Funfetti Cookies — These funfetti cookies are essentially sugar cookies from scratch that have been loaded with sprinkles. They have that nostalgic boxed cake flavor but are 100% homemade!
Funfetti Cookies From Scratch
Who can say no to super soft cookies with sprinkles baked in? I sure can’t.
It’s been on my bucket list to come up with a softbatch-style sugar cookie recipe that’s soft, and not at all cakey, with just hints of chewiness around the edges. And I wanted to make these from scratch, not from Funfetti cake mix. I have nothing against it, and once upon a time used cake mix a whole lot more, but these sugar cookies with sprinkles are 100% from scratch.
I wanted cookies with less cakiness than Lofthouse Cookies, and I wanted drop rather than roll out cookies recipes. I didn’t want to have to frost them, so baking in sprinkles was my solution. I definitely didn’t want hard or crispy cookies, which are words that should never describe cookies.
I know people love sugar cookies and decorated Christmas cookies, but I think they’re tasteless and way too hard. I would never waste my calorie budget on cardboard cookies with frosting that’s crunchy. No way.
I made these Chewy Sugar Sprinkles Cookies previously and while I like them I felt like I could improve on them, so I did just that. For these funfetti cookies, I worked cornstarch into the dough. It’s my secret weapon for creating softbatch-style cookies. I’ve written about it before so many times and swear by it.
I also included both almond and vanilla extracts in the cookies to really play up the Funfetti cake batter taste.
And you can’t have Funfetti without sprinkles, and the abundance of them adds texture and flavor. Everything is better with sprinkles. The more the merrier.
These birthday cake cookies make a smaller batch, just 15 cookies, perfect when you don’t want or need dozens of cookies laying around tempting you. Feel free to double it if you’d like.
The cookies are pillowy soft and tender with just a tiny bit of chewiness around the edges. They’re lightweight without being airy or dry. They’re moist with a rich buttery flavor. If you’re a ‘dough’ person, rather than an add-ins person, and can appreciate the simple pleasures of a really good, flavorful dough, this dough will be your new best friend.
I have no willpower around super soft and tender sugar cookies from scratch like these. Especially when sprinkles are involved.
What’s in Funfetti Cookies?
For these homemade funfetti cookies, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Sprinkles
Note that I used clear imitation vanilla extract rather than real vanilla extract. This is a recipe where using the cheap stuff is preferred to the real thing because imitation provides a classic, bakery-cake, nostalgic flavor. It’s found in the baking aisle next to real vanilla and it’s a fraction of the cost.
How to Make Funfetti Cookies From Scratch
To make these birthday cake cookies, you first need to cream together the butter, sugar, egg, and extracts for about 5 minutes. Do NOT shortcut the creaming process — you need to make sure the butter mixture is very light in color and fluffy before adding the other ingredients.
Add in the dry ingredients and mix until combined, making sure to not break apart the sprinkles. Then, scoop the cookie dough onto a plate and roll into balls before flattening them slightly with your hands. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours before baking the cookies.
Once the dough has chilled, bake for 8 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center. These cookies should not turn golden or brown at all and should stay white.
How to Store Funfetti Cookies
You should store these homemade cookies in an airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you freeze the cookies, you can reheat them in the oven or set them on the counter to thaw.
Can I Make These Cookies in Advance?
Absolutely! I make the dough, scoop into balls, cover and refrigerate them for up to 5 days, before baking. You can also freeze the cookie dough (after you’ve scooped it) and bake these sugar cookies with sprinkles directly from frozen.
Can I Omit the Almond Extract?
If you have a nut allergy or are simply out of extract, I’d add extra vanilla extract to make up for the lack of almond extract. Your funfetti cookies won’t taste exactly like mine without the almond extract, but they’ll still be delicious!
My Cookies Came Out Flat, What Happened?
Sometimes these things happen! But this funfetti cookie recipe always turns out perfectly for me. If you need help troubleshooting this cookie recipe, check out this chocolate chip cookie recipe for all of my best tips and tricks to making cookies from scratch (scroll to the bottom of the post for the list of tips).
Can I Double This Recipe?
Most definitely! These sugar cookies with sprinkles can be doubled or even tripled to feed a crowd.
Can I Make These Into Cookie Bars?
I haven’t tried that myself, so I can’t say for sure how they’d turn out. However, I have lots of cookie bar recipes on my blog already! If you’re looking for inspiration, try out my Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars, M&M’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, or Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Does it Matter What Type of Sprinkles I Use?
Nope! But I’d steer clear of the sprinkle balls if I were you, just because they’re fairly hard.
Can I Roll Out These Cookies and Cut Them Into Shapes?
I haven’t tried that myself, so I’m not sure that’d work. If you roll out these cookies, I’m afraid they wouldn’t turn out soft and chewy at all.
Can I Make These with Whole Wheat Flour?
I haven’t tried that myself, but my gut says no. Whole wheat flour would majorly alter the texture and flavor of these funfetti cookies.
Can I Make These Gluten-Free?
I’ve never made these with a GF flour, but if you find one that works please leave me a comment below!
Tips for Making Funfetti Cookies
You absolutely must chill this dough before baking, no exceptions. The cookies will spread and bake flat and thin if you don’t chill the dough.
And don’t over bake! The cookies will look quite raw and underdone at 8 minutes, but they firm up while they cool. Don’t be tempted to bake them longer because they’re not meant to be browned, golden, or crisp. They’re meant to be white and soft.
Also note that the cornstarch in these birthday cake cookies can’t be substituted. It’s the secret ingredient and they wouldn’t turn out properly without it.
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Softbatch Funfetti Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons clear imitation vanilla extract, real vanilla extract may be substituted
- 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- ¾ cup sprinkles, jimmies
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, egg, extract, and beat on medium-high speed until well-creamed, light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (or use a hand mixer and beat for at least 7 minutes). Do not shortcut the creaming process; make sure dough is very light in color and fluff, stop to scrape down the sides of the mixer as necessary.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, optional salt, and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the sprinkles and beat momentarily to incorporate, less than 1 minute, or fold in by hand.
- Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping two tablespoon mounds (I made 15). Place mounds on a large plate, flatten mounds slightly with your palm, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line two baking sheets with Silpats, or spray with cooking spray. Place mounds on baking sheets, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet). Bake for 8 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center. These cookies should not turn golden or brown at all and should stay white. Do not bake longer than 9 minutes for soft cookies because they firm up as they cool (The cookies shown in the photos were baked with dough that had been chilled overnight, allowed to come to room temp for 15 minutes, and were baked for 8 minutes, with trays rotated at the 4-minute mark). Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.
- Store cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Cookies From Scratch:
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Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies — These soft batch cookies are made with a combination of butter and cream cheese, which makes them extra rich and delicious!
Frosted Soft Sugar Cookies – Super SOFT sugar cookies that just melt in your mouth!! If you’ve ever thought that sugar cookies can be boring or dry, this EASY recipe with frosting and sprinkles will change your mind!
Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies — These cookies are soft, moist, and oh-so chewy. They taste like banana bread and chocolate chip cookies rolled into one dessert!
The Best Snickerdoodles – Soft, pillowy puffs that are so irresistible! The closest recipe to Mrs. Fields snickerdoodles that you’ll find!
One-Bowl, No-Mixer, No-Chill, Extra-Large Chocolate Chip Cookie For One – An incredibly FAST and EASY recipe that produces ONE extra-large soft and chewy cookie that’s loaded with chocolate!
Funfetti Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies — The cookies are loaded with Oreos, sprinkles, chocolate chips, and are adapted from my favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies.
I made these cookies today and quadrupled the recipe. I used my Bosch mixer due to the large amount I needed for a party. I specifically wanted colorful cookies and found that your recipe fit my needs perfectly. They turned out wonderful and it made about 70 cookies.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you with a 4x batch!
I made these for the 1st time in May 2015 & even left a comment on here about how delicious they are. I just wanted to add today that since then, they are the most requested cookie for me to bake by my nieces & nephews!! Tonight is my 5th time making them. My nephew’s HS graduation party is tomorrow & he begged me to make these!!
That’s great to hear they’re the most requested cookie for you to bake and that it’s your 5th time!
Would I be able to make these from funfetti cake mix in a box? Just looking for something new to do with a box of cake mix I have.
This recipe is designed to be made as written. There are lots of recipes out there for making cookies from cake mix but this recipe isn’t one of them.
Hi Avery, making these for the first time and I’m just wanting to verify that I should use a whole cookie scoop, that weighs out to be about 68 grams and seems like a lot. If not, can you please let me know how many grams the scoop should be? Thank you so much have a great weekend
Would you be able to roll these out and cut them like sugar cookies? I’ve made them as drop cookies before and my kids love them, but just trying to find a quick easy ‘valentine’ idea for school tomorrow.
Can’t say for sure since I haven’t tried them as roll-out cookies. They are totally fine as-is I think as a V-Day treat. They have sprinkles! What more do kids need :)
I just put these into the oven to chill overnight. I can not wait to wake up tomorrow & bake them!
If these taste even Half as good as the dough (oh yes, I am a proud dough eater) then these are going to totally rock. My kids are already going crazy about how pretty they are with the sprinkles all over. :)
Thank you for a wonderful recipe!! :D
I’m a proud dough eater too! :) Hope you enjoy them!
These turned out so perfectly!
I love the idea of just changing up the sprinkle color to match the holiday or occasion. They are definitely going to be featured at our New Years party this year. :)
I’m so glad they turned out perfectly and that you’re going to change things up to match the season! Happy eating on New Years Eve! :)
Tried these out last week, they were amazing! it was a last minute thing and I ran out of almond extract so I doubled the Imitation Vanilla and they were still phenomenal. I am doing a 15 dozen cookie swap this week and I’m very excited to incorporate the almond extract and switch rainbow jimmies for holiday colored ones! Any tips for in regards to making such a larger amount? Thanks for the wonderful recipe again!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I haven’t tried making a huge batch at once so can’t give any personal tips. Good luck with all your baking!
Hi Averie! I made these a couple months ago and they turned out great! I wanted to make the dough and freeze it. I was wondering why these keep in the freezer unbaked for only 5 days. My other doughs that I premake and freeze usually last up to three months.
Thanks so much!
I just updated the freezer storage for unbaked dough. I use up to 4 months as a guideline. Thanks for the catch!
Glad you love the cookies!
Made these last night and my husband declared them the best cookies I’ve ever made! He even refused to let me bring the extras into work and wanted to keep them all for himself :) I have had such great success with all of your recipes, thanks for all the hard work you put into them!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that your husband declared them the best cookies you’ve ever made! Glad to hear you’re having lots of success with my recipes, thanks! :)
Spotted these on Pinterest and definitely making them for my son’s rainbow sprinkle themed 1st birthday party! I was wondering if I could make the dough, roll into balls and then freeze them until I bake them for the party?
Step 6. addresses exactly that. Enjoy the cookies!
I’m not very good at baking but these looked too good to pass up. So I followed your instructions step by step and they came out perfect! I’m so pleased with this recipe. The cookies were delicious! “Were” as in past tense, they’re gone already! Thank you!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Tried these today, only chilled the dough for an hour but the resu
Hi.
I want to make them for my daughter’s party. Can I cut out hearts with a cookie cutter once I flatten them out before baking. Thanks. Can’t wait to try them. ??
I wouldn’t flatten them too much before baking because they could spread. You could always use cutters to cut them after baking.
I made these today for my boyfriends birthday!! They look amazing!!
I did a little taste test and the almond extract was a bit overpowering. I feel like it is because I tried one freshly cooled after 10 min. Will that flavor settle down or should it have a strong almond flavor?
It shouldn’t have a strong, overwhelming almond extract flavor and yes flavors do mellow and marry over time. Some people are more sensitive to the flavor and also some brands are stronger than others. Sounds like you have both things going on. Give it a day and it’ll mellow and if you re-make another time, use less almond extract given your palate :)
Made these last night then put them in the fridge over night and then popped them in the oven this morning. They turned out to be be totally raw in the middle and a little bit cooked on the outside. I wish they wouldve turned out right :(
All ovens vary and it sounds like you simply underbaked them given your oven, climate, etc. Bake them for a few minutes longer next time and you’ll be all set.
These turned out great! I made them as part of the party spread for my daughter’s first birthday – the sprinkles are perfect for a party! We decided to make them about half the size in order to increase the yield and make them easier for smaller hands. As a result, we decreased the cooking time by one minute (our larger-sized batch took nine minutes total after sitting out for 15 minutes, and the smaller sized cookies took 8 minutes total after sitting out for 15 minutes). To make them half the size we used a rounded Tablespoon scoop (shaped like an ice cream scoop) that we just happened to have on hand.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you with tweaks you made. I bet all those little hands and mouths at the party loved them :)
Love these! I made them with King Arthur’s Gluten Free flour blend (due to allergies) and I’m happy to report they are amazing even with the substitution!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you with KAF’s GF blend! That’s great news!