4th of July Cookies

This year, try our easy 4th of July cookies! Soft cookies, creamy ice cream, and festive sprinkles make the perfect treat for a patriotic holiday.

Chocolatey chewy cookies pair perfectly with a sweet scoop of vanilla ice cream, then colorful sprinkles add a touch of festive crunchiness. Plus these patriotic cookies pack an icy cold punch, perfect for a hot summer day.

Keep your recipes close – and your dessert recipes even closer! Pin this easy treat to your favorites board on Pinterest and have the recipe ready for your next 4th of July celebration! 

We take our classic easy cookie recipe to the next level by turning them into decked-out ice cream sandwiches for Independence day. But these also make the perfect party treats for any patriotic occasion. Last year I brought these to a Memorial Day barbecue, and they were a huge hit at the dessert table! 

This 4th of July dessert uses our *Chocolate chip cookie recipe* as a base. Try it alongside our other red white and blue recipes for super easy ways to make this holiday oh-so colorful and fun! *backlinks*

FAQs

• What is the national cookie of America?

You guessed it! It’s the base for this easy treat. Chocolate chip cookies are the official cookies of the USA, and the most popular by a wide margin.

• Where did ice cream sandwiches come from?

Ice cream sandwiches happen to be an originally American treat! They were invented in New York City, likely by street vendors, in 1899. (Phew, that made me feel less old!)

• How can I make my cookies chewier for ice cream sandwiches? 

If you allow your cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3-6 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack, they will turn out chewier than if they only spend a minute or so on the cookie sheet.

• How do I make sure my cookies don’t get hard if I make them ahead of time?

Store your cookies in an airtight container with a slice or two of moist white bread, which helps maintain the humidity level in the container. Be sure to replace your bread slices if they dry out! Some people also use about a tablespoon of corn syrup in their recipe to keep cookies soft.

Supplies for Fourth of July cookies

• Cookie sheet
• Circle cookie cutter
• Thrifty ice cream scooper
• Cooling rack

4th of July Cookies

The Ice Cream Sandwich Edition

Ingredients for Festive 4th of July Cookies

• 24 Chocolate chip cookies [we used our chocolate chip cookie recipe minus the walnuts]
• 1.5 quarts vanilla ice cream
• Red white and blue sprinkles

Directions on how to make July 4th Cookie Sandwiches

1. Bake the cookies until they are just golden and set, aiming for a nice chewy cookie texture. Allow to cool [we used our chocolate chip cookie recipe minus the walnuts]

2. Pour sprinkles into a medium bowl, or multiple small bowls for varieties of sprinkles.

3. After the cookies cool, use a ring cutter (the same size or a little smaller than your ice cream scoop rounds) to trim the edges off the cookies and make sure the ice cream fits perfectly.

4. Use the ice cream scoop to punch out perfect little cylinders of ice cream. To get a perfect “scoop” insert into well-frozen ice cream, turn the scoop a quarter turn, and remove from ice cream. If you are making a lot of sandwiches, you may need to refreeze the ice cream.

5. Sandwich the ice cream between two cookies then roll the edges in sprinkles.

6. Freeze for at least 20 minutes and serve immediately after removing from the freezer.

Substitutions

Cookie variations:

• Red white and blue m&m cookies
• Sugar cookies
• Red velvet cookies (plus a smear of cream cheese)
• White chocolate chips cookies
• Peanut butter cookies
• Add food coloring to give the cookie dough color (FYI: I tried making blue cookies many times and they did not turn out so beautiful. Or blue. But you might have better luck if you’re using sugar cookies!)

Decoration variations:

• Star cookie cutter
• Red white and blue candies
• Royal icing designs

Tips and Tricks

Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, it’s a good idea to prepare the ice cream sandwiches 2-4 at a time. Stick them in the freezer as you go, thereby preventing a melty mess.

If you’re taking these to an event outside your home, make sure there is freezer space for your ice cream sandwiches before heading out the door! If a freezer isn’t in the cards, put these in storage containers and keep them on ice in a cooler.

Don’t take them out until you’re sure people are ready for dessert!

Don’t over bake your cookies or they will either freeze too hard to bite through or become too crumbly when cold. If you’re using a cookie variation, make sure the recipe creates a nice soft dough.

Store in an airtight container or individually in tight plastic wrap for 1-2 weeks.  

This is the perfect recipe for a 4th of July celebration. It’s also an easy way to involve kids in the kitchen because it only takes a little bit of skill and you can have so much fun with cookie cutters and sprinkles!

For me, passing on a love of cooking is one of the best parts of having kids or grandkids. Or great-grandkids! Or really anyone you want to make them with, because who doesn’t love easy recipes and sprinkles?

Serve these patriotic chocolate chip cookies with pride because they’re sure to be a smashing success at your barbecue, block party, or even a small gathering with family.

With the addition of nice cold ice cream and fun color and shape sprinkles, you can bet you brought the best 4th of July cookies to the party!

Did you enjoy this recipe? We would love a 5-star rating and a share on Facebook if you have a sec. Your support really makes a difference!

And don’t forget to pin these fun red white and blue cookies to your favorites board on Pinterest!