• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Redhead Baker logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Cookies, Bars and Brownies

    4th of July Cookies

    Published: Jul 4, 2012 · Modified: Jan 16, 2013 by Coleen · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Hello, DNCWWO readers! Happy 4th of July to all of my American followers! I hope you all have fun plans for the day. Here in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the nation, there is always lots of festivities. Many neighborhoods and suburbs have parades and fireworks displays, and the city puts on a HUGE fireworks display after their parade and free concert in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There are food-centered activities, like Wawa Hoagie Day (free Italian hoagies!), and an all-you-can-eat ice cream event to raise money toward finding a cure for pediatric leukemia. And there are many, many family barbecues. 

    Tying in to current events, the animal shelter where I volunteer hosted a large on-site adoption event themed "Let Freedom Ring!," encouraging potential adopters to come down to the shelter and free a dog or cat from the stressful environment. During these events, held every four weeks or so during the summer, they have a sort of party out on the front lawn. There is a DJ playing music, games for kids to play, face-painting, and food, all of it donated by generous volunteers and community members. 

    One of the requested items was cookies. I thought decorated sugar cookies would be perfect, since they can be made to suit any event. I got my inspiration for the decorations from A Helicopter Mom's 4th of July cookies. You can use any sugar cookie (or butter cookie) recipe you prefer, though the recipe I prefer to use is below. I prefer it because it's almost a hybrid of sugar cookie and butter cookie, and does not spread much. 

    Sugar Cookies
    Cookie recipe source: CakeCentral.com

    Ingredients
    For the cookies:

    • 1 lb unsalted butter, softened
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 teaspoon extract (vanilla, almond or lemon)
    • 6 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    For the decorations: 

    • 1 star-shaped cookie cutter
    • 1 Liberty bell-shaped cookie cutter
    • Light corn syrup
    • Pastry brush
    • 8 ounces each red, white and blue fondant, purchased or homemade (see below)
    • Vegetable shortening
    • 1 recipe royal icing (see below)
    • Piping bags
    • Small round tip (#1, #2, or #3)
    • Coupler

    Directions

    1. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream together on medium-speed for about five minutes, until light and fluffy. 
    2. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. 
    3. Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt, then gradually mix into the butter mixture on low speed. 
    4. Scrape the dough onto a clean work surface and gather into a ball. Flatten to a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. 
    5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. 
    6. Break off half the dough (or a third, if you only have a small space to roll the dough out). Lightly flour your work surface, and roll out dough to ¼ or ⅛-inch thickness. Flour your cookie cutter, and cut shapes into the dough. Place cut shapes onto baking sheets (never mix shapes on a baking sheet - using the same shape ensures even baking). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet pans halfway through baking time. 
    7. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten to a disk, rewrap and refrigerate. Bring out the other half (or another third) of the dough and repeat, rewrapping and chilling when finished. Alternate rolling and chilling until all the dough is used and cookies are baked. 
    8. Let cookies cool completely before decorating. 
    9. When ready to decorate, grease work surface with vegetable shortening. Working with one color of fondant at a time, and keeping the rest covered, knead the fondant until soft and pliable, then roll to ⅛-inch thickness. Use the same cookie cutters to cut shapes into the fondant. 
    10. Use pastry brush to paint a very thin layer of corn syrup on each cookie, then carefully place cut pieces of fondant onto each cookie. 
    11. Fit pastry bags with tip and coupler, then fill halfway with royal icing and pipe designs onto each cookie. Let dry overnight. 
    Royal Icing Recipe
    Source: Wilton

    Ingredients
    • 3 egg whites* or 3 tablespoon meringue powder
    • 1 lb confectioners sugar
    • 6 tablespoon warm water
    • Splash of clear vanilla extract 
    Directions
    1. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low speed for 7 to 10 minutes. Tint as desired. 
    * This recipe contains raw egg whites. If children, the elderly, or others with compromised immune systems will consume these cookies, use pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder. 

    Marshmallow Fondant
    Source: CakeCentral.com

    Ingredients
    • 16 ounces Kraft mini marshmallows (don't use generic)
    • 2 tablespoon water
    • 2 lbs powdered sugar
    • Vegetable shortening
    Directions
    1. Place the marshmallows and the water in a microwaveable bowl. Heat on high in 30 second increments, stirring after each one, until marshmallows are melted. 
    2. Pour half of the powdered sugar onto a clean work surface and make a well in the center. 
    3. Grease your hands with shortening, then pour the melted marshmallow mixture into the well. 
    4. Knead the sugar and the marshmallows mixture together, adding more powdered sugar as needed to make a dough. You may not need all 2 pounds of sugar. Finished dough should be soft, smooth and pliable. 
    5. Keep covered when not in use, and store wrapped in two layers of plastic wrap, inside a zip-top bag. 

    More recipes you may enjoy

    • Lemon Bars
    • Strawberry Macarons with White Chocolate Ganache Filling
    • Recipe Swap: Oatmeal Cookies
    • Food Blogger Cookie Swap: Gingerbread Biscotti

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. CJ at Food Stories says

      July 06, 2012 at 8:01 pm

      Congratulations on making the foodbuzz Today’s Top 9!

      Reply
      • DNCWWO says

        July 06, 2012 at 8:02 pm

        Thank you,, CJ!

        Reply
    2. Kim Bee says

      July 08, 2012 at 7:22 pm

      These are so adorable. I am not this talented so I'll just have to drool over yours.

      Reply
      • DNCWWO says

        July 08, 2012 at 9:17 pm

        Thank you, Kim!

        Reply
    3. Mickey Coutts says

      November 30, 2012 at 6:02 pm

      You cookies look awesome! Great job. 🙂

      And your photography is really pretty too. I'm off to check out everything else you make..... 🙂

      Reply
      • Coleen says

        November 30, 2012 at 8:12 pm

        Thanks, Mickey!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Popular Posts

    Lemoncello Tiramisu

    A short rib on the bone over mashed potatoes with gravy.

    Instant Pot Red Wine Short Ribs

    Chocolate espresso cookies are rich and fudgy. Espresso powder enriches the flavor of the chocolate and adds coffee flavor, too. #Choctoberfest

    Chocolate Espresso Cookies #Choctoberfest

    Peach butter is smoother and less sweet than peach preserves, resulting in a purer peach flavor. Canning peach butter preserves the flavor all year long. #SundaySupper

    Peach Butter

    Key lime pie parfaits — all the flavor of the pie without the work! This no-bake layered dessert is quick and easy to make. #BrunchWeek TheRedheadBaker.com

    Key Lime Pie Parfaits

    Creme Anglaise

    Irish Oatmeal Bread #StPatricksDay | theredheadbaker.com

    Irish Oatmeal Bread

    Chicken tacos are spiced with ancho chile powder and topped with cilantro slaw and avocado cream. This delicious meal is ready in under 30 minutes!

    Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw and Avocado Cream

    Contact

    • Email me
    • Media Kit
    • FAQ coming soon!

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright Policy
    • Accessability Policy

    Footer

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for newsletters and updates through email

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • FAQ coming soon!

    As an Amazon Associate I earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases.

    Protected By Pixsy

    The Redhead Baker is a registered trademark.

    Copyright © 2021 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme