Fourth of July Pinwheel Cookies
4th of July Pinwheel Cookies are a festive delight, perfect for adding a pop of color and joy to your patriotic celebrations.
With a combination of soft cream cheese dough and vibrant red and blue sugars, these cookies blend taste and tradition in every bite.
Recipe Highlights
- Festive and Fun Design perfect for patriotic holiday celebrations
- Cream Cheese Dough offers a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture
- Easy to Follow Recipe makes baking a breeze, even for beginners
- Customizable Colors let you tailor the cookies to any occasion
- Great for Kids involves fun steps that the whole family can enjoy
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
BUTTER – We’re using unsalted butter to provide a rich, creamy base. It ensures the cookies have the perfect balance of flavor without being too salty, allowing the sweetness of the sugars to shine through.
CREAM CHEESE – This adds a delicious tangy depth to the cookies, enhancing their texture and making each bite melt in your mouth.
SUGAR – For the dough, we’re using regular granulated sugar to sweeten it just right, balancing out the tanginess of the cream cheese. To decorate, we’re diving into the colorful world with red and blue colored sanding sugar, adding a festive touch and a sweet crunch to every bite.
VANILLA EXTRACT – This brings a warm, aromatic flavor to the cookies, infusing them with a classic taste that complements the creaminess of the butter and cream cheese.
FLOUR – We’re using all-purpose flour here. It’s the backbone of our cookies, giving them structure and ensuring they hold their delightful shape as they bake to perfection.
BAKING POWDER – This little helper allows the cookies to rise just a bit, contributing to their tender texture and making sure they’re not too dense.
CANDY – To top off each pinwheel, we’re adding candy or chocolate stars for a decorative touch that celebrates the theme of the holiday. Whether you choose bright, shiny stars or candy-coated chocolates, these embellishments are the crowning glory of our festive cookies.
How To Make Red, White, and Blue Pinwheel Cookies
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth, then beat in sugar, egg, and vanilla until fluffy.
- Gradually add flour and baking powder, mixing to form a sticky dough, then chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough, cut it into squares, and coat it with colored sugars.
- Shape into pinwheels, adding a stick and candy star to each.
- Bake at 325º Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.
- Cool before serving.
Serving Suggestions
FRUIT PUNCH – A refreshing complement to the sweet cookies.
ICE CREAM – Vanilla ice cream pairs wonderfully with these flavorful cookies.
COFFEE OR TEA – Perfect for a relaxing moment on a festive day.
Planning and Leftovers
MAKE AHEAD – Prepare dough ahead of time and chill until ready to bake for easier planning.
STORE – Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days for best freshness.
FREEZE – You can freeze these cookies. Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. If you are stacking the cookies, place a piece of parchment paper between layers so the sprinkles don’t bleed during thawing.
REHEAT – Enjoy at room temperature to best preserve the texture and flavor.
Recipe Success Tips
DOUGH CHILLING – Essential for easy handling and shaping.
EVEN COATING OF SUGARS – Ensures a beautiful, festive look.
WATCH THE BAKING TIME – Prevents the dough from over-browning and maintains the perfect texture.
More Easy and Delicious Dessert Recipes
Please take a moment to rate our Red, White, and Blue Pinwheel Cookies recipe below!
4th of July Pinwheel Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter unsalted, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour plus extra for rolling the dough
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- lollipop sticks or patterned paper straws
- 1 cup red colored sugar
- 1 cup blue colored sugar
- candy or chocolate stars
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat the cream cheese and softened butter on high until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue beating on high until smooth, another 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add the flour and the baking powder and beat at medium speed until the dough comes together in about 3 minutes. The dough will still be quite sticky.
- Cover your hands with flour and roll the dough into a large ball. Wrap the entire ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is approximately ¼ inch thick. Cut out your square shapes. Re-roll any scraps and continue cutting out the shapes until you run out of dough.
- Pour your sanding sugar into two shallow plates. Press one side of the dough into the red sanding sugar to adhere. Flip the dough and dip the other side into the blue sanding sugar.
- On a small cutting board, place the square, blue side up. Cut a small slit into the dough at each corner, leaving the middle intact.
- Pull one side of one of the corners into the middle of the cookie and press lightly to adhere. Add the stick, pushing one end into the middle, and push to adhere. Continue pulling one side of each corner down and pressing lightly in the middle until you have your pinwheel shape.
- Lightly push the candy star into the middle of the pinwheel.
- Carefully transfer the pinwheels to a baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch of space between the cookies.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until browned on the outside. Cool for 10 minutes on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy as soon as they are cool.
Equipment
Notes
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett is the founder and food blogger of Cheerful Cook, a popular recipe website featuring comfort food recipes from the US and Germany. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.