These 4th of July cookies use M&Ms and sprinkles for red, white, and blue cookies that are perfect for Independence Day or Memorial Day.
Aren't these 4th of July holiday cookies cute? These red, white, and blue M&M cookies are a simple and fun sprinkle cookie that just screams summer.
Plus, similar to these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, they're so easy to make! They use melted butter and have only a 10 minute prep time. They're a great cookie to have the kids help make and they're always a hit at potlucks, BBQs, and summer parties.
They're a fun and easy way to celebrate patriotic holidays like Fourth of July and Memorial Day.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: this recipe calls for melted unsalted butter. You can substitute salted butter by decreasing the added salt by ¼ tsp.
- M&Ms: red, white, and blue M&Ms are perfect for these patriotic cookies.
- Sprinkles: red, white, and blue sprinkles.
- Vanilla Extract: You can also use vanilla bean paste.
- Light Brown Sugar: the recipe calls for light brown sugar but you can use dark brown sugar if that is what you have on hand.
How to Make
Step 1: Mix Ingredients
Add the melted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar to bowl and mix until combined. You can use a standing mixer, a hand held mixer, or even just mix by hand. Mix until it is smooth and combined.
Then add in the vanilla, salt, and egg, and continue mixing until combined.
Turn off the mixer and add in the flour and baking soda. If using an electric mixer, mix on low until it starts to combine. Then turn up the speed and mix another 15-30 seconds until it is smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary to make sure everything is incorporated. Do not over-mix the cookie dough. Then, using a spatula or large spoon gently fold in the red, white, and blue M&Ms and sprinkles.
Step 2: Chill Dough
Once the dough is mixed, place 2 tablespoon balls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment. An ice cream scoop works great for this.
You don't have to worry how far apart they are as we are chilling the cookie dough, not baking it. If desired, place extra M&Ms on top of the dough before chilling.
Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1.5 to 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
Step 3: Bake Cookies
After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350℉. Place the balls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, making sure they are about 2 inches apart. Bake for 11-13 minutes until the edges are golden.
Once the cookies are done immediately remove from the oven. They will look puffy right out of the oven, but they will settle down into a chewy cookie as they cool.
You can use a large cookie cutter and the cookie cutter hack to get perfectly round cookies once they come out of the oven. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips and Tricks
- Measure out the flour using a scale or the spoon and swipe method of fluffing up the ingredients and then spooning into the measure cups and swiping the excess off the top with a knife. If you dip the measuring cup directly into the flour it can pack down and you will add too much flour to the recipe.
- An ice cream scoop works great for getting even sized cookies.
- Be sure to chill the dough for at least 1.5-2 hours. You can make the dough up to 24 hours in advance.
- This recipe makes about 18-20 cookies and can be halved or doubled as needed.
FAQ
Because this recipe uses melted butter it's important to chill the dough so the cookies stay thick and soft. If you don't chill the dough you'll have a much flatter cookie with no crinkle top.
Do you like your cookies to look picture perfect? Check out the cookie cutter hack of using a large cookie cutter to help turn cookies to perfect circles. Plus, it helps with the thick and crinkle effect of the cookies!
STORING AND MAKING AHEAD
These cookies will last about 3-5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also freeze the cookies (either baked or unbaked) for 2-3 months.
Looking for more summer desserts? Check these out!
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4th of July Cookies
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar 67 g
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 100 g
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled 186g
- 1 1/2 cups red white, and blue M&M, plus for for topping if desired
- 1/2 cup red white, and blue sprinkles
Instructions
- Add the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to bowl and mix until smooth and combined.
- Mix in the vanilla and egg and continue mixing until combined.
- Add in the flour, salt, and baking soda and mix on low until it starts to combine. Then turn up the speed and mix another 15-30 seconds until it is smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary to make sure everything is incorporated. Try not to over-mix the batter. You want to mix until it is just combined.
- Then, using a spatula or large spoon gently fold in M&Ms and sprinkles.
- Please 2 tablespoon balls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment. If desired, add extra M&Ms on top.
- You don't have to worry how far apart they are as we are chilling the cookie dough, not baking it at this time. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1.5 to 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- When ready to make, preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Place the balls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, making sure they are about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes until the edges are golden.
- Let cool and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Measure out the flour using a scale or the spoon and swipe method of fluffing up the ingredients and then spooning into the measure cups and swiping the excess off the top with a knife.
- An ice cream scoop works great for getting even sized cookies.
- Be sure to chill the dough for at least 1.5-2 hours. You can make the dough up to 24 hours in advance.
- For perfectly round cookies, you can use a large cookie cutter and this cookie cutter hack once they come out of the oven.
- This recipe makes 18-20 cookies and can be halved for a small batch or doubled for a large batch.
These cookies were a huge hit!! The sprinkles were such a cute idea. I had to use chocolate chips since everywhere was out of red white and blue M&Ms but it was still delicious! Definitely bake on the shorter side of time unless you like them really crispy. Will be doing again with other sprinkles for fun!!
Hi I love the look of this recipe, and would like to try it. However, I’ve had difficulty in the past with blue food coloring turning my baked goods a sickly green color – do you have a specific brand of gel coloring you use, and/or tips for coloring? Thanks!
Hi! I highly recommend gel food coloring rather than the liquid food coloring you find in the grocery store. AmeriColor and Chefmaster brand are very good and Wilton brand also works too.