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The Sweet Occasion Ā» Recipes Ā» Cookies

Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

Published: Oct 22, 2026 Ā· Modified: Oct 22, 2026 by Maria Pagiotas Ā· Leave a Comment

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These Sprinkle Sugar Cookies are soft and chewy with a crunchy coating of colorful nonpareils. Simply roll the dough in sprinkles, pop them in the oven, and watch them spread into beautiful round cookies. No chilling or flattening required! They’re everything you love about a classic sugar cookie, then dressed up with fun sprinkles.

Sprinkle sugar cookies arranged on a marble slab.

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My family loves anything with sprinkles! I already have a soft and chewy funfetti cookie sandwich recipe with sprinkles mixed into the dough, but this time I wanted something different.

I started with my small batch sugar cookie recipe and made a few adjustments along the way. After several rounds of testing, I found that adding an extra egg yolk made the cookies chewier, while reducing the sugar made them spread to the perfect thickness.

Sprinkle Cookie Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Butter: Unsalted butter is what I always use, but salted works too! If you use salted butter, reduce the added salt to ½ teaspoon.
  • Sugar: Sugar cookies are almost always made with granulated sugar. If you prefer thinner cookies, add an extra ¼ cup of sugar to the recipe.
  • Vanilla: I love using pure vanilla extract for the best flavor! If you love almond extract, you can also add ¼ teaspoon for a lovely flavor.Ā 
  • Nonpareils: These are a must for that signature crunchy coating! Unlike traditional sprinkles, nonpareils are tiny, round, and easy to roll the dough in.

Please see the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and measurements.

Mixed sugar cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl with a rubber spatula all set on a marble slab.
Baking sheet tray with sprinkle sugar cookie dough balls rolled in sprinkle nonpareils with a bowl of sprinkles and dough ball in it.

Tips for Perfect Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

  • Skip the chilling. These cookies spread on their own, so there’s no need to chill or flatten the dough before baking.
  • Give them room to spread. Leave about 3 inches between cookies on the baking sheet so they have room to spread.
  • Watch the baking time. The cookies should be puffed with just a hint of golden brown around the edges. Bake too long, and they’ll lose their soft, chewy texture.
  • Let them cool on the pan. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set before transferring to a wire rack.
Stack of sprinkle sugar cookies on a marble slab.

Can you Freeze Sprinkle Sugar Cookie Dough?

Yes! These cookies are perfect for making ahead. Scoop the dough into balls and roll in nonpareils. Freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, pop them straight into the oven from frozen, adding an extra 1–2 minutes to the baking time as needed.

Why We Love This Recipe

These buttery sugar cookies are just as delicious as they are fun to make! My daughter loves rolling the dough in the sprinkles, and I love switching up the colors for different holidays and celebrations. They’re perfect for sandwiching with cream cheese frosting or a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.

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Sprinkle sugar cookies arranged on a marble slab.

Sprinkle Sugar Cookies


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  • Author: Maria Pagiotas
  • Total Time: 22 minutes
  • Yield: 18 cookies 1x
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Description

These Sprinkle Sugar Cookies are soft and chewy with a crunchy coating of colorful nonpareils. Simply roll the dough in sprinkles, pop them in the oven, and watch them spread into beautiful round cookies. No chilling or flattening required! They’re everything you love about a classic sugar cookie, then dressed up with fun sprinkles.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 346 g (2 ā…” cups) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 250 g (1 ¼ cups) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg + 1 yolk, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 150 g (¾ cup) rainbow nonpareils

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. Line two baking sheet pans with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Scrape down the bowl, add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and beat until combined.
  5. Add the dry ingredients and mix on medium-low speed until just combined.
  6. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough, roll each cookie into a ball, then roll in the nonpareils until coated.
  7. Arrange the cookies on the prepared sheet pans, leaving 3 inches of space between each one.
  8. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until edges are just set and the centers look slightly puffed. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Baking

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Hello! I’m Maria — a professionally trained pastry chef, mom of three, and the creator behind The Sweet Occasion. I share easy, from-scratch recipes that feel bakery-worthy yet doable for real life because I believe homemade baking should feel simple, satisfying, and worth sharing.

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