If you want to whip up a simple yet sweet treat for your holiday celebration, try these 4th of July Sugar Cookies. They are super cute and have a lovely texture, but are also not too sweet! I love the addition of the M&M's for decoration, decadence, and a little crunch.
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I like that this sugar cookie recipe is easy to customize. You can decorate them however you like to celebrate any occasion, holiday, or special event you want. Adults and kids alike will never say no to a freshly baked sugar cookie!
If you like red, white, and blue desserts, you will love this July 4 Fruit Salad, Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake, Cheesecake Trifle and these Chocolate Dipped Waffle Cones.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s easy to make: This is a simple homemade sugar cookie recipe that anyone can make! It’s easy to follow and uses common baking staples to create soft, delicious cookies.
- It’s great anytime: I make these Fourth of July sugar cookies more often during the summer, but they are great any time of the year. Patriotic cookies can be enjoyed whenever you want!
- It’s perfect to make ahead: These cookies have a fantastic shelf life, so it’s easy to prepare them in advance. This is especially true if you have a party coming up. It helps to be able to get some things prepped early.
Ingredients
I included all the essential ingredients needed to make a lovely homemade sugar cookie dough, as well as the mix-ins to make them patriotic. This recipe consists mostly of common baking staples!
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour for these 4th of July and Memorial Day cookies. Feel free to try using a gluten-free flour blend instead to make them allergy-friendly.
- Baking soda and powder: The combination of baking soda and baking powder gives you the best texture possible. The baking soda keeps the cookies light and soft while baking powder helps them spread and gain that signature chewy texture.
- Sugar: I use white granulated sugar in these cookies and a little extra to roll the dough in to give them a subtle sugary crunch.
- Butter: Softened butter is needed here, so take it out of your fridge 30-60 minutes before you plan to get started on the cookie dough. This gives it plenty of time to warm up, so it’s not too cold and won’t make the mixture lumpy. Unsalted butter is my go-to over salted for flavor preference.
- Vanilla extract: Real vanilla will give you the best flavor in this sugar cookie recipe, so I highly recommend going for that over imitation.
- Greek yogurt: I like the tangy flavor of Greek yogurt. I use this as an alternative to eggs to provide structure and moisture to the cookies.
- M&Ms: Red, white, and blue M&Ms give you that patriotic theme to make them more like 4th of July or Memorial Day cookies.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Lemon: Add a splash of lemon juice and some zest to the cookie dough to add brightness and a citrus zing.
- Funfetti: Use red, white, and blue sprinkles along with the M&Ms to create a patriotic funfetti cookie.
- Add nuts: Fold in some chopped pecans or walnuts into the cookie dough for some crunch.
How to Make Patriotic Cookies
To get started, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, it’s time to get to work on your sugar cookie dough!
Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients. Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to a mixing bowl and whisk until they are well mixed.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar. Place the butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat them until they are combined and nice and fluffy.
Step 3: Add yogurt and vanilla. Add the Greek yogurt and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat until they are well combined and smooth. Pour the dry ingredients into the dough mixture and beat for about 1 minute.
Step 4: Fold in M&Ms. Once your cookie dough is mixed, gently fold in the M&Ms.
Step 5: Roll into balls. Separate the dough into 3 tablespoon balls and roll them in extra white sugar. Place them on the prepared baking sheet so they have about 1 ½ inches of space between them.
Step 6: Bake and serve. Stick the pan in the oven and bake the cookies for 14-15 minutes. Let them cool for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack. Enjoy every bite!
Recipe Tips
- Chill the dough if needed: This particular recipe doesn’t require you to refrigerate the dough before you form the cookies and bake them. However, you still can! Sometimes, I like to make it and stick it in the fridge for a couple of hours so I can bake it right when I need it.
- Don’t overwork the cookie dough: When mixing the ingredients, don’t overmix them. Once they are combined, it’s perfect. Overworking the cookie dough can result in tough, dense cookies.
- Roll in colored sugar: If you want to add some more flair to these patriotic sugar cookies, roll them in red or blue sugar instead of regular sugar to give them a little more color.
- Storing: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze the cookies for up to 2 months.
If you love recipes like these patriotic cookies, you may also enjoy this Patriotic Fruit Cookie Pizza.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve a scoop of ice cream on the side or make a fun ice cream sandwich. Go with classic vanilla or something fun like chocolate strawberry ice cream and peanut butter and jelly ice cream.
- Serve these up for a holiday picnic or cookout along with bourbon burgers, cowboy burgers, or sweet and spicy burgers.
- Make an easy dishes for your meal like this bacon ranch pasta salad.
Recipe FAQs
Sure! Form the cookie dough balls and place them in a Ziploc bag with parchment paper. Freeze them for up to 6 months. Add a few minutes to the baking time, but there’s no need to thaw them first.
This isn’t made to be a dough you can roll out and use cookie cutters with. So, I wouldn’t recommend trying that with this recipe.
If you add too much flour or overbake the cookies, they can turn out dry and crumbly. Be careful with your measurements and use a timer to keep track of the cookies in the oven.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
Do you like freshly baked homemade cookies recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section, I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Patriotic Sugar Cookies for July 4th & More
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 250 grams
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 200 grams, plus more for rolling
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened or 1 stick
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 ¼ cup MMs divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, sea salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together sugar and butter for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed well.
- Mix pure vanilla extract and Greek yogurt to the batter just until combined.
- Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix for one minute.
- Fold in 1 cup M&Ms, then scoop out 17 equally sized balls of dough (about 3 tablespoons). You will want to place them about 1 ½ inches apart on your lined baking sheet as they will spread.
- Optionally, roll cookie dough balls in about ¼ cup of granulated sugar, then lightly add the remaining M&Ms to the top.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes or until they start to get a golden brown color along the edges of the cookies (note: adjust the baking time by 2-3 minutes for crispy edges).
- Cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes then carefully transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
- Store these 4th of July cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature.
- Overbaked cookies will become dry and crumbly. Only bake them into the edges start to brown. It’s fine if the middle is still soft!
- Once the ingredients are combined, ensure that you don’t overwork the dough. Gently fold in the M&Ms and then leave them be so you don’t have dense cookies.
Denise says
What a cute simple idea to do with my kids to help get them into the 4th of july spirit! Its so easy that my kids can make.them on their own. I can just sit back watch and enjoy them. But i get to clean up! Thats the deal. Im fine with that.TFS
Karin and Ken says
This is an easy recipe! I’m glad you just have to supervise! These cookies are delicious. All the best. Karin
Shelly says
Wow these are so chewy and soft. I love the idea. My kids love them the most! Thanks for the recipe!
Karin and Ken says
We love them too and no eggs! Take care. Karin