Sugar Cookies With Sprinkles

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.

Ingredients For 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.

How 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.

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.