45 of Our Favorite 4th of July Cookies

Bomb Pop Cookies

The sound of the ice cream truck has even my husband running out to the curb with money in hand. Our neighborhood has a big potluck on the Fourth, so I decided to make cookies that resemble Bomb Pops. These 4th of July cookies were a big hit! —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon

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Oatmeal S’more Cookies

I can’t count how many times I have made these cookies—they are our favorites. I love to bake all kinds of goodies with my two daughters, and my husband loves to sample the treats. —Carmen Rae, New Haven, Indiana

Looking for more recipe ideas? Discover our favorite 4th of July desserts.

Peach Cobbler Cookies

My sister brought me fresh peaches one year, and we decided to make these fruity cookies. They also make fantastic ice cream sandwiches—just put some vanilla ice cream between two cookies for a delicious summer treat! —Anna Miller, Churdan, Iowa

Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

If you’re tight on time, you can use store-bought cookies, but I highly recommend making these oatmeal chocolate cookies from scratch. The dessert sandwiches are pure fun. Sometimes I decorate the sides of the sandwiches with colorful jimmies, too. —Diane Halferty, Corpus Christi, Texas

If you’re looking for patriotic bars and brownies, check out these 4th of July bars.

Gooey Butter Cookies

As a native of St. Louis, I wanted to make a cookie version of the famous gooey butter cake. And although many gooey butter cake recipes use a cake mix, my cookies are made from scratch.—Julia Nouss, Richmond, Virginia

If you’re looking for sweets that are festive and simple to make, check out these easy 4th of July cookies.

Summertime Fun Cookies

Use this basic sugar cookie recipe to make the perfect poolside treat. Kids (and adults) won't be able to get enough. —Coleen Walter, Bancroft, Michigan

Sugar Cookie S'mores

Change up traditional s'mores with the use of sugar cookies and candy bars. The sweetness cannot be beat!—Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Berry Shortbread Dreams

Raspberry jam adds fruity sweetness to these rich raspberry-filled shortbread cookies. They will absolutely melt in your mouth! —Mildred Sherrer, Fort Worth, Texas

Beach Ball Cookies

These cookies are as colorful as beach balls and just as fun. They’re delightful for kids’ parties, school bake sales or as playful 4th of July cookies. Use bright, bold colors, or soft pastels for springtime. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon

Air-Fryer Fried Cookies

Deep-fried Oreos are quickly becoming a county fair favorite. Now you can make them at home quickly, easily and mess free. —Margarita Torres, Bayamon, Puerto Rico

Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies

These whoopie pies are soft, cakey cookies studded with tart, juicy blueberries and filled with tangy cream cheese frosting. I take them to family and school events and they are always the first thing gone! Be sure to continually scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula while making the batter and frosting. —Kathy Martino, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Chocolate Malted Cookies

These cookies are the next best thing to a good old-fashioned malted milk. With malted milk powder, chocolate syrup, and chocolate chips and chunks, these are the best cookies I've ever tasted…and with six kids, I've made a lot of cookies over the years! —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan

Campfire Cookies

The start of cold weather here in Colorado means bonfire season. What better way to celebrate than with these campfire cookies! —Callie Washer, Conifer, Colorado

Coconut Key Lime Thumbprints

This is the cookie recipe I created for the Las Vegas World Food Championships in 2013. It's similar to a shortbread thumbprint cookie, but with lots more personality. —Amy Freeze, Avon Park, Florida

Cherry Icebox Cookies

As a home economics teacher, I often supplied treats for school functions. These delectable cookies were always popular. The bright red cherries make them great 4th of July cookies. —Patty Courtney, Jonesboro, Texas

Double-Chocolate Rolo Cookies with Pretzels

These chocolate Rolo cookies were a big hit with my father. The generous size makes them wonderful for gift-giving, and they’re always the first to go at parties. —Melissa Keenan, Larchmont, New York

Monster Cookies

This recipe combines several favorite flavors—peanut butter, butterscotch and chocolate—in one big cookie. Before baking, I like to press a few extra M&M's on top for added color. —Patricia Schroedl, Jefferson, Wisconsin

Chocolate-Cherry Sandwich Cookies

I make these often at Christmastime, but they're a winner for summer parties, too. Chilling the cookies before you dip them into chocolate is important because it firms up the filling. —Amy Sauerwalt, Columbia, Maryland

Shortbread Sandwich Cookies

I layer a creamy, coffee-flavored filling between buttery shortbread, then dip the sandwiches in chocolate. Guests always love them.—Bertha Seyer, Oak Ridge, Missouri

Miniature Peanut Butter Treats

This recipe is one of my family's favorites, and I make the treats a lot, especially at Christmas. I have three children and eight grandchildren, and every one of them loves those "peanut butter thingies," as the grandchildren call them! —Jodie McCoy, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Devil's Food Whoopie Pies

These mini cookie cakes were one of my favorite treats while I was growing up in Pennsylvania. We called them gobs because they are gobs of fun to eat! The recipe can make fewer or more, depending on how large or small you make the cookies. Place the finished chocolate whoopie pies in large cupcake liners for a professional look. —Pamela Esposito, Galloway, New Jersey

Watermelon Slice Cookies

Once when I made these butter cookies for a party, a neighbor thought they were so attractive that she froze one to show friends. They’re easy to make and make great 4th of July cookies! —Sue Ann Benham, Valparaiso, Indiana

Frosted Peanut Cookies

Oats, chopped peanuts and peanut butter frosting make this a nice change of pace from a traditional peanut butter cookie. After folks sample these, compliments and recipe requests always follow. —Alicia Surma, Tacoma, Washington

Raspberry Ribbons

I make these attractive, buttery cookies to serve at our remote guest lodge, and all the cooks in the kitchen are addicted to them! —Patsy Wolfenden, Golden, British Columbia

Grandma's Star Cookies

My husband's grandma would make these butter cutouts only with a star cookie cutter. I use various shapes for celebrations throughout the year. —Jenny Brown, West Lafayette, Indiana

S'mores on a Stick

My kids love to take these for treats everywhere. That's lucky for me since they are so easy to make. Beside the sprinkles, try mini candies for toppings.—Ronda Weirich, Plains, Kansas

Keep your Independence Day celebration festive with these red, white and blue desserts.

Berry-Cream Cookie Snaps

My mom and I made up this recipe by combining two others. These cute cookies are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy inside. You could also bake the cookies flat and serve the filling as a cookie dip if you like. —Crystal Briddick, Colfax, Illinois

White Velvet Cutouts

We make and decorate these cutouts for different holidays and give lots of them as gifts. Last year, we baked a batch a week before Christmas to be sure we'd have plenty to give and plenty for ourselves, too. These rich cookies melt in your mouth. —Kim Hinkle, Wauseon, Ohio

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite desserts. I thought it would be great to capture all that wonderful flavor, so I made these strawberry shortcake cookies topped with pink strawberry frosting. —Allison Anderson, Avondale, Arizona

Rainbow S'moreo Cookies

Homemade Oreo-style cookies are pretty great on their own, but they're even better when you add graham cracker crumbs to the cookie dough, stuff them with marshmallow creme and roll them in sprinkles. You can change the color of the sprinkles depending on the holiday or occasion. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

Lemon Meltaways

Both the cookie and the frosting are spiked with lemon in these melt-in-your-mouth goodies. Your family won't be able to get enough of this lemon butter meltaway cookie recipe. —Mary Houchin, Lebanon, Illinois

Glazed Strawberry Cookies

I learned to bake with my grandmother and mother. I knew I was giving them a sweet new family tradition when I shared this recipe with them. —Andrea Zulauf, Livonia, New York

Marmalade Chews

I live in the heart of citrus country and think this cookie really captures that area's flavor. Orange marmalade, juice and peel give the cookie and frosting a delightful tropical taste. —Shirleene Wilkins, Lake Placid, Florida

Red Star Cookies

These super stars are plenty sweet and sturdy, making them great for shipping. Slip decorated cookies in stacks of three inside plastic storage bags then rest stacks in disposable plastic containers. Put containers in a cardboard box, then add crumpled newspaper so everything is tightly packed. Seal it with a kiss—or a card. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Blackberry-Filled Chocolate Thumbprints

Pretty blackberry jam peeks out from behind a thin layer of white chocolate in these soft milk chocolate cookies. The flavors just taste amazing together.—Abby Bullington, Cheyenne, Wyoming

Cherry Kiss Cookies

Topped with a chocolate kiss, these cherry-flavored cookies look super cute on a dessert tray. Share them with family and friends. —Joy Yurk, Grafton, Wisconsin

Lemon Shortbreads

Every year my mom and I collect cookie recipes we want to try and then get together in early December for an afternoon of baking. These no-fail lemon cookies have become an annual tradition. They're a wonderful homemade holiday gift. —Kristen Stecklein, Glendale, Wisconsin

Raspberry Cream Sugar Cookies

We make sugar cookies and fill them with a tangy raspberry cream cheese. They taste best after they've been refrigerated for at least 45 minutes.—Heidi Farnworth, Riverton, Utah

Giant Lemon Sugar Cookies

These wonderfully chewy cookies have a light lemon flavor from both the juice and zest. The sanding sugar on top adds sparkle and a bit of crunch. —Michael Vyskocil, Glen Rock, Pennsylvania

Popcorn Cookies

It's so much fun to surprise people with the crushed popcorn in these yummy cookies. They're definitely a distinctive cookie on the holiday tray.—Leigh Anne Preston, Palmyra, Indiana

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Lemon Cutouts

Full of lemony flavor, these cookies are great for any time of year and always popular with family and friends.—Patricia C. Quinn, Omaha, Nebraska

Mini Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Peanut butter lovers go nuts for these rich little sandwich cookies. On a hot day, sandwich ice cream between the cookies instead of frosting. It cools you right down. —Keri Wolfe, Nappanee, Indiana

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

This soft and chewy low-carb cookie recipe, developed by our Test Kitchen, calls for canola oil instead of butter to reduce the saturated fat. It's hard to eat just one!

S'mookies

S'mores are one of my favorite desserts. I wanted to create a cookie to replace the graham cracker—that's when my s'mookie was born. Just as delicious as the classic.—Maria Davis, Hermosa Beach, California

Baked Elephant Ears

My mother-in-law handed down this recipe from her mother. They’re a special treat—even better, I think, than those at a carnival or festival. And (shh!) they're baked, not fried. —Delores Baeten, Downers Grove, Illinois