Soft, chewy sugar cookies with sprinkles throughout. These cookies are fun to share for all ages and are perfect for using themed colored sprinkles for any celebration.
Funfetti cookies are definitely fun and festive. They have the buttery flavor and chewy texture of a sugar cookie with the addition of sprinkles. These cookies are super simple to make, and this basic recipe can be used for any occasion. Celebrating a holiday? Use red, white and blue sprinkles for a patriotic theme. Or switch it up with orange and black sprinkles for Halloween. The options are endless, and these cookies are sure to be a huge hit!
Creaming method for funfetti cookies
The creaming method is the most common mixing method for making cookies. It gets its name from the process of creaming together the sugar and butter. This process helps to lighten and leaven your cookies. In other words, by beating together the sugar and butter, you are creating pockets of air in your mixture. This air in turn will puff your cookies up in the oven.
In order to properly cream together butter and sugar you must begin with room temperature butter. It's important to note that butter that is too warm (greasy looking or beginning to melt) will lead to disaster. In other words, you won't be able to create those ideal pockets of air which will result in a dense dough and collapsed cookies. To avoid this, allow your butter to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before using.
You will want to cream your butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes. When properly creamed, your dough will actually yield more cookies than if you do not aerate your mixture. Without creaming, your cookies will be heavier. In other words, each cookie will be denser, not bigger. If properly creamed, however, your dough will be loaded with tiny air pockets. This air poorly conducts heat (a good thing!) and therefore slows the rate at which the sugar and butter melt. At the same time, the air begins to puff up and holds the dough until the cookies finally set. And finally, the crumb of your cookies is what is left over from those tiny air pockets!
No brown sugar?
That's right these cookies only call for granulated sugar, as do most funfetti and sugar cookie recipes. But have you ever wondered why? Selecting when to use brown or white sugar (or a combination of the two) really comes down to a science. Of course the most obvious role of sugar is its contribution to flavor. Funfetti cookies just wouldn't be sweet without sugar. But did you know that sugar also contributes to a cookie's texture?!
Because these funfetti cookies rely a great deal on the creaming method for their leavening, it is key that granulated sugar is used. Let me explain. When butter and sugar are properly creamed, white sugar is able to produce thick and puffy cookies (for all the reasons explained above). On the other hand, brown sugar is more dense and, when creamed with butter, will produce much less air (less air = less rise + more spread).
I think that is enough science for today! More to come on another day. In the meantime, enjoy making these cookies almost as much as eating them. There are so many options for sprinkles on the market that you can have a lot of fun with these cookies. Happy Baking!
More cookie recipes
PrintFunfetti Cookies
- Yield: 3 dozen cookies 1x
Description
Soft and chewy sugar cookies with sprinkles throughout. A fun cookie to share for all ages!
[tasty-recipe id="1489"]Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (50 g)
- 1/2 cup sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in egg until combined and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. On low speed, slowly add flour mixture into butter mixture until combined. Mix in sprinkles. Do not over mix.
- Shape dough into balls, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, and place on the cookie sheets. Leave 2-inches between each cookie. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until cookies just begin to brown around the edges (but the center is still soft). Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Category: Cookies
Keywords: funfetti cookies
Lathiya
These funfetti cookies look gorgeous and it will be fun baking with kids. I will be trying this weekend.
★★★★★
Maria
Thank you so much Lathiya! Happy Baking!
Ramona
Im not such a baker myself, but these cookies look really fun to make! Funfetti makes the cookies more exciting since it makes the cookies much more colourful. I would definitely make these for a birthday occasion since they are the perfect treat for that!
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Ramona! I love everything Funfetti! They certainly are, and I like to switch out the colors of the sprinkles to match my theme for the occasion 🙂
Kari Alana
I am saving this as one of the recipes to make with buns in the summer holidays as we are both looking for lots of fun activities to break up the boredom.
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Kari! This is the perfect recipe to make. They're so fun and you can decorate with your favorite colored sprinkles!
April
What pretty cookies and perfect treat for my kids this cloudy Monday! I have two cookie recipes to try out this week. I can't wait to make this one today! Thanks for sharing Maria.
★★★★★
Maria
Hi April! Such a fun recipe for kids. Hope you love them too!
Georgina @ Culinary Travels
I only recently found out what Funfetti is. Here in the UK, we'd call those sweet shards hundreds and thousands The cookies do look amazing. I'd love one warm from the oven.
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Georgina! How interesting! I never knew that. I always love to try them when they are warm from the oven.
Jen | Jen's Food Lab
These look so fun! Perfect for a birthday or a special occasion too. Thanks for sharing!
Maria
Hi Jen! They certainly are. Kids and adults love these cookies.
Sapna
Wow those cookies looks so gorgeous. I love how pretty they are looking, Will bake them for my girls.
★★★★★
Maria
Thank you so much, Sapna! They're fun to make especially for kids.
Julie @ Running in a Skirt
I love these funfetti cookies! They came out perfect and the texture is so lovely. This recipe is a keeper!
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Julie! So happy that you enjoyed these funfetti cookies!
Kushigalu
My lil one would love these. I will soon make these cookies for him. Thanks for sharing
★★★★★
Maria
Kids love these cookies and it's fun to get them involved in the kitchen to help make these. Happy Baking!
Gail Montero
So pretty and festive these funfetti cookies are great for holiday baking! What a fun and creative way to make cookies!
★★★★★
Sondra Barker
I LOVE sugar cookies (especially the soft ones!!) Never thought about putting sprinkles in the batter but can't wait to try!
★★★★★
Maria
If you love sugar cookies then you will love these! They make for some fun and festive cookies!
Jacqueline Debono
Just made a batch of these funfetti cookies. Super simple and so delicious! I used red, green and white sprinkles as I live in Italy and these are the colours of the Italian flag!
★★★★★
Maria
So happy you enjoyed these cookies, Jacqueline! Sounds like such a festive color combination!
Marta
These cookies really make me smile. They're so bright and cheery...and easy to make which is always a plus!
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Marta! Indeed they are. They are fun to make and enjoy 😊
Amy Liu Dong
I may say that this cookies will definitely be loved by our kids. The looks and the color spot it brings make you tempt for this especially to kids and kid's at heart. Thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe we can make at home.
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Amy! This is one of my kids' favorite cookies (mine too). I hope you enjoy making these cookies with your family. Happy Baking.
Sarah James
Your cookies look so tempting, they're going on my to make list this weekend. thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Sarah! Thank you! I think you will love them too. Happy Baking!
Beth
I always enjoy food science tips - thanks for explaining about the white vs. brown sugar. And these are really pretty simple to make, so I look forward to trying them!
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Beth! I find the science of baking so fascinating but also helpful when making dessert. Hope you love these cookies too!
Lesli Schwartz
These are so "fun!" I bet the kiddos go crazy over these cute cookies! They do look so yummy!
★★★★★
Colleen
These cookies are definitely fun! I know they will be a big hit at my house and I can't wait to make them!
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Colleen! Both kids and adults love these cookies 🙂
Emily
These funfetti cookies are just so cute and colorful! I just saved it to my Rainbow board on pinterest and will be making these again and again!
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Emily! Thank you so much! I'm sure you will love making them.
Taleen | Just As Tasty
I absolutely love funfetti cookies! Yours look so pretty and festive. Can't wait to try this recipe!
★★★★★
Maria
Thank you so much Taleen! Funfetti cookies are just so fun!
Stine Mari
These cookies are perfect! Absolutely gorgeous photos and funfetti just make anything more ... fun! Great that you explained WHY you're just using granulated sugar, makes it easier to make sure everyone gets it right.
★★★★★
Maria
Hello Stine! Thank you so much. I'm so glad you like the post and found it helpful.