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I’m spilling my secrets for making the best cake batter cookies! These funfetti cookies taste just like cake batter but aren’t make with cake mix. They are made with pudding mix, so they stay soft for days! These are the easiest pudding cookies with the best cake batter flavor and are always a hit when I make them.

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Tall stack of cake batter cookies with sprinkles around them


When you need a smile, make something with sprinkles! These cake batter cookies are so fun and pretty – and they’re easy enough a kid can make them. I know this for sure because this was one of Jordan’s recipes when she was younger, and she could handle 90% of the work to make them.

And by “work,” I don’t mean hard work! These are the simplest cookies that you mix, drop on a baking sheet, and bake. No chilling and no fussy steps!

The Best Cake Batter Cookies

You might assume, given the name, that these are made with a cake mix, but they’re not. They taste just like cake batter thanks to two special ingredients: vanilla pudding mix and butter extract.

Instant pudding mix is one of my favorite ingredients. You can buy it in tons of different flavors, and when you add it to cookie dough, you end up with soft cookies that stay soft for days. For these funfetti pudding cookies, I use instant vanilla pudding mix to give them a vanilla cake flavor.

Butter or Cake extract is the other secret ingredient. It’s magical and makes things taste like cake batter. You can find butter extract at most grocery stores in the spice aisle.

And don’t forget the sprinkles! Is it really cake batter if you don’t add lots of sprinkles?

Ingredients

Softened butter: I always use unsalted butter, if using salted then omit the salt in the recipe.

Granulated sugar: no brown sugar in these: The granulated sugar keeps them sweet but the pudding mix keeps them soft.

Egg, Salt, Baking Soda, All-Purpose Flour: Typical cookie ingredients.

Extract: This recipe uses a combination of vanilla extract AND butter extract to give it that cake batter flavor. You can also use McCormick’s new Cake Batter Extract if you can find it.

Pudding Mix: These are pudding cookies so I add instant vanilla pudding mix to the mixture.

Rainbow sprinkles jimmies: For fun!

Tall stack of cake batter cookies with sprinkles around them

How to Make Cake Batter Cookies

1. Mix: In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy. Add the egg and both extracts and beat them into the butter mixture. Beat in salt, baking soda, and pudding mix. Slowly add the flour and mix slowly until the dough is combined.

2. Drop & Bake: For small cookies, drop one tablespoon of the dough on a prepared cookie sheet for each cookie. Bake the cookies for seven to eight minutes at 350°F. If you make bigger cookies, you will need to add to the baking time.

3. How to know your cookies are done baking: The cookies are done baking when they get a little bit golden around the edges. Take them out of the oven and cool them on the cookie sheets.

4. How to store cake batter cookies: Once cooled, store them in an airtight container.

Tips and Variations

  • Turn them into chocolate chip funfetti sprinkle cookies by adding one cup of chocolate chips to the dough.
  • If you want to make bigger cookies, scoop two tablespoons of dough to make each cookie. They will need extra bake time if they are larger.
  • McCormick now has a new cake batter flavored extract, which you can use to give these pudding cookies an even stronger cake flavor.
  • For the pudding, be sure to use an instant pudding mix. Also, you don’t need to prepare the pudding – you just add the powdered mix right into the cookie dough.
  • Want puffier cookies? Chill the dough for at least one hour before baking the cookies.
  • Customize them for holidays by switching the sprinkles – like red and white for Valentine’s day, red and green for Christmas, or pastels for Easter. I’ve made this cake batter cookie recipe so many times over the years. It’s perfect for baby showers, birthdays, potlucks, and holidays. Or make them for a random Wednesday just to treat yourself – that works, too!
Tall stack of cake batter cookies with sprinkles around them

More Funfetti Recipes To Try

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Tall stack of cake batter cookies with sprinkles around them

Funfetti Pudding Cookies Recipe

4.67 from 6 votes
These are the BEST Cake Batter Cookies! They're Funfetti Pudding Cookies so they have tons of cake batter flavor and stay soft for days. These are a hit every time I make them!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Yield 36 cookies
Serving Size 1 cookie

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter , softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon butter extract see note
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup rainbow sprinkles (jimmies are best for baking)
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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats.
  • Beat butter and sugar in a stand mixer until fluffy, just a few minutes. Beat in egg and both extracts. Beat in salt, baking soda, and pudding mix. Add flour and mix slowly until completely combined. Stir in sprinkles.
  • Drop cookies onto prepared cookies sheets. I used a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop for small cookies (they are bite sized). Bake for 7-8 minutes, until they just start to get a teeny bit golden around the edges. Cool before removing from cookie sheets.
  • Note: for a puffier cookie, chill dough for at least one hour before baking.

Recipe Notes

McCormick now sells cake batter extract – substitute this for butter extract if you can find it.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 75kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 8mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Tall stack of cake batter cookies with sprinkles around them and recipe title on top of image

These Cake Batter cookies have the best funfetti flavor and stay soft for days! They are perfect for any get together, birthday party or celebration.

Last Updated on May 27, 2021



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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