Description
Celebrate the 4th of July with these festive marbled cookies featuring red, white, and blue swirls and patriotic sprinkles. Soft, buttery, and perfectly sweet, these cookies are easy to make and perfect for summer gatherings and holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Color and Decoration
- Red gel food coloring
- Blue gel food coloring
- Red, white, and blue sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it is ready for baking the cookies evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is fluffy and light, which takes about 3-5 minutes. This helps incorporate air for a tender cookie texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is fully mixed in before adding the next. Follow by adding the vanilla extract and mixing well to combine flavors.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing and tough cookies.
- Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough into three equal portions. Tint one portion red with red gel food coloring, another blue with blue gel food coloring, and leave the third plain (white).
- Create Marbled Effect: Gently swirl the three differently colored dough portions together. Be careful to combine them lightly to create a marbled pattern without fully blending the colors.
- Shape and Decorate Cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of the marbled dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them evenly. Sprinkle each cookie with the red, white, and blue sprinkles to add a festive touch.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet briefly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened but not melted for best creaming results.
- Do not overmix the dough once the flour is added to maintain a tender texture.
- The marbling effect is best achieved by gentle swirling rather than full mixing of the colored doughs.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without adding extra liquid to the dough.
- Let cookies cool completely before storing to retain their crisp edges and chewy centers.
