Description
Delight in these colorful Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies, a soft and buttery treat with a hint of almond and vanilla extracts. Perfect for parties or everyday snacking, these cookies are rolled generously with vibrant sprinkles to add a festive touch and baked to a tender finish without browning.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ tsp almond extract (use 1 1/3 tsp vanilla extract if nut allergy or avoid almond)
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Topping
- Non-Pareils or rainbow sprinkles (or both!)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the cream cheese, egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, mixing until well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until evenly mixed. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture on low to medium speed until the dough is evenly moistened.
- Shape Dough Balls: Place sprinkles in a small bowl. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to form dough balls about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons each, or to your preferred size.
- Coat with Sprinkles: Roll each dough ball in the sprinkles, covering all sides except the bottom to ensure sprinkles stick on top and sides only. Place the coated dough balls on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Flatten Cookies: Gently press down each dough ball with the bottom of a glass to flatten them to about ¼ to ½ inch thick.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, watching carefully to avoid browning. The cookies should be lightly set but soft.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days to maintain freshness.
- To freeze, place cookies in a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- For gluten-free version, substitute regular flour with a reliable gluten-free flour such as Jules Gluten Free Flour, and optionally chill dough for 10 minutes before rolling in sprinkles to help with handling.
- Do not let cookies brown in the oven; remove them as soon as they set for the best texture.
- You can omit almond extract and increase vanilla extract to 1 1/3 teaspoons for a nut-free alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 90 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
