butter sprinkle cookies;

Originally published January 21, 2017. Updated September 24, 2021 for content and clarity

These are such happy little cookies!  As cute little bite-sized cookies, filled AND topped with lots of sprinkles, this extra buttery sugar cookie earns its name: butter sprinkle cookies. I like making these cookies a little smaller than a traditional cookie. I find making anything smaller makes it cuter. That way when I eat 4-5 I don’t feel so bad. It’s probably the equivalent of two regular sized cookies, or that’s what I tell myself at least.

First comes the butter. Not only do we use butter (duh), but we actually boost the buttery flavor with some butter extract. If you’re like me, I never even knew butter extract was a thing. It really brings forward the butter flavor to make these butter sprinkle cookies even more buttery. You can sometimes also find butter extract in the baking aisle under the name “imitation butter”. You should be able to find it with the other extracts, so look where you find your vanilla extract.

That brings us to the sprinkle part of butter sprinkle cookies. The rainbow colors that make these sugar cookies pop! Why eat a boring sugar cookie when you can add sprinkles? Don’t skimp on the sprinkles! I opt for two kinds of sprinkles, although that’s a personal preference. I’ve also made these using only rainbow sprinkles or rainbow nonpareil sprinkles. It works with just one kind, but I kinda like the nonpareil balls on top, and a little more heft in the regular sprinkles in the dough.

Since these cookies are on the smaller side, they can be great to make with little hands! The recipe is fairly basic and forgiving, and besides, who doesn’t love sprinkles? The recipe I adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction calls these “cake batter sugar cookies”, but there’s no cake batter in them, so I think “butter sprinkle cookies” is more accurate. This recipe is very simple, and once you invest in some imitation butter, it’s easy to keep in your back pocket for a rainy day activity. And if it’s raining you need a little rainbow to brighten up your day anyway.

The key to keeping these cookies soft and festive is not to overbake them. I always err on the side of underbaking, so I’ll put them in for 8 minutes and then check. Sometimes they’re a little too soft and I’ll let them sit for 10 minutes in the oven. But more often than not I’ll pull them out at 8 and let them firm up as they cool. You really don’t want to see any browning at the edge, and only a light darkening on the underside of the cookie. If you like crispy edges, don’t let me stand in your way! But I prefer a soft bite for these cookies.

If you have granite or other stone countertops, I recommend putting down some parchment paper directly on the counter and transferring the cookies there to cool. Then the counters will do some of your cooling work for you. So you can get these butter sprinkle cookies into your mouth sooner.

I love packaging these up as gifts.  I simply get non-ziplock sandwich bags, cut up the sides to remove the flap, and then tie with some festive ribbon!  They’re cute and easy, and the batch will make about 10 packets of 3 (assuming you’ll need a few to snack on along the way).  Try these out and let me know what you think!  This recipe is one of the first baking experiments I ever did as a newly-graduated adult!

secrets to success;

• Don’t skimp on the sprinkles! To make these look colorful and cute, I like using two kinds of sprinkles. Traditional multicolored jimmies to mix into the batter, and then multicolored nonpareils on top.
• The secret to the “butter” is not just actual butter–but butter extract. You don’t *technically* need it, but it’s what sets these cookies apart, so I wouldn’t skip it.
• This recipe makes a big batch, which is great for sharing. These are also the perfect size to bundle up in sets of three or five and give away as individual gifts. Especially in COVID times, individual packaging can come in handy to be sanitary.

Check out these other recipes:

• For a chocolatey fix that doesn’t even require baking, check out this edible brownie batter.
• Wedding cake cookies are another take on a sugar cookie–stiffer and stacked like a wedding cake, a perfect festive treat for a shower or wedding!
• Check out these cake batter truffles for the best of both worlds–cake batter and chocolate.