Description
Celebrate any patriotic occasion with these colorful Patriotic Crinkle Cookies featuring vibrant red and blue doughs with a rich cocoa flavor. Soft, chewy, and dusted with powdered sugar, these cookies are sure to impress with their festive look and delicious taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Additional
- Red gel food coloring
- Blue gel food coloring
- Additional powdered sugar for rolling dough balls
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined to distribute the leavening agents evenly.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a separate large bowl, using a mixer or by hand, cream the room temperature butter with granulated sugar and powdered sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which takes about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, ensuring the mixture is smooth and uniform.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined to form a dough. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Divide and Color Dough: Split the dough evenly into two bowls. Add red gel food coloring to one bowl and blue gel food coloring to the other, mixing each until the color is fully and evenly incorporated.
- Form Dough Balls: Roll balls from each colored dough, roughly 1 inch in diameter. Then roll each ball in powdered sugar to coat thoroughly, which helps create the signature crinkle effect during baking.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the powdered sugar-coated dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading as they bake.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the surface has developed crinkles and the cookies are set but still soft in the center.
- Cool: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. This prevents breakage and allows them to firm up.
Notes
- Ensure butter is at room temperature to achieve a fluffy creamed mixture.
- Use gel food coloring for more vibrant colors without altering dough consistency.
- Do not overbake; cookies should remain soft inside.
- For easier rolling, chill dough slightly if too sticky.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
