookies on a cute red and white paper plate

How to Make 4th of July Cookies

If you’ve ever whipped up some sugar cookies, then this recipe will be a piece of cake for you. The only twist is that you’ll be cutting out star shapes and mixing them into the dough.

No need to fuss with frosting, but you’ll still end up with super cute star-patterned cookies.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Butter: Softened butter is a key ingredient in sugar cookies, providing moisture and flavor. It also helps to create a tender texture in the cookies. The fat in butter contributes to the richness and mouthfeel of the cookies.
  • Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar, also known as confectioners’ or icing sugar, is used in sugar cookies to add sweetness and contribute to the texture. The fine texture of powdered sugar helps create a smoother dough and gives the cookies a softer texture when baked.
  • Egg: Eggs act as a binding agent in sugar cookies, helping to hold the ingredients together. They also add moisture and richness and contribute to the structure of the cookies during baking.
  • Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds a delicious flavor to sugar cookies. It provides a warm and sweet aroma that enhances the overall taste of the cookies. Vanilla extract is a common flavoring ingredient in baking and is often used to complement the sweetness of the sugar.
  • Almond Extract: Almond extract is an optional ingredient that can be added to sugar cookies to give them a subtle almond flavor. It provides a unique and pleasant taste, enhancing the overall flavor profile of the cookies. Almond extract is often used in combination with vanilla extract to add depth to the flavor.
  • Flour: Flour is the main dry ingredient in sugar cookies. It provides structure and stability to the cookies by forming a gluten network when mixed with the other ingredients. The gluten helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.
  • Baking Soda: Baking soda is a leavening agent used in sugar cookies. It reacts with the acid in cream of tartar (discussed next) and creates carbon dioxide bubbles, which help the cookies rise during baking. This results in a light and tender texture.
  • Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar is an acidic ingredient that, when combined with baking soda, acts as a leavening agent. The reaction between cream of tartar and baking soda helps the cookies rise and gives them a slightly tangy flavor. Cream of tartar also helps stabilize the whipped egg whites, if used, and contributes to the texture of the cookies.

Step-by-Step Instructions: 4th of July Star Cookies

Step 1 – Make Dough

Make the dough and separate 1/3 of the dough into two bowls. Add blue food coloring to one and red to the other. Mix food coloring thoroughly into the cookie dough. If you use your hands be ready for the dye to soak into your skin.

rolled out blue and red cookie dough
punching out the cookie dough from the star shaped cookie cutter

Step 2 – Make Stars

Roll out both the red and blue dough on parchment paper. Roll out the dough so it’s just over a ¼ inch thick. This will help it keep its shape when rolled. Place all your stars on a parchment-lined baking tray. Chill star cookies in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

Roll out the non-dyed cookie dough and set aside. This dough will be your canvas for the stars.

placing the cut out cookie dough stars on top of a rolled sugar cookie dough
rolling the sugar cookie dough with two sheets of parchment paper
sugar cookie dough with red and white stars in between 2 sheets of parchment paper
sugar cookie dough rolled out with blue and red stars laid on top of the dough
cut out round 4th of july sugar cookies with star combined in the dough

Step 3 – Create A Cookie Dough Canvas

Place your chilled stars on your rolled-out cookie dough. Then place a large enough sheet of parchment paper on top of your dough. Roll gently over the parchment until the stars are blended.

I found sometimes the stars will stick to the parchment paper, so carefully peel them off the paper and place them on the cookie dough.

Cut out your cookies with another round scalloped cookie cutter. If you want to have every part of the dough used, choose a square, rectangle, or hexagonal cookie shape.

Bake Cookies in a 375-degree oven for 5-7 minutes. Watch for browning.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookie

This wonderful sugar cookie is perfect for rolling out and cutting into shapes. It's a crispy and thin cookie that keeps its shape beautifully.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time7 minutes mins
chill time2 hours hrs
Total Time2 hours hrs 22 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cookies, holiday cookies, iced cookies, rolled cookies, royal icing, sugar cookies
Servings: 20 cookies
Calories: 59kcal
Author: Janine Waite

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • 2½ cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • blue food coloring
  • red food coloring

Instructions

Cookie Dough

  • Mix butter, powdered sugar, egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
  • Blend in flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar in the sugar mixture.
  • Cover and chill for two to three hours.

Shaping Cookies

  • Preheat oven to 375°
  • Separate 1/3 of the dough into two bowls. Add blue food coloring to one and red to the other.
    Mix food coloring thoroughly into the cookie dough. If you use your hands be ready for the dye to soak into your skin.
  • Roll out both the red and blue dough on parchment paper. Roll out the dough so it's just over a ¼ inch thick. This will help it keep its shape when rolled. Place all your stars on a parchment-lined baking tray. Chill star cookies in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
  • Roll out the non-dyed cookie dough about ½ inch thickness and set aside. This dough will be your canvas for the stars.
  • Place your chilled stars on your rolled-out cookie dough. Then place a large enough sheet of parchment paper on top of your dough. Roll gently over the parchment until the stars are blended.
  • Cut out your cookies with another round scalloped cookie cutter. If you want to have every part of the dough used, choose a square, rectangle, or hexagonal cookie shape.
    Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking tray.
  • Bake for 5-7 minutes. Watch for brown edges and immediately remove them from the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @happyhappynester or tag #happyhappynester!
round scalloped sugar cookies with red and blue 4th of july stars

Recipe Tips

  • Chill Dough – Chilling the dough helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking, resulting in a better texture and shape.
  • Use Good Food Coloring – I discovered that Americolor dyes offer vibrant and stunning colors, perfect for creating beautiful blue and red stars. So make sure to purchase these food dyes for these beautiful star cookies.
  • The Cookie Dough Base Should be at Room Temperature – For the best results in combining the cookie dough base with the stars, I recommend rolling out the base and letting it sit for a while to soften. This will create the ideal consistency for the stars to integrate into the dough easily.
  • Star Cutouts Should Be Chilled – Chill the star cutouts to keep their shapes when you add them to the softened rolled-out dough.
marbled star cookies on a striped blue and red paper plate

FAQs

What happens when you don’t chill cookie dough?

When you skip the step of chilling sugar cookie dough in the refrigerator, the dough may spread excessively during baking. Chilling the dough helps to solidify the fat, resulting in cookies that maintain their shape better and have a more desirable texture.

Is chilled cookie dough better?

Chilled cookie dough tends to yield better results due to several reasons. It helps the cookies maintain their shape, prevents excessive spreading during baking, and enhances the texture by allowing the flavors to meld together more effectively.

Is it better to better to chill cookie dough in the fridge or freezer?

Refrigerating the dough allows it to firm up gradually and evenly, resulting in cookies with better texture and flavor. Freezing the dough is a quicker alternative, but it may affect the final texture and may require longer baking times.

Why do you chill cookie dough overnight?

Chilling cookie dough overnight helps to develop the flavors, enhances the texture, and allows the dough to firm up, resulting in better-shaped and tastier cookies.

What do I do with the leftover dough?

To use up the remaining dough with different shapes and colors, simply combine and gently re-roll the marbled cookie dough.

marbled star cookies on a red and blue striped paper plate
blue and red cookie dough with stars cut out of them
round sugar cookie with a blue star i the middle of it
marbled red and blue star sugar cookies on a 4th of july plate

Photo: MyPhotography.com

Tasty Cookie Recipes

If you want a few more cookie recipes, check out these:

  • Ranger Cookie Recipe
  • The Best Crunchy Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie
  • Amy’s Almond Cookie Recipe

This year, have a wonderful 4th of July celebration!

Thanks for dropping by my post on 4th of July cookie ideas. Appreciate it!

Get ready to indulge in these amazing 4th of July cookies!

Bon Appetit!

signature

pin it button

4th of July cookies pin image
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Janine Waite
Follow me
Janine Waite
I named my blog Happy Happy Nester because I love everything related to the home. I’ve always enjoyed decorating my surroundings. Get cozy and stay for a bit, thanks for visiting!
Janine Waite
Follow me
Latest posts by Janine Waite (see all)
  • How to Make a Tender Juicy Steak - May 8, 2025
  • My Favorite Flower Crafts - May 3, 2025
  • Easy Corkboard Placemats DIY - May 2, 2025

You May Also Like

  • 4th-of-july-desserts
    4th of July Desserts
  • 4th of july 5
    Front Porch Ideas for 4th of July
  • cookie tree from sur la table
    Christmas Cookie Recipe Twinkle Tree
  • diy-candle-decoration-ideas-2-685×1024-1
    Red White and Blue Party Ideas

Sharing This!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Sidebar

Janine the Nester

Hello from the Nester

We love everything related to home, so get cozy and stay for a bit. Thanks for visiting our blog. Learn More...

Reader Favorites

The Best Crunchy Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie

This Italian Cream Cake has a pumpkin cream cheese frosting that makes this a winning combination. This dessert is perfect for the holidays.

Italian Cream Cake with a Twist of Pumpkin

French Apple Custard Tart with Puff Pastry

DIY Paper Flowers Tutorial (Tissue Paper)

Upcycling Tin Cans with Scrapbooking Paper

How to Make a Paper Flower Wreath DIY

Popular Categories

  • Cakes
  • Cookies
  • Dinners
  • Wreaths
  • Organizing

Join Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE:
I am grateful to be of service and bring you content free of charge. In order to do this, please note that when you click links and purchase items, in most (not all) cases, I will receive a referral commission. Your support in purchasing through these links enables me to keep my design and customization prices ridiculously low and empower more people worldwide to blog with less worry and less hassle.
Happy Happy Nester is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Thank you! :)
-Happy Happy Nester

Our Guide

Join Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recipes

Appetizers
Breakfast/Brunch
Desserts
Dinners
Drinks

Crafts & Decor

DIY
Gardening
Holiday
Wreaths

About

About The Nester
Contact
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Happy Happy Nester by Janine Waite · Privacy Policy

↑ BACK TO TOP