Easy 4th of July Cookies

Celebrate America’s birthday with these festive red, white, and blue 4th of July chocolate chip cookies! They are soft, ooey-gooey, easy to make, and the perfect patriotic treat.

Declare your Independence this 4th of July by celebrating with my Red-White-and-Blue 4th of July Cookies!

They are soft, thick, and gooey on the inside and have a golden brown, slightly crisp, and a festive red-white-and-blue color on the outside. Oh, and wait…they are also filled with lots of milk chocolate chips!

If you’ve tried my famous chocolate chip cookie recipe before, you’re going to love these cookies because this recipe uses that as the base.

The only difference is this recipe adds gel food coloring to achieve the intense colors of the American Flag right in your4th of July chocolate chip cookies! So fun!

Why This Recipe Works

It’s an easy dessert to make when feeling patriotic!
This is a no-chill cookie recipe, so it is quick to make.
Great make-ahead recipe.
Easy to freeze so you can pick a day when the temperatures aren’t too high to bake in the kitchen.
These cookies are big enough to share or to have leftovers!

Recipe

Enjoy these festive cookies not only on the 4th of July but also on Labor Day, Memorial Day, or any occasion you want to celebrate patriotism with a sweet treat!

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (120g) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (220g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add-ins:
- 2 cups (350g) milk chocolate chips (or your favorite)
- Red and blue gel food coloring
Decoration:
- Extra chocolate chips for topping
- Edible star sprinkles (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the Oven:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Mix Dry Ingredients:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Prepare Wet Ingredients:

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Mix until smooth and creamy.

Add Eggs and Vanilla:

Add the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Fold in Chocolate Chips:

Gently fold in the milk chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Divide and Color Dough:

Divide the dough into three equal portions.
Leave one portion plain.
Add red gel food coloring to the second portion. Mix until the color is evenly distributed.
Add blue gel food coloring to the third portion. Mix until the color is evenly distributed.

Form Dough Logs: Roll each portion of dough into long logs, about 15 inches (38 cm) long. Lay the three logs side by side on a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Wrap them together and gently roll to combine them into one large log.

Slice and Roll Dough Balls: Slice sections from the dough log, approximately 1 ½ inches (4 cm) thick. Roll each slice into a ball and place it on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.

Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centers are still slightly soft.

Decorate: While the cookies are still warm, press extra chocolate chips and edible star sprinkles on top for decoration.

Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Expert Tips:

For softer cookies, do not overbake. They will continue to cook on the baking sheet after removal from the oven.
If the dough seems too sticky, chill it for about 10-15 minutes before forming into logs.
You can freeze the dough logs for later use. Just slice, bake, and decorate as needed!

Ingredient Notes

All-purpose flour: Be exact when measuring for the perfect texture.
Cake flour: Combining cake flour with all-purpose flour results in soft, slightly chewy cookies.
Cornstarch: Key for thick, big cookies.
Eggs and egg yolks: No need to wait for them to come to room temperature.
Unsalted butter: Allows control over the cookie’s saltiness.
Chocolate chips: Milk chocolate is recommended, but use your favorite.
Gel food coloring: Provides vibrant red and blue colors without watering down the dough.

Step-by-Step Directions

Make the chocolate chip cookie dough.
Divide the dough into 3 equal sections.
Add blue food coloring to one section, red to another, and leave the third as is.
Form the 3 sections of dough into long logs, about 15 inches long.
Place them on plastic wrap or parchment paper, wrap and roll the 3 sections together to form one uniform log.
Slice a section of dough, roll into a ball, and place on a prepared baking sheet.
Bake, add more chocolate chips on top, and edible festive star sprinkles to make them the complete 4th of July chocolate chip cookies!

Expert Tips and Variations

These are big cookies! Do not overbake; let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Feel free to make smaller cookies; adjust baking time accordingly.
Spoon and level flours for precise measurements.
If cookies are flat or spreading, add a few tablespoons more flour.
Experiment with different gel colors for themed parties; options are endless!