Description
Delight in these colorful, festive Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies featuring a buttery and creamy base with vibrant sprinkles that add playful texture and sweetness. Perfect for celebrations or anytime you want a cheerful treat, these soft cookies offer a classic sugar cookie flavor with a fun twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 ¼ Cups Sugar
- 4 Ounces Cream Cheese
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ⅓ tsp Almond Extract (or 1 1/3 tsp vanilla extract if you have a nut allergy or prefer no almond flavor)
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 3 Cups Flour
Topping
- Non-Pareils or Rainbow Sprinkles (or both, as preferred)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and facilitate easy cleanup.
- Cream Butter and Sugar, Add Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until creamy and smooth. Incorporate the cream cheese, egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract; mix until the dough is evenly combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Mix Dough: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture on slow to medium speed, mixing until the dough is evenly moistened but not overworked.
- Prepare Sprinkles and Shape Dough: Pour your nonpareils or rainbow sprinkles into a small bowl. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion the dough into balls approximately 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons each, shaping to your preferred cookie size.
- Roll Cookie Dough in Sprinkles: Carefully roll each dough ball in the sprinkles, covering all sides except the bottom to avoid sticking to the baking sheet. Place the coated dough balls on the prepared sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to accommodate spreading.
- Flatten Cookies: Using the bottom of a glass, gently press down on each cookie ball to flatten them to a thickness between ¼ inch and ½ inch, ensuring even baking and attractive shape.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Keep a close eye to avoid browning; they should be just set and soft in the middle.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, preserving their delicate texture.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days.
- To freeze, place cookies in a freezer bag for up to 3 months and thaw before eating.
- For gluten-free variation, substitute regular flour with a quality gluten-free flour blend and consider chilling the dough for 10 minutes before rolling in sprinkles for better handling.
- This recipe is adapted from the King Arthur’s Flour Sugar Cookie recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
