• Follow the steps through number 7 on the sugar cookie recipe.
• After chilling, use the flag-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Place them on your lined baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between each one.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorating

• Start by splitting the icing into three bowls. The white icing is in one bowl. In the second bowl, mix in the blue gel food coloring, and in the third bowl, mix in red gel food coloring.
• Spoon each of the icings into a piping bag with a small #2 decorating tip.
• In the top left corner, pipe a square of blue icing. Then fill it in and use a toothpick to spread the icing evenly. Let it sit for a minute before moving on.
• Starting just to the right of the blue square, begin piping alternating red and white horizontal stripes across the rest of the cookie.
• Continue the stripes all the way down, keeping them as even as possible. Use a toothpick to gently even out any rough edges.
• Let the cookies sit for 2 hours so the icing can dry and harden. Enjoy!