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Nothing says celebrate like soft and chewy Birthday Cake Cookies with all the sprinkles! This funfetti cookie recipe is fun for all occasions! Birthdays don’t have to be just about the cake–why not do cookies?
It’s a proven fact that if you add sprinkles to any treat, it is automatically 100 times more delicious. Not to mention fun to eat too.
These Birthday Cake Cookies have the fun of a funfetti cake all wrapped up into a soft, chewy cookie. A touch more vanilla, sprinkles and just the right amount of sweetness bring cake right to your cookie!
Really, there aren’t many occasions I can think of that wouldn’t be better with these sprinkle filled cookies.
Why You Will Love These Birthday Cake Cookies:
- They are soft and chewy. If you are a soft and chewy fan when it comes to cookies, these birthday cake inspired cookies are that perfect combo. Nice chewy edges with a soft chewy, and sprinkle filled, center. The very best!
- So easy to make. There isn’t a whole lot to whipping up the cookie dough. Grab the mixer and whip these up in under 15 minutes!
- Freezer friendly. You can freeze baked cookies or cookie dough. No need to make the whole batch in one go, you can save some for later!
- Easy to customize for any occasion. I love making these funfetti themed cookies becasue with a simple switch of sprinkle color, you have the perfect treat for any celebration. Red and green for Christmas, orange and black for Halloween, your favorite team’s colors and so much more.
If you are a big fan of sprinkles, make sure to check out these
Funfetti Rice Krispie Treats, Edible Sugar Cookie Dough or Funfetti Dip. Life is more fun with sprinkles!
Recipe Ingredients:
- unsalted butter: softened to room temperature, which means not too hard and not too soft. Butter should make a slight imprint when you press your finger into it. Starting with butter that is too warm can make these cookies spread too thin.
- sugar: classic white sugar
- brown sugar: light brown sugar is ideal. I have not tried making these with dark brown sugar.
- egg: one large egg
- vanilla extract: you can use clear imitation in these funfetti cookies if you don’t want the cookie dough to brown much, if you use extract it’s really subtle, but some may prefer a lighter looking cookie. Also, you can use a birthday cake extract to make these all the more cake flavored. I don’t really like the flavor it gives, but some may love it!
- flour: measure by weight for best results. If you do not have a scale, makse sure to spoon and level your flour. You should be able to sub a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour to make these cookies gluten free
- corn starch: this was a recent addition to these birthday cake cookies after readers found the cookies were spreading too much. Corn starch helps give the cookies a bit more lift and thickness as well as makes them chewier. The perfect addition to any cookie dough!
- baking soda: make sure it is fresh to keep your cookies from flattening
- sea salt: we prefer sea salt but table salt will work. Also, if using salted butter, half the amount used
- rainbow sprinkles: really your favorite sprinkles should work. My only suggestion is that you avoid naturally colored sprinkles when making these funfetti cookies if you don’t want the color to spread. Natural rainbow sprinkles tend to bleed into the cookies a lot. Also, the little round sprinkles, nonpareils will also tend to bleed a lot into the cookies. If you don’t mind that, by all means use them though!
How To Make This Recipe:
- Cream the butter and sugars. Creaming the butter and sugars seems like such a simple task, but it is so important to do it right. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and fully incorporated. This will take about 2-4 minutes. Don’t skimp on this step!
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat to incorporate fully.
- In a separate bowl whisk the flour, salt, corn starch and baking soda. This is important to do versus just tossing all of the flour and dry ingredients in separately as you want all of the leavening agents equally dispersed.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat. This should be a small amount at a time, not more than one cup. Take it slow–you don’t want flour blowing up in your face, right?
- Fold in the sprinkles. Do this gently to keep sprinkles from breaking up as they can be delicate. After mixed, roll into balls and chill for about 15-30 minutes.
- Bake the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet for about 9-11 minutes or until edges are set and the cookies are slightly puffy. You will want to take these out just before you think they are ready!
- Cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Creamed butter and sugars. 
Egg and vanilla mixed in. 
Slowly adding dry ingredients. 
Flour fully incorporated. 
Add sprinkles. 
Ready to roll into balls!
Should I chill this cookie dough before baking?
I find these cookies come out best when the dough is chilled. Even if all you have is 15 minutes, do it! I suggest chilling the dough about 15-30 minutes. Chilling allows the fats to harden and in turn, the cookies cook at a slower rate and don’t spread out too much or become too thin.
Pro-Tips and Notes:
- Rolling into balls versus using a cookie scoop: I find that rolling this cookie dough into balls versus using a scoop makes better looking cookies. If you roll the dough into balls when making these sprinkle filled cookies, the cookies bake smooth and then crinkle slightly after pulling them from the oven to cool. It also allows the spreading of the cookies to slow down since the edges are not touching the parchment to start.
- If you chill the cookie dough longer than an hour, allow it to sit out for about 10 minutes to take some of the chill off before baking. When the cookie dough is chilled too much, it can cause the cookies to spread too slow and then you end up with big round topped cookies. Set them out just to take a bit of the chill off and bake.
- Make sure to cream the butter and sugars well. This is a necessary step to make amazing cookies. Cream for about 2-4 minutes ideally. This adds extra air needed to give the cookies nice lift so they don’t flatten out and over spread.
- Use any color variety of sprinkles to suit your celebration! I love making these with special sprinkles based on occasion. You can adjust the color of the sprinkles for whatever you may be celebrating: red and green for Christmas, red/pink/purple for Valentine’s Day, your favorite team colors and more.
Storage Instructions:
These cookies will keep for about 4-5 days at room temperature in an air tight container. They will be the softest and chewiest within the first two days, however are completely edible for a few days following that, just may dry out a touch. The cookie dough will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator, in an air tight container.
To Freeze:
- Cookies: If you want to freeze these funfetti cookies after baking, allow them to cool completely first. To keep them from sticking together, line them on a sheet pan first in a single layer and allow them to freeze for about one hour. Then transfer them to an air tight, freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Grab a cookie and thaw to enjoy at any time!
- Cookie Dough: To freeze the dough, I recommend rolling the cookie dough into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and then freezing them again lined up in a single layer on a plate or sheet pan for about one hour before transferring them to an air tight container. You can bake them at 350°F from frozen for about 11-13 minutes.
What To Do If Your Cookies Spread or are Flat:
This is typically one of several things:
- The dough is too warm. Pop it in the fridge for a bit and allow it to chill and give it another shot.
- There is not enough flour. Flour can be tricky. Just a touch too much or too little can really have an impact on baking cookies. Try adding a tablespoon or two of flour to see if that helps. (This is what happened when I was testing the recipe on the first batch.)
- Leavening agents are expired: check your baking powder and baking soda. Make sure they are fresh and up to date. If they are fresh but were not sealed tight that can cause issues as well.
Possible Variations:
- Ice cream sandwiches: spoon some vanilla ice cream in between two of these funfetti cookies and then roll the outer ice cream edge in even more sprinkles, because sprinkles are everything and there is never ever too much.
- Dip half of each cookie into white chocolate or drizzle some extra white chocolate over top of each cookie.
- Crumble up the cookies and sprinkle on top of an actual birthday cake.
- Spread buttercream frosting in between two of the cookies for another type of birthday cake cookie fun.
Any other ideas?? I want to hear them!
I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we have!
Other Treats To Try:
- LOADED COOKIES AND CREAM COOKIES
- CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX REESE CUP COOKIES
- SMALL BATCH CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- MINI EGG CHEESECAKE COOKIE BARS
- LUCKY CHARM COOKIES
- GLUTEN FREE BLONDIES
- CREAM CHEESE SNOWBALL COOKIES
- DULCE DE LECHE CHEESECAKE BROWNIES
- LEMON SUGAR COOKIES
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Birthday Cake Cookies
Nothing says Happy Birthday like made from scratch birthday sugar cookies with lots and lots of sprinkles! This simple funfetti cookie recipe is fun for all occasions, not just your birthday! Birthday Cake cookies are most certainly the new way to celebrate!
Ingredients
- ½ c unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ c sugar
- ¼ c brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ c flour (217 g)
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ c rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, corn starch and baking soda. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-4 minutes. Add in egg and vanilla and beat to incorporate fully.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat just to incorporate (do not over mix!) Gently fold in sprinkles. For best results, roll into about 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and chill for about 15 minutes before baking.
- While cookie dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place cookie dough balls/scoops two inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes, cookies will be puffed up and may not look 100% done, but pull them just before you think they are done. Allow to cool completely and enjoy. Store in an airtight container for about 3-5 days.
Notes
Chilling: It is recommended that you chill the cookie dough for at least 15-30 minutes. If you chill the cookie dough longer than an hour, allow it to sit out for about 10 minutes to take some of the chill off before baking. When the cookie dough is chilled too much, it can cause the cookies to spread too slow and then you end up with big round topped cookies. Set them out just to take a bit of the chill off and bake.
Storage: These cookies will keep for about 4-5 days at room temperature in an air tight container. They will be the softest and chewiest within the first two days, however are completely edible for a few days following that, just may dry out a touch.
To Freeze:
- Cookies: If you want to freeze these funfetti cookies after baking, allow them to cool completely first. To keep them from sticking together, line them on a sheet pan first in a single layer and allow them to freeze for about one hour. Then transfer them to an air tight, freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Grab a cookie and thaw to enjoy at any time!
- Cookie Dough: To freeze the dough, I recommend rolling the cookie dough into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and then freezing them again lined up in a single layer on a plate or sheet pan for about one hour before transferring them to an air tight container. You can bake them at 350°F from frozen for about 11-13 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 114kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 75mg, Potassium: 30mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 128IU, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question?Leave a comment below!
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I did change one thing. Instead of folding the sprinkles into the batter, roll the balls and flatten slightly then press the top of each ball into the sprinkles before baking
That is a great idea–will be trying that as well!
Made these exactly as written, except that I used a little less than half a cup of the sprinkles. It just seems like so much. But it wouldn’t have been, and next time I will use an entire half a cup with a little less sprinkles, they are still great, and I can’t wait to give them to the birthday girl recipient today.
I get that completely– half cup does seem like a lot until you bake them I think. Glad that you still love them and that the birthday girl will enjoy!
Made a double batch of these tonight, kept recipe as is and added a bag of white chocolate chips. They are delicious!!
Yum!! Love the addition of the white chocolate!!
Hi, you’re recipe calls for 1/2c of butter, which is one stick, but your photos all show 2 sticks. Which is the correct measurement? Was hoping to make tonight, but I’m a bit worried about it being off. Thanks!
Hi! Sorry, just realizing how confusing that may be. Those two sticks are 1/4 c each–so together they would make one regular stick of butter or 1/2 cup. It was sent in my delivery when I was making these cookies and what I used but that makes sense it looks deceiving!
Hi, can I add chocolate chips? If so, how should the recipe be adjusted? Can’t wait to try this out! Thanks!
Hi! You certainly can! No major adjustment should need to be made!
Hi I haven’t tried these cookies yet, I am attempting to except it doesn’t say how large the dough balls are supposed to be. I get that they’re meant to be 24 equal sizes, but let’s say some of us don’t feel like weighing out their dough and also each individual cookie?
Hi! The cookies will be roughly one inch balls. Hope that helps and you enjoy them!
This cookies are amazing. I weighed my flour and measured everything else. Cookies came out with crispy edges and gooey centers. Definitely recommend this recipe!
So so happy to hear this!!! Glad you enjoyed them!
Hi what’s the exact metric conversions for the unsalted butter, sugars and rainbow sprinkles please? I am from the UK and we do not use cup measurements here. I find conversion systems online can vary and I would like to get this right! Thanks in advance.
Hi! From what I have, the butter is 113 grams, 12.5 grams brown sugar, 200 grams sugar, 104 grams for the sprinkles but you can add whatever amount around that for the sprinkles–they may vary in weight depending on the size. Hope this helps!!
What about using Birthday cake extract instead of the vanilla extract?
If you like it, you can absolutely use it!
Hello – I think I figured out why some peoples cookies are too flat etc.. The recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of flour or 217 grams. Those in America will probably go to the 1 1/2 cups vs weighing the flour. I did both and what I found out is 217 grams of flour is more like 1 3/4 cups of flour. It is ONLY 1 1/2 cups of flour if you shake it – to settle it down – thus packing the flour down more… So I would change it to 1 3/4 cups of flour – spooned – not settled if that makes sense!
Thanks Victoria! It’s tricky for sure when not using the weight when it comes to flour. Everyone measures slightly different. Thanks for your input and I will test these using your strategy and see how it goes. I appreciate you taking the time to add this!!
I wish I saw the 1 3/4 measurement before I made the dough. I will post my cookie pictures when baked. I think they will be fine!!
Hope they turned out well for you!