These patriotic cookies are the perfect sweet treat for the Fourth, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or any time. These buttery sugar cookies are topped with white frosting and patriotic sprinkles, but you can adjust the sprinkles for any occasion. They’re the perfect choice for any event.
Cookies are always the perfect choice for any holiday. They’re so easy to decorate and change for every occasion, from Halloween to baby showers. We love bringing themed cookies like pumpkin pie cookies, Cookie Monster cookies, and Valentine’s Day cookies to special occasions. They’re always delicious and fun, and the big secret is that so many variations can be made from one recipe, so you never have to feel like you have to find a new treat. Just change the look of the recipe you have!
Our newest addition to our rotation is this patriotic sugar cookie recipe. We took an easy, eggless, sugar cookie recipe and added sour cream to make them extra tender and chewy. Then, we topped the cookies with buttercream frosting and patriotic sprinkles for classic flavor and a patriotic look. They couldn’t be easier, and they’re always delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s Easy: Both the ingredients and the steps are simple and basic. This is a recipe anyone can make very easily.
- Classic Flavor: The tender, buttery sugar cookies and rich, buttercream frosting are filled with classic flavor everyone loves.
- Extra Soft and Chewy: Adding sour cream to the cookie dough makes them extra soft and chewy.
- So Pretty: The white buttercream frosting with the patriotic sprinkles gives the cookies a fun, festive look for patriotic summer holidays.
- Customizable: Change the color of the frosting and sprinkles to make cookies that are suitable for any occasion.
Ingredients
Cookies
- Butter: Butter adds richness, flavor, and fat to help the cookies rise.
- Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor to add moisture for extra-tender cookies without adding an odd flavor.
- Sour Cream: The acidity of sour cream makes the cookies even more tender.
- Sugar: Plain granulated sugar gives these cookies their signature sweetness.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract accentuates the other flavors in the cookies.
Buttercream Frosting
- Butter: Butter gives the frosting its body and richness.
- Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar gives the frosting all its sweetness!
- Milk: A bit of milk is used to thin out the frosting if necessary.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract adds a deep note.
- Patriotic Sprinkles: Red, white, and blue sprinkles give the cookies their patriotic look.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact measurements.
Flavor Variations
- Extra Buttery: Use ¼ cup butter in place of ¼ cup vegetable oil for extra buttery cookies.
- Extra Tender: For the most tender cookies you’ll ever make, use cake flour in place of all-purpose flour. It has less protein, so it makes the cookies incredibly soft.
- Different Colors: Add food coloring gel to the frosting to change the color and different sprinkles to change things up for any holiday or special occasion.
- Almond Cookies: Add almond extract for delicious almond butter cookies.
Instructions
Cookies
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set them aside.
- Beat the butter, oil, and sour cream until smooth and creamy. Then, add the sugar and vanilla and beat again.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed until the dough forms a ball.
- Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, place cookie dough balls on a lightly greased baking sheet. Then, gently press them down with the greased, flat bottom of a glass to flatten them a bit.
- Bake the cookies at 350 for 9 to 10 minutes. Then, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Buttercream Frosting
- Beat the butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Then, slowly beat in the powdered sugar until a smooth frosting forms.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a bit more milk and beat again.
- Frost the fully cooled cookies and sprinkle them with patriotic sprinkles.
Storage
Store these patriotic cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container. You can refrigerate them for up to a week. For longer storage, wrap chilled cookies individually in plastic wrap. Then, freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Bring the cookies to room temperature before serving.
Pairing Suggestions
These classic summertime cookies are the perfect dessert after equally classic summer mains like crock pot pork ribs, barbecue chicken nuggets, or slow-cooked flank steak.
Tips
- Beat the butter, oil, and sour cream until it’s light and fluffy. This gives the cookies their tender texture.
- Be sure to mix the dough on low speed to avoid excess gluten, and only mix until it forms a ball. Don’t overwork it!
- Grease the bottom of your glass before pressing down the cookie dough. Otherwise, it could stick to the glass.
FAQ
Sour cream adds moisture and acidity, which makes the cookies softer. It also acts as a leavening agent, making cookies lighter and airier.
In almost all baking recipes, full-fat Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream. Be aware that in cookies, the flavor and texture may change a bit, due to the tangier flavor of Greek yogurt and its lower fat content.
Although buttercream frosting will have to be refrigerated eventually, it’s perfectly good at room temperature for up to 3 days. This is due to the large amount of sugar in the frosting, which makes the milk and butter shelf-stable for a short period of time.
Try These Patriotic Cookies This Summer
With their sweet, buttery flavor, rich buttercream frosting, and colorful sprinkles, these patriotic sugar cookies are the perfect sweet treat for summer holidays. And, it only takes a few small changes to make them suitable for any occasion. With a recipe that’s so tasty, easy, and versatile, these are cookies you need in your recipe box at all times. Give them a try!
More Delicious Cookie Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Patriotic Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 ½ teaspoon milk
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Patriotic candy sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet(s).
Sugar Cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, oil, and sour cream together for about a minute.
- Add sugar and vanilla, and beat until combined.
- Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until the dough forms a ball.
- Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, place cookie dough on the prepared baking sheet(s).
- Gently press down each cookie to flatten a bit.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes.
- Remove cookies from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Buttercream Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat butter, milk, and vanilla together until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly beat in powdered sugar until combined.
- Frost cookies once they are completely cooled and sprinkle with festive sprinkles.
Notes
- Beat the butter, oil, and sour cream until it’s light and fluffy. This gives the cookies their tender texture.
- Be sure to mix the dough on low speed to avoid excess gluten, and only mix until it forms a ball. Don’t overwork it!
- Grease the bottom of your glass before pressing down the cookie dough. Otherwise, it could stick to the glass.
