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Perfect Patriotic July 4th Pinwheel Sugar Cookie Bars Easy Recipe with Icing

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Festive and easy-to-make sugar cookie bars featuring red, white, and blue pinwheel swirls topped with a sweet glaze. Perfect for summer celebrations like Independence Day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Red gel food coloring
  • Blue gel food coloring
  • 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2–3 tablespoons milk (dairy or almond milk)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
  5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
  6. Divide the dough evenly into three portions. Leave one plain (white), tint one portion red and the other blue using gel food coloring. Knead gently until color is evenly distributed.
  7. Roll each colored dough into a 9×13 inch rectangle about ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Chill dough if it softens.
  8. Layer the dough rectangles: blue on bottom, white in the middle, red on top. Press layers together to seal.
  9. Starting from one long edge, roll the layered dough into a tight log. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  10. Slice the chilled log into 1 inch thick bars. Arrange bars cut-side up in the prepared pan, close but not touching.
  11. Bake for 18-22 minutes until edges are lightly golden and centers are set.
  12. Cool bars in pan for 15 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  13. Whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons milk. Add more milk if needed to reach spreadable consistency.
  14. Spread icing evenly over cooled bars. Let icing set for 20-30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Keep dough cool to prevent colors from blending and dough from becoming sticky. Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without altering dough texture. Chill dough log well before slicing to maintain pinwheel shape. Bars can be frozen unbaked for up to a month; bake from frozen adding a few extra minutes. Adjust icing thickness by adding milk gradually.

Nutrition

Keywords: July 4th dessert, patriotic sugar cookies, pinwheel sugar cookie bars, easy sugar cookie bars, festive dessert, summer dessert, sugar cookie bars with icing

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