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Sugar Cookies With Sprinkles

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Sugar cookies with sprinkles are such a joyful treat. They're soft, chewy, and just bursting with buttery sweetness and rainbow colors.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: 31 minutes
Cookies lined up on a light blueish green surface.

These sugar cookies with sprinkles are a classic drop sugar cookie recipe, meaning you scoop and bake the dough rather than roll it and cut it into shapes. I like to slightly underbake my cookies slightly to keep them soft and chewy. The best thing about this recipe is that you don’t have to chill the dough; they’re quick and easy to make, even for novice bakers.

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Ingredients For Sugar Cookies With Sprinkles

Ingredients to make sugar cookies with sprinkles.

Ingredient Notes

  • Almond Extract: I love almond extract in sugar cookies. A little goes a long way, so measure carefully.
  • Rainbow Sprinkles: I like to use jimmies (the long ones) instead of nonpareils (the tiny, round ones) for this recipe. Jimmies hold their shape while baking. I also find nonpareils tend to bleed colour and create streaks in the dough.

It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavour may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Almond Extract: Use an equal amount of vanilla extract.
  • Butter: You can use the same amount of margarine.
  • Rainbow Sprinkles: You can swap jimmies with confetti sprinkles (also called quins). I’d avoid nonpareils (tiny round sprinkles) as they tend to bleed colour into the dough.

Recipe Variations

Try any of the following for a twist on this sugar cookies with sprinkles recipe:

  • Coconut: Mix in ½ cup of shredded coconut with the flour.
  • Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Add ¼ cup of crushed freeze-dried strawberry pieces or 1 to 2 tablespoons of freeze-dried strawberry powder to the dry ingredients.
  • Lemon Zest: Add the zest of one lemon with the butter and sugar.
  • Mini Marshmallows: Stir in ½ cup of mini marshmallows with the sprinkles.
  • Mini White Chocolate Chips: Add ½ cup of mini white chocolate chips.
  • Orange Zest: Add 1 tablespoon of orange zest with the butter and sugar.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

How To Make Sugar Cookies With Sprinkles

Process shots one through four to make sugar cookies with sprinkles.

STEP 1: Use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar.

STEP 2: Add the egg and almond extract to the bowl.

STEP 3: Mix until smooth and creamy.

STEP 4: Sift the flour into the bowl. Add the baking soda and salt. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir the dough by hand halfway.

Process shots five through eight to make sugar cookies with sprinkles.

STEP 5: Add the sprinkles to the bowl.

STEP 6: Stir the cookie dough until the flour is mixed in.

STEP 7: Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to scoop all the dough.

STEP 8: Dip the tops and sides of the cookie dough balls in more sprinkles and bake.

Expert Tips

1. Ensure your butter is softened so it creams easily with the sugar.
2. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, use a scale to weigh the portions of dough.
3. For soft, chewy cookies, underbake them slightly.

Recipe Notes

  • This recipe doubles well.
  • If you’d rather make plain sugar cookies, omit the sprinkles.
  • When rolling the dough balls in sprinkles, you may need to press them gently to help the sprinkles stick. Use your hands to gently reform the dough into balls before placing them on a baking sheet.
  • Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. This prevents them from falling apart and helps retain moisture.

Storage

  • Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
  • These cookies freeze well. Transfer the cooled cookies to an airtight container or large zip-top freezer bag. Sprinkle cookies can be kept in the freezer for up to one month.

Did you make these sugar cookies with sprinkles? Please rate the recipe and tell me how it went in the comments below. Also, stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more Nova Scotia recipes and simple comfort food.

Printable Recipe Card

Rainbow sprinkles cookies lined up on a light blueish green surface.

Sugar Cookies With Sprinkles

Author: Kelly Neil
Sugar cookies with sprinkles are such a joyful treat. They're soft, chewy, and just bursting with buttery sweetness and rainbow colors.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Total Time 31 minutes
Course Cookies & Bars
Cuisine American / Canadian
Servings 18 servings
Calories 148 kcal

Special Equipment

  • Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
  • Baking sheet(s)
  • Parchment paper
  • Mixing bowl
  • Hand or stand mixer
  • Fine mesh sieve
  • Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
  • Medium-sized cookie scoop 2 tablespoon capacity
  • Wire cooling rack(s)
Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams.

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup rainbow jimmies sprinkles, plus extra for dipping (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Add the butter and sugar to a mixing bowl. Use a hand or stand mixer on medium-high speed to beat the two together until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the egg and almond extract to the bowl and mix until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
  • Sift in the flour. Add the baking soda and salt. Switch to a spatula or wooden spoon and stir the dough until about halfway mixed. Add the sprinkles and continue to fold the dough until the flour is mixed in.
  • Use a medium cookie scoop (approximately 2 tablespoon capacity) to scoop all of the dough. You should have about 18 scoops of cookie dough. Lightly press the top and sides of each dough ball in extra sprinkles to coat (optional). Place 9 cookies on each baking sheet evenly spaced apart. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes. The cookies should be pale, with no golden edges, and slightly underdone in the middle. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks to cool for 10 minutes before transferring the cookies directly to the wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe Notes

  • This recipe doubles well.
  • If you’d rather make plain sugar cookies, omit the sprinkles.
  • When rolling the dough balls in sprinkles, you may need to press them gently to help the sprinkles stick. Use your hands to gently reform the dough into balls before placing them on a baking sheet.
  • Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. This prevents them from falling apart and helps retain moisture.

Storage

  • Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
  • These cookies freeze well. Transfer the cooled cookies to an airtight container or large zip-top freezer bag. Sprinkle cookies can be kept in the freezer for up to one month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 148kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 110mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 182IUCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. For precise nutritional data, please calculate it independently using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Hi, I’m Kelly Neil. This is where I share Nova Scotia recipes and easy comfort food. I’ve worked with brands such as Loblaws, Lee Valley, Cavendish Farms, Canada Beef, and many more. Subscribe to my email newsletter for new recipes and inspiration!

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