Perfectly Soft & Chewy Rainbow Sprinkle Sugar Cookies: Your Ultimate Funfetti Recipe!

Get ready to bake the most delightful and visually appealing treats! These soft and chewy sprinkle sugar cookies are absolutely bursting with vibrant rainbow sprinkles, offering a joyous twist on the timeless classic sugar cookie. They’re incredibly simple to whip up, requiring just 9 basic ingredients, making them a fantastic choice for both novice bakers and seasoned pros alike. Imagine biting into a cookie with wonderfully crisp edges that give way to a tender, melt-in-your-mouth center – that’s precisely what these funfetti cookies deliver!

Originally shared in April 2022, this beloved recipe has been refreshed and updated with new images to inspire your baking adventures. Our mission was to perfect the ultimate drop sugar cookie, drawing inspiration from our popular pink sugar cookies and our irresistible chocolate chip sugar cookies, ensuring a consistently delicious result every time.

There’s something magical about sprinkles that truly elevates any baked good. With this recipe, you have the creative freedom to customize your cookies for any occasion! While we’ve chosen festive rainbow sprinkles for a vibrant, classic funfetti look, don’t hesitate to get creative. Picture these cookies adorned with spooky Halloween colors, cheerful Christmas reds and greens, or even elegant pastels for a baby shower. The possibilities are endless, making these seasonal confetti cookies a year-round delight. For those who love a rich, nutty flavor, be sure to try our Christmas sprinkle sugar cookies, which feature a delectable brown butter base!

Making these cookies isn’t just baking; it’s an experience in joy and vibrant flavors. Their ease of preparation and stunning appearance make them perfect for celebrations, school lunches, or simply a sweet treat to brighten your day. Let’s dive into what makes this recipe a must-try!

Essential Ingredient Notes for Perfect Sprinkle Cookies

Understanding the role of each ingredient is key to achieving bakery-quality results. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why:

• All-Purpose Flour: This recipe calls for standard all-purpose flour, which provides the perfect structure for these cookies. While I haven’t personally tested this recipe with gluten-free flour blends, if you’re experimenting, look for a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour that includes xanthan gum for best results. Always measure flour accurately, ideally by weight, to avoid dry, crumbly cookies.
• Unsalted Butter: I always recommend using unsalted butter in my baking recipes. This allows you to have complete control over the total salt content, ensuring your cookies are perfectly balanced in flavor. For an unparalleled buttery richness and superior texture, I also suggest opting for European-style butter, which boasts a higher butterfat percentage. This higher fat content contributes to a more tender crumb and a richer flavor that truly elevates your sugar cookies. Make sure your butter is at room temperature for optimal creaming.
• High-Quality Vanilla Extract: Given that vanilla is one of the primary flavorings in this recipe (aside from the sprinkles, of course!), its quality makes a significant difference. Don’t skimp here – invest in the best pure vanilla extract you can find. It will impart a warm, aromatic depth that cheap imitation vanilla simply cannot replicate, transforming your cookies from good to extraordinary.
• Almond Extract: This ingredient is a game-changer for enhancing the “funfetti” flavor profile, providing a subtle, sweet, and slightly nutty undertone that many associate with classic boxed funfetti cake mixes. While it significantly boosts the overall flavor, it is entirely optional. If you’re not a fan of almond flavor or don’t have it on hand, feel free to omit it without compromising the core deliciousness of the cookie.
• The Right Sprinkles: The type of sprinkles you choose is crucial for both visual appeal and texture. The best kind to use are long-stranded sprinkles, commonly known as “jimmies” or “confetti sprinkles.” These hold their shape and color beautifully through the baking process, ensuring vibrant flecks in every bite. I strongly advise against using nonpareils (the tiny, round, colorful balls), as they tend to bleed their colors into the dough, resulting in a duller, less appealing appearance once baked. Experiment with different colors to match any holiday or theme – from pastels for spring to bold shades for birthdays, these seasonal confetti cookies are always a hit!
• Eggs (and that special extra yolk!): Eggs bind the ingredients and contribute to the cookie’s structure. The real secret weapon for achieving that signature soft and chewy texture, however, is the addition of an extra egg yolk. The extra fat and protein from the yolk create a richer, more tender dough that resists drying out, ensuring your cookies stay perfectly soft and wonderfully chewy. Always use room temperature eggs for better incorporation into the batter.

How to Bake Your Dreamy Rainbow Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

Making these vibrant, chewy sugar cookies is a fun and rewarding process. Follow these detailed steps to ensure perfectly baked results every time:

Step 1: Prepare Your Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly until they are well combined and there are no lumps. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agent throughout your cookies. Set this bowl aside for now.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, begin by whipping your softened unsalted butter on medium speed for about one minute. You want it to become light, soft, and creamy. Once the butter is ready, add the granulated sugar to the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes. This creaming process incorporates air into the butter and sugar, which is crucial for achieving a light and fluffy cookie texture.

Step 3: Incorporate Wet Ingredients. With the mixer still running on medium-low speed, add your room temperature egg, the extra egg yolk, pure vanilla extract, and optional almond extract. Continue to beat the mixture until all these wet ingredients are fully combined and smoothly incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is evenly mixed.

Step 4: Add Dry Ingredients and Sprinkles. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture you prepared earlier to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer. Mix on low speed, being careful not to overmix. Stop the mixer as soon as there are no more visible streaks of flour. Overmixing at this stage can lead to tough cookies. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a spatula, gently fold in the rainbow sprinkles by hand. This gentle folding motion prevents the sprinkles from breaking and helps distribute them evenly throughout the dough.

Step 5: Scoop, Roll, and Chill. Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out generous scoops of dough. Roll each scoop gently between your palms to form smooth, uniform cookie dough balls. For an extra touch of sparkle and a slightly crispier exterior, roll these cookie dough balls in additional granulated sugar. Arrange them on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill for a minimum of 20 minutes. If you plan to chill them for longer than 20 minutes (up to overnight), make sure to wrap the dough balls tightly in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out.

Step 6: Bake to Golden Perfection. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 6 cookie dough balls at a time on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced adequately apart to allow for spreading. Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly set and just beginning to turn golden, but the centers still look slightly puffed and somewhat underbaked. This “underbaking” is key to achieving that soft, chewy interior. The cookies will continue to bake and set as they cool outside the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough, keeping unbaked dough chilled until ready to bake.

Expert Tips & Tricks for Flawless Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

Elevate your cookie game with these professional insights and clever techniques:

• I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to measure your ingredients, especially flour, the metric way (in grams). Baking is a science, and precise measurements make a huge difference, ensuring consistent, perfect results every time. It’s the most accurate method and eliminates common errors associated with cup measurements.
• If you’re opting for cup measurements instead of a scale, please use the “fluff, sprinkle, and scrape” method for measuring flour (you can find a detailed guide here). This involves fluffing the flour in its container, lightly sprinkling it into your measuring cup, and then leveling off the excess with a straight edge. Packing the flour too tightly can add significantly more flour than needed, leading to dense, dry cookies.
• For optimal emulsion and a smooth, cohesive dough, always ensure that all of your ingredients, especially butter and eggs, are at room temperature before you begin the recipe. This allows them to combine more evenly, resulting in a superior texture and consistency in your final cookies. Plan ahead and pull them out of the fridge at least 30-60 minutes before you start baking.
• For baking these cookies, I strongly recommend using a light-colored metal baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Light-colored sheets prevent the bottoms of the cookies from browning too quickly, while parchment paper ensures easy release and even baking. I’ve tested this recipe with silicone baking mats, and while they work, I found that cookies tend to spread a lot more on silicone, losing some of their ideal thickness.
• To achieve that visually stunning, extra sprinkle-covered top, sprinkle a few extra jimmies directly onto the tops of the cookies immediately after they come out of the oven. The residual heat from the freshly baked cookies will allow the sprinkles to adhere perfectly and set firmly as they cool, ensuring a vibrant finish that won’t easily rub off. I’ve tested rolling the dough in sprinkles before baking, but this post-bake method yields a much brighter and more striking result.
• The ultimate secret to incredibly soft and deliciously chewy sugar cookies is to slightly underbake them. Remove the cookies from the oven when their edges are just set and lightly golden, but the very center still appears slightly puffed and a little underbaked. Don’t worry, they will continue to set and firm up on the baking sheet from the residual heat, resulting in that perfect, tender chewiness.

Rainbow Sprinkle Sugar Cookie FAQs

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If you loved these sprinkle sugar cookies, be sure to explore more fantastic cookie recipes from our collection:

Have you made this incredibly fun recipe? We’d love to see your creations! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @alpineella and leave a review below if you have. Your feedback and photos truly make my day! For even more baking inspiration and delightful dessert ideas, you can follow me on Pinterest.

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