Funfetti Cookies
Posted: 10/25/2023
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Add cheer to your day with funfetti cookies. With 15 minutes of prep time, these might be the easiest sugar cookies you’ll ever make.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: These are classic sugar cookies with bakery-style flavor and a delightfully chewy texture.
How long it takes: less than a half hour, including prep time
Equipment you’ll need: An electric mixer, mixing bowls, baking sheets, and a wire rack
Servings: 28 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 some sprinkles to the mix, because why not? Funfetti cookies are everything you love about classic sugar cookies, and they’re flecked with a rainbow of sprinkles to make them colorful and fun.
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.
More About these Funfetti Cookies
- They have festive 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 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!)
Ingredients you’ll need
- Unsalted Butter: 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!
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.
Baking Tip
The funfetti cookies will still be quite soft when they’re done, but don’t worry! They’ll continue baking from the residual heat on the baking sheet. If you like a crispier cookie, bake the funfetti cookies a minute or two longer.
FAQs
What makes sugar cookies soft or hard?
Over-baking is the most common reason sugar cookies turn out hard instead of soft and chewy. Unlike many other cookie recipes, where you want golden brown edges, sugar cookies should only be baked until set. If they start to change color, they’re over-baked.
What’s the difference between sugar cookies and butter cookies?
Sugar cookies and butter cookies look almost the same, but butter cookies contain more butter, while sugar cookies have a higher ratio of flour to fat.
Is butter or shortening better for sugar cookies?
I prefer butter in sugar cookies because it adds another layer of flavor so that’s what I’ve used in these funfetti sugar cookies.
Ways to Change up Your Funfetti Cookies
- Switch up the sprinkles: Use nonpareils or sugar pearls for crunch, or roll the balls of dough in sanding sugar.
- 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.
- Dip them in chocolate: Melt some 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. (If you love chocolate, be sure to try my peppermint chocolate sugar cookies, too!)
- 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.
- 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: They can also be frozen for up to 3 months; let them thaw at room temperature.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
cookies
Add cheer to your day with funfetti cookies. With 15 minutes of prep time, these might be the easiest sugar cookies you’ll ever make.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sprinkles or jimmies (any color)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients (except sprinkles). Add this mixture gradually to the wet ingredients with the mixer running on low. If you’re using a hand mixer, stir the flour in by hand. Mix until just combined, scraping down edges as needed. Stir in sprinkles by hand.
- Form balls from approximately 1 tablespoon of dough each. Place on cookie sheets (12 to 14 per sheet) and bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until set.
- Remove from oven, cool for five minutes, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
- Use different color sprinkles (jimmies) to celebrate any occasion.
- Storage: Cool cookies completely before storing in an airtight container. They’ll keep at room temperature for 4 to 5 days; freeze for up to 3 months.
- Make Ahead: Prepare cookie dough as directed. Form dough into balls and freeze on a tray until firm, 1 to 2 hours. Place in freezer-safe storage container or bag. Bake as directed (don’t thaw), adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 84kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 59mg, Potassium: 29mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 111IU, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 0.4mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Laura says
These look amazing! I cannot believe I didn’t see these before the 4th of July holiday. I know, I’m slow on a lot of things. But I still want to make these with some multi colored sprinkles. What kind of sprinkles did you use? (i.e round, nonpareils, long and skinny ones…) Thanks!
Rachel Gurk says
I used the long skinny ones (aka jimmies). Enjoy! Thanks for the comment :)
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says
I think I need to borrow your daughter this week because I am eating way too many sweets right now and I need someone to keep me accountable. ;) These are so pretty and fun! And ahhh, I love love love those straws!
Cassie | Bake Your Day says
These are amazing and I wish I had a couple right now. Love the festive twist!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
Such a simple and festive cookie for the 4th! Love it. :)