4th of July Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
These 4th of July Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting are soft, buttery cut-out cookies topped with fluffy vanilla buttercream and festive red, white, and blue sprinkles. Easy to decorate and perfect for Independence Day celebrations, these patriotic cookies are beginner-friendly while still looking beautiful enough for any summer dessert table.
Equipment
- stand mixer or hand mixer
- mixing bowls
- Rolling Pin
- cookie cutters Star, round, or patriotic shapes
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
- wire cooling rack
- offset spatula or piping bag
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup red, white, and blue sprinkles
Instructions
- Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing well and scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes if using room temperature butter.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll the dough out evenly on a lightly floured surface to just under 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut out shapes using floured cookie cutters and transfer to prepared baking sheets. Re-roll scraps as needed.
- Refrigerate the trays for 10 minutes before baking to help the cookies hold their shape.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet before frosting.
- For the buttercream, beat softened butter with half the powdered sugar. Add remaining sugar, salt, and vanilla, then beat until light and fluffy.
- Frost each cookie using a piping bag or offset spatula and immediately decorate with red, white, and blue sprinkles.
Notes
Chill the dough before baking to help the cookies maintain clean edges and prevent spreading. Sift powdered sugar before making the buttercream for a silky-smooth frosting. Add sprinkles immediately after frosting each cookie while the buttercream is still tacky. Store frosted cookies in airtight containers with parchment paper between layers for up to 5 days.