Spiral Sparkler and Flag Cookies for Military Care Package #15

In celebration of the 4th of July, another Monday Box military care package shipped out to Afghanistan! A distinctly red, white and blue box of Spiral Sparkler and Flag Cookies, and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars speckled with patriotically colored chips, for the troops who put their lives on the line in service to our country. Those men and women define patriotism.

Though I am late in sharing this post, the care package was actually mailed over a week ago. Luckily, should you be looking for a last minute cookie recipe for this weekend that is impressive, but easy, both Spiral Sparkler and Flag Cookies fit that description.

Part 1 Care Package Contents: Independence Day isn’t a gift wrap holiday, so decoratively lining the box with 4th of July wrapping paper wasn’t an option. That pushed me to think outside the box (no pun intended). This care package is lined with the border cut from a 4th of July plastic table cloth! I was worried that the extremely thin plastic (dollar store quality) would wrinkle or rip, but the table cloth worked out wonderfully.

I filled the box with snacks in red, white or blue packaging, some flag decorations, puzzle books, and some treats meant as substitutes for traditional 4th of July fare; jerky sticks for hot dogs, drink mix for lemonade. The caramel coated popcorn is a gamble. It may melt into a mess, but the boxes were the right colors and gooey popcorn may not be such a bad thing.

Part 2 Circle Cookies: Flag Cookies aren’t actually circles, of course, but ignore that detail. They are the ultimate patriotic cookie. Spiral Sparkler Cookies are circular and festive. Either of the cookie designs can be made with your favorite sugar cookie recipe, my favorite sugar cookie recipe, or the desert safe sugar cookie in this recipe recipe. I used one full batch of dough for each design. In keeping with my “summer heat shipping challenge”, using food coloring and decorating sugar, these sugar cookies have plenty of wow-factor without icing.

The glittery Spiral Sparklers are an easy to create slice-and-bake cookie. I suggest rolling out the dough between two sheets of wax paper or parchment. The paper makes rolling out the dough a non-stick experience, plus the bottom sheet can be used to lift the dough gently as you roll it up into a cylinder. Sprinkle the dough with decorating sugar in any patchwork pattern. Then roll up the dough as tightly as possible. If the dough cracks, just squeeze it back together. Roll the cylinder in colored sugar to coat the outside, then wrap in the parchment/wax paper and refrigerate at least two hours or overnight. Cut the spirals in 3/8” slices (a little more than 1/4”and a little less than ½” ).

The Flag Cookies are also slice-and-bake easy. It’s the directions that are confusing, so bear with me. The easiest way to divide the dough is using a scale and weight measurements; 2 pieces of dough approximately 325 grams each and 1 piece of dough approximately 215 grams. However, I know that many people don’t use a kitchen scale, so for those bakers I suggest dividing the dough this way; Divide the dough into 4 “equal” parts. Set aside one piece. That quarter will be colored blue. All of the remaining dough should be kneaded back together, then divided in half. One half will be colored red and the other half will remain white. Individually wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate an hour or until firm.

Roll out the red and white dough into 8” x 10” rectangles. The 8” side should be accurate but the 10” side can vary in length as long as both the red and white rectangle are the same size. Place the white rectangle over the red. Slice the dough into four strips; 2 x 2 ½”, 2 x 1 ½”. Pile the sliced dough using the 2 ½” slices first, followed by the thinner 1 ½” slices. Roll the blue dough into a 10” rope and fit it into the empty corner on the red and white stack. Use your fingers to flatten the sides of the blue dough. Wrap the stack in plastic wrap. Press gently to secure all of the layers and square off the sides. Refrigerate the stack for two hours before cutting into 3/8” slices. Using tweezers to apply star sprinkles to each cookie before baking is optional (depending on your perspective on the importance of sprinkles). Press the stars gently to be sure they are attached.

Part 3 New Recipe: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars with homemade red, white and blue chips, are the new recipe created for this 4th of July care package. These crunchy bars are packed with the toasty flavor of oatmeal sprinkled with white and dark chocolate. The homemade chips can be customized for favorite colors or holiday hues.

Between the stars on the Flag Cookies and the homemade colored chips in these Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars, I am going to get some raised eyebrows about the manner in which I choose to spend my time. Nuts? Perhaps. The fact is, I have fun baking and creating treats that are appealing to eat and to look at. The Flag Cookies can be made without stars. The bars can be made with regular chocolate chips. They will taste the same, but they won’t have the same p1zzazz. I squeeze in as much pizzazz as possible in each and every care package I send.

Spiral Sparkler and Flag Cookies would be a welcome treat where ever you are celebrating July 4th! Wishing everyone, at home or away, a safe and smile filled holiday.

You can read more about desert safe ingredients and find an index of all of the desert safe recipes on The Monday Box by clicking here.

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Spiral Sparkler or Flag Cookies

Adapted from Crisco Ultimate Sugar Cookies

Makes 30 cookies

Author Wendy Sondov themondaybox.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter flavor vegetable shortening Crisco
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Spiral Sparklers: red white and blue decorating sugar
• Flag Cookies: red and blue food coloring white star sprinkles

Directions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes)
2. Thoroughly mix in egg, milk and vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the shortening mixture until combined.
5. FOR SPIRAL SPARKLERS: Roll out the dough between two sheets of wax paper or parchment. Sprinkle the dough with decorating sugar in any patchwork pattern. Then roll up the dough as tightly as possible, using the wax paper to help lift and turn the dough. If the dough cracks, just squeeze it back together. Roll the cylinder in colored sugar to coat the outside, then wrap in the parchment/wax paper and refrigerate at least two hours or overnight. Cut the spirals in 3/8” slices (a little more than 1/4”and a little less than ½”).
6. FOR FLAG COOKIES: Divide the dough into 3 pieces; 2 pieces of dough approximately 325 grams each and 1 piece of dough approximately 215 grams. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, divide the dough into 4 “equal” parts. Set aside one piece. That quarter will be colored blue. All of the remaining dough should be kneaded back together, then divided in half. One half will be colored red and the other half will remain white. Individually wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate an hour or until firm. Roll out the red and white dough into 8” x 10” rectangles. The 8” side should be accurate but the 10” side can vary in length as long as both the red and white rectangle are the same size. Place the red rectangle over the white. Slice the dough into four strips; 2 x 2 ½”, 2x 1 ½”. Pile the sliced dough using the 2 ½” slices first, followed by the thinner 1 ½” slices. Roll the blue dough into a 10” rope and fit it into the empty corner on the red and white stack. Use your fingers to flatten the sides of the blue dough. Wrap the stack in plastic wrap. Press gently to secure all of the layers and square off the sides. Refrigerate the stack for two hours before cutting into 3/8” slices. Use tweezers to apply star sprinkles to each cookie before baking. Press the stars gently to be sure they are attached.
7. Place cookies 1-2” apart on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350˚F. Cookies are done when top is dry and bottom is just turning golden.
8. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
9. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.

Packing Tips

Double wrap pairs of cookies (with bottoms together) in plastic wrap. Then place columns of wrapped cookies snuggly in an airtight container or zip lock bag.

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