Funfetti Cookies

I love an old-fashioned sugar cookie, the kind that’s chewy, crackly on the top, and sweet without inducing a toothache. Unfortunately, sugar cookies like that are hard to come by these days. Instead, they’re often dry and crumbly, topped with way-too-sweet frosting, and totally one-note in terms of flavor. Boo.

So I set out to make my own—and I added colorful sprinkles to the mix, because why not? Funfetti cookies are everything you love about classic sugar cookies and, just for fun, they’re flecked with a rainbow of sprinkles!

These sugar cookies are sweet (without being cloying), fabulously buttery, and they’ve got extra vanilla for a boost of flavor. They also come together with just 15 minutes of effort which means you’ll be making funfetti cookies all the time.

Festive Funfetti Cookies

They have sprinkles! Need I say more? Kids love ‘em, and it also makes these cookies work for any holiday or occasion. Use red, white, and blue for the 4th of July, swap the blue for green and you’ve got funfetti Christmas cookies, take out the red, and just go with green for St. Patrick’s Day. Match the color to any birthday party extravaganza. (Love sprinkles? Try my birthday cake pancakes, sprinkle ice cream pie and funfetti pudding pops, too!)

These sugar cookies have a perfect soft and chewy texture.Those store-bought sugar cookies have the soft part down but they’re lacking in the chewy department. This recipe makes sugar cookies that are soft and that have an ideal chewy texture.

Making them is practically effortless. No rolling pin, no cookie cutters! Just roll the dough into balls and bake them until they’re set. And no frosting either, which means you can eat these sugar cookies as soon as they’re cool enough to handle! (If you’re really hankering for a frosted cookie, try my Lofthouse cookies!)

Ingredient Notes

• Unsalted Butter: I prefer butter to shortening in this cookie recipe because it adds another layer of flavor. It’s important that the butter is softened so remember to take it out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes to an hour before starting the recipe.
• Granulated Sugar: Also known as white sugar.
• Egg: Set the egg on the counter with the butter and let it come to room temperature. Unless a recipe specifically calls for cold eggs, it’s always best to bake with eggs that are room temperature.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: You want the good stuff here, not imitation vanilla! It’s key to the flavor in this recipe.
• All-Purpose Flour: Lightly spoon flour into the measuring cups; scooping flour compacts it and you’ll end up using more than you actually need which results in a dry hard cookie.
• Cream of Tartar: Science time! Cream of tartar keeps sugar from crystallizing, which helps these funfetti sugar cookies have a chewy texture instead of being crispy.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These two ingredients are leaveners that allow the cookies to rise.
• Salt: Salt enhances the flavor of a cookie. Without a little salt, the cookies would taste flat.
• Jimmies or Sprinkles: Use rainbow sprinkles or any color (or combination of colors) you like! Have extra sprinkles? Make chocolate covered marshmallows, another easy treat.

How to make Confetti Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat together the softened butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients except the sprinkles.

Slowly add this mixture to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low speed. (If you’re using a hand mixer, stir the flour in by hand.) Mix until just combined, scraping down edges of the bowl as needed.

Fold in the sprinkles.

Scoop a tablespoon of cookie dough and roll it into a ball, then place it on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough; you should have 12 to 14 cookies per sheet.

Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, or until set. 

Remove the funfetti cookies from the oven and cool them on the pan for a few minutes until they firm up, then use a wide spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Variations

• Switch up the sprinkles: You can use any color of sprinkles. Try substituting nonpareils or sugar pearls for crunch, or roll the balls of dough in sanding sugar. 
• Add almond extract: Use only one teaspoon of vanilla extract and add a teaspoon of almond extract. Despite its name, almond extract isn’t nutty, but it has a fruity, almost floral flavor. Although vanilla is most commonly used in sugar cookie recipes, many also use almond extract.
• Dip the cookies in chocolate: Melt chocolate wafers in a bowl and dip half of the cookies in the melted chocolate, letting the excess drip off. You can sprinkle additional jimmies on the chocolate side while they’re still wet. Set the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet until the chocolate hardens. Another option is to drizzle the chocolate on the cookies. (If you love chocolate, be sure to try my peppermint chocolate sugar cookies, too!)
• Make ice cream sandwiches: The chewy texture of these funfetti sugar cookies makes them amazing for ice cream sandwiches! Press a scoop of ice cream between two cookies; you can roll the sides in additional sprinkles if you’d like. 
• Looking for a cut-out sugar cookie recipe? Try my recipe for cookie cutter style sugar cookies.
• Rather have bars? Try my sugar cookie bars with vanilla bean buttercream.

Make Ahead Ideas

Freeze the cookie dough to bake later. Make the funfetti cookie dough as directed. Roll it into balls and set the cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet until they’re solid (one or two hours), then transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container. 

When you’re ready to bake them, place the frozen balls of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake the funfetti cookies according to the recipe instructions, adding an extra minute or two to account for the dough starting out frozen. Freshly baked cookies whenever the craving hits!

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Store funfetti cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.

Freeze: Cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months; let them thaw at room temperature.