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If you are a sprinkle lover like me, then you will have a field day with this sprinkle cookie recipe. Let your imagination run wild and add as many sprinkles as you like to your soft sugar cookies! There can never be too many sprinkles. Or at least that’s what I tell myself.

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cookies with rainbow sprinkles baked inside


Best Sprinkle Cookies Ever

Other than plain chocolate chip cookies, sprinkle cookies is probably the most versatile cookie recipe there is! Sprinkle cookies are easy to customize based on season, holiday, and occasion. All you have to do is add you desired color/ shape sprinkle to create a great festive dessert!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Sprinkle cookies have a classic sugar cookie flavor that will never go out of style!
  • Pick your favorite colors to go inside the cookies.
  • These are a no chill cookie – done in under 30 minutes!

Ingredients in Soft Sprinkle Cookies

  • Unsalted butter- If you are making this recipe dairy-free then use butter flavored Crisco vegetable shortening instead of butter. 
  • Sugar- Use granulated sugar.
  • Eggs- I always use large eggs. 
  • Vanilla extract- Using natural extracts always yield the best results when it comes to flavor!
  • Almond extract – optional but adds tons of extra flavor
  • Baking soda – Helps them spread a little bit but not too much
  • Cream of tartar – Keeps them fluffy and soft.
  • Salt – Needed when using unsalted butter
  • Flour– Use all-purpose flour and be sure to measure it correctly.
  • Sprinkles- You can use an color you’d like! These are a versatile cookie so you can use them for any holiday and use some fun themed sprinkles. 
  • Chocolate- You can use semi-sweet or white chocolate if you want to dip them.
Stack of Homemade Sprinkle Cookies

How to Make Sprinkle Cookies

  • Prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats. 
  • Make cooke dough: Cream butter (or shortening if you are making this recipe dairy-free) and sugar with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. You can also use a handmixer. Once the mixture is creamed and fluffy, mix in the eggs, and the vanilla and almond extracts. Mix until fully smooth and then add in baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Slowly mix in flour until the mixture is just combined, then stir in the most important part; sprinkles! If you are using shortening: add 1 ½ tablespoons of water with the flour.
  • Bake: Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls and place them 2” apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the bottoms just start to turn golden brown. These taste better slightly under-done than over-done so err on the side of caution when baking. Cool for at least 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing. 
  • Add chocolate (optional): If you would like to add a little pizzaz to your sprinkle cookies melt some chocolate in a microwave safebowl on 50% power. Do this is 30 second increments until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip the bottom of the cookies into the chocolate and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet to set, chill them in the fridge. 
  • Store: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Expert Tip

Use a Dixie cup/bowl to microwave your chocolate in. It’s easier to handle and makes for easy cleanup when you are done dipping your cookies.

Stack of Sprinkle Cookies

FAQs

How do you keep cookies soft?

Keep cookies soft by not overbaking them, it’s safe to say that cookies always taste better slightly under-baked than over-baked. This rule will keep them soft and chewy. As opposed to hard and crunchy. 

How do you store sprinkle cookies?

In an airtight container on the counter top for up to three days.

Can you freeze sprinkle cookies?

Yes you can, make sure they are in an airtight container. Freeze them for up to one month. 

Do I put sprinkles on before or after baking?

Always mix sprinkles into the cookie dough before baking. If you try to put sprinkles on your cookies after baking the sprinkles won’t be able to stick to the cookie because they will already be hard. You’ll be left with sprinkles that will roll right off your cookie onto the floor, and no one wants that!

How do you know when these cookies are done baking?

You will know the cookies are done baking when the bottom edges are ever so slightly brown. And the top still looks semi-soft. If the top starts to get brown then they are becoming over-done. 

Have You Made This Recipe

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Stack of Homemade Sprinkle Cookies

Sprinkle Cookies

5 from 10 votes
Sprinkle Cookies – this easy sugar cookie recipe is full of sprinkles with a dairy-free option! Make them colorful for Valentine’s Day or any day!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Yield 2 dozen
Serving Size 1 cookie

Ingredients
 

  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter (or butter flavored Crisco or vegan butter sticks)
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (248g) all purpose flour
  • 1 cup  sprinkles (any color for any holiday or use rainbow)
  • 8 ounces (226g) baking chocolate white or semi-sweet, optional
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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats.
  • Cream shortening or butter and sugar with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or you may use a hand mixer). Once the mixture is creamed and fluffy, mix in the egg and vanilla and almond extracts until smooth, then mix in the baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Slowly mix in flour until the mixture is just combined, then stir in the sprinkles. If you are using shortening: add 1 1/2 tablespoons of water with the flour.
  • Scoop balls of cookie dough 2 Tablespoons each, and place them 2” apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the bottoms just start to turn golden brown. (These taste better if you err on the side of under rather than over done). Cool at least 5 minutes on cookie sheet before removing.
  • If desired: melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power in 30 second increments until melted and smooth. Dip the bottoms of the cookies into the chocolate and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill to set.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Recipe Video

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 856mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Easy Sprinkle Cookies Recipe – this is the BEST recipe for sugar cookies with sprinkles – use any colors for any holiday! We absolutely love these cookies.

Last Updated on December 9, 2022



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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21 Comments

  1. These cookies are delicious! My kids love to make them with me around the holidays…they are a favorite. The sprinkle cookies with dipped bottoms look impressive and are SO good! The base dough is great for making a variety of cookies as well.

  2. Made these yesterday and they were super delicious! I didn’t have 1 cup of sprinkles so j did half a cup and about half a cup of white chocolate chips and they came out do good! I did feel the almond extract was a little much so I may do less next time! And definitely adding the full cup of sprinkles next time! Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Yes for sure – flatten them a bit before baking and you might need to lower the oven temp to 325 so they don’t burn on the outside and be raw on the inside.

  3. Love the recipe, will try it, but I am sure there is a typo on the sodium content per cookie!!! 856mg per cookie is incredibly high, and the ingredient list doesn’t support that.

  4. Cream of tarter contains milk so be careful when making these, I don’t know if there is a substitute for it.