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Easy Patriotic Flag Sugar Cookies Recipe

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These easy patriotic flag sugar cookies with royal icing are perfect for summer holidays and celebrations, combining a buttery sugar cookie base with vibrant red, white, and blue icing for a festive treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons meringue powder + 5 tablespoons water
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Gel-based red and blue food coloring
  • Optional: a drop of vanilla or almond extract for icing flavor

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients: whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. Cream butter and sugar: beat softened butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add egg and vanilla: beat in egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
  4. Combine wet and dry: gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Chill dough: form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  6. Roll and cut: preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness, cut into flag shapes or rectangles and stars. Place on lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
  7. Bake: bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly golden but centers are soft. Cool completely on wire racks.
  8. Prepare royal icing: whisk powdered sugar, egg whites (or meringue powder and water), and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form (5-7 minutes). Divide into three bowls and tint red and blue with gel colors.
  9. Decorate: use piping bags or zip bags to outline and fill cookie sections with red and blue stripes and white stars. Smooth icing with a toothpick. Let icing dry completely, ideally overnight.

Notes

If icing is too thick, add a few drops of water; if too thin, add more powdered sugar. Chill decorated cookies after icing to help set. Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without thinning icing. Dough can be prepared up to 3 days ahead or frozen for up to a month. Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze after icing dries.

Nutrition

Keywords: patriotic cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing, 4th of July, Memorial Day, easy cookies, flag cookies, summer dessert

Find it online: https://fizzlefork.com/easy-patriotic-flag-sugar-cookies-recipe-5-steps-for-perfect-royal-icing/