I made these Chewy Confetti Cookies and they’re stupidly soft and chewy with so many sprinkles you’ll actually fight me for the last one.

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I’m obsessed with these Sprinkle Drop Cookies because they actually deliver that soft, chewy thing I chase. I love when Sugar Cookie Balls With Sprinkles look messy and bright, like they don’t care but still taste insane.

The crumbs are tender from unsalted butter and real vanilla extract, and the sprinkles give every bite a tiny hit of crunch and joy. But the texture is the star.

Soft edges, chewy middle. It’s the kind of cookie I hoard in secret, then eat three straight.

No lying, I judge bakeries by how close they come to this. No shame at all.

Ingredients

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Flour gives structure and tender crumb you’ll love.
Basically cornstarch makes them extra soft and pillowy.
Baking powder adds gentle lift, makes them light.
Baking soda helps browning and a bit of spread.
Salt balances sweetness and makes flavors pop.
Butter gives richness, flavor, and that melt-in-mouth feel.
Granulated sugar gives crunch and a pure sweet bite.
Brown sugar adds chewiness and cozy caramel notes.
Egg and extra yolk bind the dough and add silkiness.
Vanilla adds warm background flavor; it’s comforting and homey.
Plus sour cream or yogurt adds chew and slight tang.
Sprinkles bring fun, bright color and little crunchy bites.
Basically milk thins dough if it feels too stiff.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch (for extra softness)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened but not greasy

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

1/3 cup (67 g) light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt (adds chew)

1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles, plus extra for rolling

Optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons milk if dough seems too stiff

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

2. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl; set aside.

3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar until creamy and a bit lighter in color, about 2 to 3 minutes; dont overbeat or it will aerate too much.

4. Add 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt to the butter mixture and mix until combined and smooth.

5. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions just until you can no longer see streaks of flour; stop when it’s combined, a few lumps are fine. If dough seems too stiff add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

6. Fold in 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles gently so they dont bleed too much color; the less you overmix the less color bleeds into the dough.

7. Scoop dough using a
1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop or two spoons, roll each ball in extra sprinkles and place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. No chill time needed, you can bake right away.

8. Bake 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set and centers still look soft and slightly underdone; they will finish as they cool.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them stay soft and chewy.

10. Tips: measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling it, not scooping. Use butter softened but not greasy. If you like taller cookies bake fewer per sheet, and rotate pans halfway through if baking two sheets at once.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two baking sheets
3. Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
4. Large mixing bowl (for creaming butter and sugars)
5. Medium bowl (for dry ingredients)
6. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy whisk)
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Rubber or silicone spatula
9. 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop or two spoons
10. Wire cooling rack

FAQ

My dough seems too stiff, what do I do?

Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time, up to 2 tablespoons, and gently knead till it comes together. The recipe even lists that option. Don’t overdo it or the dough gets gummy.

Can I freeze the dough or unbaked cookies?

Yes. Roll dough into balls, freeze on a tray till solid, then store in a freezer bag up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, add 1 to 2 minutes to bake time. You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months, thaw at room temp.

How do I keep the cookies soft and not crunchy?

Don’t overbake. Pull them when centers still look slightly underdone. The cornstarch, extra egg yolk, and sour cream help keep them tender. Cool on the sheet for 2 minutes then move to a rack.

Can I use salted butter or margarine instead of unsalted butter?

You can, but reduce added salt or skip it. Margarine can change texture and flavor, so unsalted butter is best for the classic result.

My sprinkles bleed color into the dough. How do I stop that?

Use good quality nonpareil sprinkles or rainbow jimmies, they bleed less. Roll the dough in sprinkles just before baking, not while chilling, and avoid wet icings that can leach color.

How should I measure the flour so cookies arent dry?

Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife, or weigh it if you can. Scooping straight from the bag packs too much flour and will make cookies dry.

Sprinkle Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap up to half with whole wheat pastry flour for nuttier flavor and a bit more chew, or use a 1:1 gluten free all purpose blend (make sure it contains xanthan gum) if you need GF, dough might be slightly crumblier though.
Unsalted butter: use equal weight solid coconut oil for a hint of coconut, or vegetable shortening for a more neutral taste and sturdier cookies, remember coconut oil melts faster so chill the dough a bit before baking.
1 large egg + 1 yolk: for an egg free option try 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce plus 1 tablespoon neutral oil to replace both the egg and yolk, or use 3 tablespoons aquafaba plus 1 tablespoon melted butter if you want more richness.
Sour cream or plain yogurt: substitute an equal amount of Greek yogurt, or make a quick buttermilk by mixing 2 tablespoons milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar, let sit 5 minutes and use instead.

Pro Tips

1. Chill the scooped balls in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes if your kitchen is warm, they’ll spread less and stay thicker in the middle. Yes you can bake them right away but this little pause helps the texture.

2. Use room temp eggs and butter but not greasy butter, if your butter is too soft the cookies can run. If you overmix after adding flour they get tough, so fold just enough.

3. Roll the dough gently in extra sprinkles right before baking, and press them on lightly so they stick. Too much rubbing and the color bleeds into the dough, so be gentle.

4. Let cookies cool on the sheet for at least 5 minutes, then move to a rack. They look underbaked coming out of the oven but will finish setting as they cool, so resist the urge to bake longer.

Sprinkle Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

I made these Chewy Confetti Cookies and they’re stupidly soft and chewy with so many sprinkles you’ll actually fight me for the last one.

Servings

servings

Calories

174

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two baking sheets
3. Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
4. Large mixing bowl (for creaming butter and sugars)
5. Medium bowl (for dry ingredients)
6. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy whisk)
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Rubber or silicone spatula
9. 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop or two spoons
10. Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch (for extra softness)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened but not greasy
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (67 g) light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt (adds chew)
1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles, plus extra for rolling
Optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons milk if dough seems too stiff

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Whisk together 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl; set aside.
In a large bowl beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar until creamy and a bit lighter in color, about 2 to 3 minutes; dont overbeat or it will aerate too much.
Add 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt to the butter mixture and mix until combined and smooth.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions just until you can no longer see streaks of flour; stop when it’s combined, a few lumps are fine. If dough seems too stiff add 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Fold in 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles gently so they dont bleed too much color; the less you overmix the less color bleeds into the dough.
Scoop dough using a
5 tablespoon cookie scoop or two spoons, roll each ball in extra sprinkles and place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. No chill time needed, you can bake right away.
Bake 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set and centers still look soft and slightly underdone; they will finish as they cool.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them stay soft and chewy.
Tips: measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling it, not scooping. Use butter softened but not greasy. If you like taller cookies bake fewer per sheet, and rotate pans halfway through if baking two sheets at once.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.