Soft, chewy, and filled with rainbow sprinkles that bring a pop of color to every bite, our Birthday Cake Cookies are ready to party. They’ve got the sweet, buttery vanilla flavor of classic yellow cake, with soft centers and crispy edges.
Don’t be surprised if they’re all gone faster than you can sing the song.
Our Birthday Cake Cookies are everything I love about a slice of classic yellow cake, packed into a soft, chewy cookie.
The texture hits just right, chewy in the middle, with slightly crispy edges. The flavor’s simple and sweet, with that unmistakable birthday cake taste that never gets old.
And then there’s the sprinkles. They don’t do much for flavor, but come on. Just look at them. Birthday cookies = Instant celebration.
They’re quick to make, full of charm, and bring the party energy with them.
Everything you need is probably already in your pantry, including the rainbow sprinkles.
And from mixing bowl to cooling rack, these funfetti cookies will be ready in just half an hour.
If you’re in the mood for another colorful, party-ready birthday cookies, my Monster Cookies are big and chewy, loaded with peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, and M&M’s.
And if you’re here for the cake and sprinkles, my Funfetti Cake delivers that classic birthday cake flavor with rainbow sprinkles baked in and layers of vanilla buttercream frosting.
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Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our Birthday Cake Cookies recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I Make Adjustments to the Recipe?
Absolutely. We made our birthday cookies with salted butter, but if you only have unsalted butter on hand, just add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the dry ingredients. You can also swap in plant-based butter if needed, just make sure it’s one that’s good for baking.
If you’re out of light brown sugar, you can use dark brown sugar for a slightly deeper flavor, or go with all white sugar in a pinch.
For the sprinkles, stick to the classic rainbow jimmies (the long kind), since nonpareils tend to bleed into the dough.
You can also toss in a few extras like white chocolate chips, but go easy. The dough’s soft, and too much stuff can mess with how they bake.
Recipe Variations
Chocolate Chip Confetti Cookies: Mix in any chips you like, including mini chips, white chocolate, milk chocolate, or even butterscotch or peanut butter chips.
Frosted Birthday Cookies: Once cooled, top each cookie with a swipe of cream cheese frosting and a few extra sprinkles.
Themed Sprinkle Cookies: Use the sprinkles to match your cookies to the event, such as red and green sprinkles for Christmas, pastels for Easter, school colors, or sports team colors.
Lemon Confetti Cookies: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and swap half the vanilla extract for lemon extract to brighten up the dough with a citrusy twist.
Strawberry Birthday Cookies: Mix in 1-2 tablespoons of strawberry-flavored gelatin powder with the dry ingredients for a pink hue and fruity hint.
Sandwich Cookies: Add a layer of vanilla buttercream between two cookies to make a perfect party treat.
How to Make Birthday Cake Cookies
Follow my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make birthday cake cookies in your kitchen.
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Add the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
Add the egg and vanilla. Beat again until the egg is thoroughly combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sprinkles to a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Then add the dry ingredients into the batter, making sure no clumps of dry flour remain.
Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to drop balls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Roll each ball in your hands until smooth, then roll each ball in the powdered sugar. Place doughballs at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 11 minutes.
Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Chef Tips
Use a kitchen scale if you can. Too much flour will make the cookies dry and cakey, rather than chewy.
Stick with rainbow jimmies instead of nonpareils. Nonpareils tend to bleed into the dough, making a mess.
If your cookies are spreading too much, your butter was likely too soft. Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
A medium cookie scoop (we use a #40) keeps the size consistent so everything bakes evenly.
Don’t overbake; the centers should look slightly underdone.
Bang the pan on the counter once after baking for a perfect texture.
Don’t skip the powdered sugar. It gives these funfetti cookies that crinkle-top finish that makes them look bakery-worthy.
Most birthday cake cookies fail because they’re either dry or overloaded with sprinkles. Keep the dough rich, the vanilla front and center, and let the sprinkles be a supporting player, not the star. If they don’t bend slightly when warm, you baked them too long
Whether you’re baking them for a party, sharing them at the office, or sneaking one with your afternoon coffee, our Birthday Cake Cookies are always a hit.
They’re so easy you won’t even have to think about it. Just mix, bake, and watch them disappear!
Serving Suggestions
Serve with an ice-cold glass of milk, hot coffee, or tea.
Perfect for birthday parties, bake sales, lunchbox treats, and cookie platters.
Ice cream sandwich cookies.
Cookie crumble topping for cakes.
How to Store
Store leftover birthday cake cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
This cookie dough stores great in the freezer. Just place the unbaked cookie dough balls (before rolling in powdered sugar) in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, roll the frozen dough in powdered sugar and bake straight from frozen at 375°F for 12-13 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
This usually comes down to how the flour is measured. Scooping straight from the bag can pack on too much; use a scale if you can.
Yes, but it takes a little elbow grease. Creaming the butter and sugar properly by hand can be done with a sturdy spoon or spatula; just mix longer.
If your cookie dough feels sticky, lightly dust your hands with powdered sugar or chill the dough for 10-15 minutes first.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Birthday Cake Cookies
Soft, chewy, and filled with rainbow sprinkles that bring a pop of color to every bite, our Birthday Cake Cookies are ready to party.
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Ingredients
US CustomaryMetric
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Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Add the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
Add the egg and vanilla. Beat again until the egg is thoroughly combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sprinkles to a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Then add the dry ingredients into the batter, making sure no clumps of dry flour remain.
Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to drop balls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Roll each ball in your hands until smooth, then roll each ball in the powdered sugar. Place doughballs at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 11 minutes.
Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes, then place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Absolutely. We made this recipe with salted butter, but if you only have unsalted butter on hand, just add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the dry ingredients. You can also swap in plant-based butter if needed, just make sure it’s one that’s good for baking.
If you’re out of light brown sugar, you can use dark brown sugar for a slightly deeper flavor, or go with all white sugar in a pinch.
For the sprinkles, stick to the classic rainbow jimmies (the long kind), since nonpareils tend to bleed into the dough.
You can also toss in a few extras like white chocolate chips, but go easy. The dough’s soft, and too much stuff can mess with how they bake.
Recipe Variations
Chocolate Chip Confetti Cookies: Mix in any chips you like, including mini chips, white chocolate, milk chocolate, or even butterscotch or peanut butter chips.
Frosted Birthday Cookies: Once cooled, top each cookie with a swipe of cream cheese frosting and a few extra sprinkles.
Themed Sprinkle Cookies: Use the sprinkles to match your cookies to the event, such as red and green sprinkles for Christmas, pastels for Easter, school colors, or sports team colors.
Lemon Confetti Cookies: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and swap half the vanilla extract for lemon extract to brighten up the dough with a citrusy twist.
Strawberry Birthday Cookies: Mix in 1-2 tablespoons of strawberry-flavored gelatin powder with the dry ingredients for a pink hue and fruity hint.
Sandwich Cookies: Add a layer of vanilla buttercream between two cookies to make a perfect party treat.
Chef Tips
Use a kitchen scale if you can. Too much flour will make the cookies dry and cakey, rather than chewy.
Stick with rainbow jimmies instead of nonpareils. Nonpareils tend to bleed into the dough, making a mess.
If your cookies are spreading too much, your butter was likely too soft. Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
A medium cookie scoop (we use a #40) keeps the size consistent so everything bakes evenly.
Don’t overbake; the centers should look slightly underdone.
Bang the pan on the counter once after baking for a perfect texture.
Don’t skip the powdered sugar. It gives these funfetti cookies that crinkle-top finish that makes them look bakery-worthy.
Most birthday cake cookies fail because they’re either dry or overloaded with sprinkles. Keep the dough rich, the vanilla front and center, and let the sprinkles be a supporting player, not the star. If they don’t bend slightly when warm, you baked them too long.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with an ice-cold glass of milk, hot coffee, or tea.
Perfect for birthday parties, bake sales, lunchbox treats, and cookie platters.
Ice cream sandwich cookies.
Cookie crumble topping for cakes.
How to Store
Store leftover birthday cake cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
This cookie dough stores great in the freezer. Just place the unbaked cookie dough balls (before rolling in powdered sugar) in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, roll the frozen dough in powdered sugar and bake straight from frozen at 375°F for 12-13 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Why are my cookies dry even though I followed the recipe exactly?
This usually comes down to how the flour is measured. Scooping straight from the bag can pack on too much; use a scale if you can.
Can I make these without an electric mixer?
Yes, but it takes a little elbow grease. Creaming the butter and sugar properly by hand can be done with a sturdy spoon or spatula; just mix longer.
What’s the best way to keep the dough from sticking to my hands when rolling?
If your cookie dough feels sticky, lightly dust your hands with powdered sugar or chill the dough for 10-15 minutes first.
Nutrition
Calories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 139mgPotassium: 66mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 259IUCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg
