These 4th of July Sugar Cookies are ultra-thick and soft with a perfect crinkly edge and classic sugar cookie flavor. Topped with creamy vanilla buttercream and festive holiday sprinkles, they're the easiest - and tastiest - Independence Day cookies out there. They're also the perfect patriotic dessert for Memorial Day or Labor Day!
If you're looking for patriotic sugar cookies that don't involve a rolling pin, cookie cutters, and royal icing, this is the recipe! It's actually our favorite Crumble cookie copycat recipe, but with a red, white, and blue twist. Perfect for your holiday barbecue, pool party, picnic, or 4th of July party!
If you're looking for other cookie recipes, these Crumbl Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies are amazing. We also make a habit of taking our favorite White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe or Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies - an American classic for an American holiday.
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Why this recipe is great
- The texture is spot-on! Super soft and chewy with a slightly crisp outer edge.
- Affordable! Crumbl Bakery cookies come in a famous pink box and cost $4 a cookie. For less than the cost of two cookies, you can have a baker's dozen of these Crumbl Sugar Cookies with no need to drive to a Crumbl store!
- Simple to make. As far as frosted sugar cookies go, this recipe is just as easy to make with a far better result.
- Versatile. You can make these into red, white, and blue cookies with any mix of sprinkles you like.
Ingredients
A full list of ingredients for these fourth of July cookies is in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips:
- Flour: Both all-purpose flour and cake flour are used to help create a super tender cookie.
- Oil: Canola or vegetable oil makes a really moist sugar cookie.
- Butter: This recipe starts with cold butter in small cubes to help the cookie maintain its shape while remaining thick and fluffy.
- Cornstarch: A little bit of cornstarch is a secret ingredient used in many bakery-style cookies that ensure the tender texture and slightly crispy edges.
- Vanilla extract: Adds that classic flavor!
How to make 4th of July Cookies
In a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cold butter, oil, and sugars on low for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl, then increase to medium speed for another 30 seconds, then high speed for 30 seconds. The mixture should be very light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Then add the vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl well.
In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cake flour, and all-purpose flour. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and combine on low until just combined. Scrape the bowl well.
To get giant cookies like the ones at Crumbl, use a 3.25 ounce cookie scoop (affiliate) or a ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon of sugar cookie dough. Scoop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, no more than 6 cookies per sheet pan. Then use a flat measuring cup to gently flatten the cookie dough balls to about ¾ inch thick (see picture).
Chill dough for 30 minutes. Once chilled, preheat the oven to 400°F. For best results, bake one cookie sheet at a time for 9-10 minutes, until the cookies are slightly golden on the bottom. Then cool completely on the cookie sheet (no need for a wire rack).
While the cookies are cooling, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Reduce to low and add the powdered sugar for 1 minute, then the vanilla and ½ tablespoon of cream. Beat for another 2 minutes, or until the buttercream is light and fluffy, adding more cream if needed.
To decorate, use the back of a spoon or offset spatula to spread the frosting to the edges. Top with fourth of July sprinkles (see the FAQ section for tips on choosing sprinkles).
FAQs
Yes! Make the dough, scoop the cookies, and flatten gently as instructed. Freeze on a flat cookie sheet, then store in a freezer zipper bag. Bake straight from frozen for an extra minute or two, then frost with fresh buttercream.
The fully baked cookies can also be frozen, although the frosting may not turn out perfectly. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze completely. Then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Thaw before eating.
They should stay soft stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Make sure the container is truly airtight for best results.
The most common reasons for dry and hard cookies is incorrectly measuring the flour or overbaking. When measuring the flour, be sure to fluff it up first so that it is light and loose when measuring. When baking, pull them out after 9-10 minutes when they are slightly golden on the bottom.
Sprinkles are the easiest way to make cute red, white, and blue desserts. Large cookies look best with a colorful sprinkle mix with a lot of texture. You can buy a patriotic sprinkle mix (affiliate), or make your own with a combination of the following (affiliates):
- Jimmies
- Nonpareils/round sprinkles
- Star sprinkles
- Sanding sugar - We used blue sanding sugar, red sanding sugar, and silver sanding sugar to add sparkle.
Tips & tricks
- Don't substitute the cake flour. All purpose flour will make a heavy cookie. If you don't have any, use this cake flour substitute method.
- Don't skip the refrigerating. I know it's an annoying extra step, but it's so worth it to keep the cookies thick instead of flat.
- Bake one sheet pan at a time in the center of the oven for evenly baked, uniform cookies.
- Add sprinkles quickly, before the buttercream dries on top.
- Note: This recipe is not ideal for doubling. I recommend making one batch at a time.
Recipe
Soft 4th of July Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- 3.25 oz cookie scoop
Ingredients
Crumbl Sugar Cookies
- ¾ cup (1.5 sticks) butter cold and cut in small cubes
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups cake flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Vanilla Buttercream
- ¾ cup (1.5 sticks) butter softened
- 1.5 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1.5 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ - 1 ½ tablespoon heavy cream plus more as needed
- 4th of July sprinkles
Instructions
Crumbl Sugar Cookies
- In a stand mixer or a large bowl with hand beaters, beat the cold butter, oil, and sugars on low for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl, then increase to medium speed for another 30 seconds, then high speed for 30 seconds, or until very light and fluffy.¾ cup (1.5 sticks) butter, ¼ cup canola oil, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup powdered sugar
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla. Scrape well.2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- In a medium bowl, combine the cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cake flour, and all-purpose flour. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine on low until just combined. The dough should be very moist. Scrape the bowl well.1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 ½ cups cake flour, 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Using a 3.25 oz cookie scoop (or ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp), scoop cookies onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Put no more than 6 cookies on each sheet.
- Use a flat measuring cup to gently flatten the cookies to about ¾ inch thick. Then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 9-10 minutes, until the cookies are slightly golden on the bottom. Cool completely on the cookie sheet.
Vanilla Buttercream
- While the cookies are cooling, beat the softened butter and cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy.¾ cup (1.5 sticks) butter, 1.5 oz cream cheese
- Reduce speed to low and add half the powdered sugar. Mix until just combined, then add the remaining powdered sugar. Beat on medium for 1 minute.3 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- Add vanilla and ½ tablespoon of cream. Beat for 2 more minutes or until light and fluffy. Add additional cream if needed until the frosting is loose enough to pipe, but stiff enough to hold its shape.1.5 teaspoon vanilla, ¾ - 1 ½ tablespoon heavy cream
Decorating
- To decorate, fit a large icing bag with a 2A piping tip, or use a zipper bag with the corner cut off. Swirl the frosting in a circle spiral, then add Christmas sprinkles.4th of July sprinkles
Notes
- Measure the flour with a light hand for tender cookies. Fluff it up with a fork before measuring, or use the spoon and level method. Don't pack it in.
- Don't substitute the cake flour. All purpose flour will make a heavy cookie.
- If you don't have any, use this cake flour substitute method.
- Don't skip the refrigerating. I know it's an annoying extra step, but it's so worth it to keep the cookies thick instead of flat.
- Bake one sheet pan at a time in the center of the oven for evenly baked, uniform cookies.
- Add sprinkles quickly, before the buttercream dries on top.
- Note: This recipe is not ideal for doubling. I recommend making one batch at a time.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
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