Description
Stars and Stripes Crinkle Cookies bring red, white, and blue joy straight from your kitchen to the dessert table. Dusted with powdered sugar and packed with festive spirit, these colorful treats will brighten any summer celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 large eggs
Supporting Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Color and Coating:
- ½ teaspoons red food coloring
- ½ teaspoons blue food coloring
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Warm your oven to exactly 350°F (175°C). Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Combine 2½ cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk thoroughly until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Cream ½ cup softened butter with 1½ cups granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat for 3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Add 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing completely after each addition. Pour in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and blend smoothly.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
- Separate the dough into three equal portions. Add ½ teaspoon red food coloring to one section and ½ teaspoon blue food coloring to another. Keep the third portion plain for white dough.
- Wrap each dough portion in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the texture.
- Remove chilled dough and create small 1-tablespoon balls of each color. Roll them together into a single tri-colored ball, then generously roll in powdered sugar.
- Arrange dough balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for exactly 10-12 minutes until edges are set and tops display characteristic crinkle cracks.
- Allow cookies to rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire cooling racks and serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and keeps the colors distinct during baking.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors that won’t water down the cookie dough consistency.
- When rolling tri-colored balls, handle the dough gently to keep the colors separated and create a marbled effect.
- For a gluten-free version, swap the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and add an extra tablespoon of liquid to maintain moisture.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 164
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 88 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg