Gluten-Free 4th of July Star Sugar Cookies
These gluten-free 4th of July sugar cookies are decorated with red, white, and blue royal icing in a star and stripes flag design using wet-on-wet technique.
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Ingredients
Sugar Cookies:
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 (50 g) large egg
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ cups (315 g) gluten-free flour blend
Royal Icing:
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar - sifted
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) meringue powder
- 5 tablespoons (75 g) water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Americolor gel food coloring - red and blue
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Instructions
For the Sugar Cookies:
- Make the cookie dough. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter and 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 (50 g) large egg, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon salt. Beat until well combined.
- Add flour gradually. Add 2 ¼ cups (315 g) gluten-free flour blend to the butter mixture 1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until no streaks remain.
- Chill the dough. Turn dough out onto parchment paper and pat into a circle about 1 inch thick. Refrigerate for 1 hour until firm.
- Roll and cut. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Dust work surface and rolling pin with powdered sugar. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with star-shaped cookie cutters.
- Bake. Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes until edges are lightly golden but tops are not browned. Cool completely on wire racks before decorating.
For the Royal Icing:
- Make royal icing. In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, combine 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons (30 g) meringue powder, 5 tablespoons (75 g) water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix on medium-high speed for 7-10 minutes until well blended and matte. This is your base consistency.
- Color and thin icing. Divide icing into three bowls. Leave one white, color one red, and one blue with Americolor gel food coloring. Add water gradually to each bowl until you reach 8-10 second consistency (drizzled icing sinks back into bowl in 8-10 seconds).
To Decorate:
- Fill pastry bags. Transfer each color to separate pastry bags. Cut very small holes at the tips.
- Decorate cookies. Outline half the star with red icing to create a barrier. Fill that half with red icing. Immediately draw white stripes over the wet red icing. Outline the other half with blue icing, fill with blue icing, then immediately add white dots over the wet blue icing.
- Let dry. Allow cookies to dry at least 4 hours (overnight is best) before stacking or packaging.
Video
Notes
- Gluten-Free Flour: This recipe has been tested with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour and King Arthur Measure for Measure.
- Icing Consistency: 8-10 second icing works for both outlining and filling. Test by drizzling from a spoon - if it takes 8-10 seconds to sink back in, you're ready.
- Wet-on-Wet Timing: Work fast when adding stripes or dots. You have about 30-60 seconds after filling before the base starts to set. Fill one section at a time.
- Drying Time: Royal icing needs at least 4 hours to dry hard. Overnight is better. Don't stack or package until completely dry.
Nutrition
Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 394IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
