Celebrate the Fourth with Real Ingredients
The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. It’s a day for gathering with family and friends, firing up the grill, and ending the meal with something homemade.
Every year, grocery store shelves fill up with bright red, white, and blue desserts covered in colorful sprinkles and frosting. While they certainly look festive, I wanted to create something that celebrates the holiday using real ingredients instead.
These cookies get their patriotic colors naturally from a dollop of red jam and fresh blueberries. No artificial food coloring. No dyed sprinkles. Just simple ingredients that taste as good as they look.
What Makes These Cookies Special
These aren’t your typical cream cheese cookies. They have a soft, tender texture that’s somewhere between a cookie and a slice of pound cake.
Each cookie is shaped with a small well in the center, filled with thick red jam, and surrounded with fresh blueberries before baking. The result is a beautiful cookie that’s festive enough for a holiday dessert table while still feeling homemade and simple.
Whether you’re celebrating the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, or simply enjoying fresh summer berries, these cookies are always a welcome treat.
Choosing the Right Jam
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s a wonderful way to use homemade jam.
I used my homemade strawberry jam, but raspberry or strawberry rhubarb jam would be just as delicious. Any thick red jam will give you that beautiful patriotic look while adding plenty of fresh berry flavor.
If you’ve spent the summer making jam, this is a great excuse to open a jar and share it with family and friends.
Tips for Success
For the prettiest cookies, don’t skip the chilling time. Refrigerating the filled cookies before baking helps them stay thicker and keeps the jam centered.
To make the wells, dip the back of a measuring spoon into hot water before pressing it into the dough. The warm spoon creates a smooth indentation without sticking.
Arrange the blueberries around the jam instead of pressing them into it. This keeps the bright red center visible and gives each cookie its naturally red, white, and blue appearance.
Red, White & Blue Cream Cheese Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cups butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup pure cane sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- About ⅓ cup strawberry jam
- 36 to 48 fresh blueberries
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.Add the egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fully incorporated.Add the flour and salt. Mix just until combined. Do not overmix.Using a 2-ounce cookie scoop, portion the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each cookie.Dip the back of a rounded measuring spoon into hot water, shake off any excess water, and gently press a shallow well into the center of each cookie.Fill each well with about 1 teaspoon of jam.Arrange 3 to 4 fresh blueberries around the jam, pressing them gently into the dough.Refrigerate the prepared cookies for 20 to 30 minutes.While the cookies are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F.Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set.Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- A thick red jam, such as strawberry, raspberry, or strawberry rhubarb, works best and helps keep the filling centered while baking.Dipping the measuring spoon into hot water before pressing the dough creates a smooth, even well without sticking.Refrigerating the filled cookies before baking helps them hold their shape and creates a thicker, softer cookie.