POP ROCKS STAR COOKIES, sandwich cookies for 4th of July dessert

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4th of July cookies kind of need to have Pop Rocks, right? These star Pop Rocks star cookies on a stick have it all.

pop rocks star cookies

It’s a mouthful, but a lot is going on with these 4th of July cookies. Yep, they are red, white and blue Pop Rocks star cookies filled with sparkly Pop Rocks AND they come with a free printable for 4th of July straw flags. Whew, a LOT going on. But pretty easy to make. I made these and the printable for SheKnows.com. Find the recipe and how-tos at the end of this post. Click here to get the printable template.

This post for 4th of July sandwich cookies was first published in July 2012 and updated June 2019.

more fun 4th of July food ideas

If you like these, try these red, white, and blue swirl 4th of July cookies. Or, for more Pop Rocks, check out the Pop Rocks shooters and Pop Rocks marshmallow pops.

how to make pop rocks star cookies

you will need:

Sugar cookie dough
Royal icing
Red, blue and white food coloring
2 1/2-inch star cookie cutters
1 1/4-inch star cookie cutter
Lollipop sticks
Disposable decorating bag
Coupler
Decorating tip, size 5
Rubber band
Pop Rocks candy
Parchment paper

Optional:

* Find the cookie cutters, lollipop sticks, decorating bag, coupler and decorating tip at the craft store. For food coloring, I suggest Americolor Soft Gel Pastes (Red Red, Royal Blue and Bright White used here), available at specialty stores and online.

Prepare your dough

Prepare your cookie dough according to the recipe, chill and divide the dough in two. Add a few drops of red food coloring to half of your dough and a few drops of blue food coloring to the other half.

Knead the food coloring very well into the dough, adding more drops of coloring as needed for desired color. If the dough becomes soft from kneading, chill for an additional half hour before using.

Cut out your stars

Roll the blue dough about one-quarter-inch thick on a surface dusted with flour to prevent sticking. Cut out the larger stars, and then cut a star from the center with the smaller cookie cutter. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking tray.

Repeat with the red dough, but do not cut out the inner star.

Bake the cookies according to the recipe just until the edges start to brown, and let cool completely.

Prepare your icing

Prepare royal icing according to the recipe. Mix in white food coloring to the desired shade. Prepare a decorating bag with the coupler and decorating tip, fill with the white icing, and close the bag tightly with a rubber band. Cover and reserve the remaining icing.

Decorate your cookies

Pipe a line of icing on the back of a red star cookie and attach a lollipop stick.

Pipe an outline on the back of the red star cookie.Pipe back and forth to completely fill the outline on the cookie. Turn a blue star cookie over and pipe an outline on the back.Gently press the blue star cookie on top of the red cookie. Sprinkle Pop Rocks candy to fill the little star in the center of the blue cookie. Let the cookies dry very well, several hours to overnight.

Add flag

If desired, use a color printer to print the free printable on white card stock or other heavyweight paper. Cut out the flags using the gray lines as a guide. Fold each flag in half and snip a wedge from the end. Unfold, coat the entire underside with glue and wrap around the lollipop stick.