Ok, how cute are these mini sprinkle cookies? Packed with vanilla and rainbow sprinkles, they’re soft, chewy, and perfectly bite-sized for parties or gift boxes. The dough comes together quickly — about 20 minutes — using just ten simple ingredients. Swap in holiday-colored rod sprinkles to tailor these cookies for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, or any celebration.
When the weather turns chilly, I find baking mini treats to be perfect comfort food. These sprinkle cookies are one of my go-to recipes when I want something festive and easy. They’re adapted from a classic sugar cookie base, but with a softer, chewier texture and plenty of vanilla, so they don’t taste artificial or bland.
They’re ideal for gatherings like birthdays, showers, classroom parties, or potlucks. The recipe yields a large batch of tiny cookies, so they’re great to make ahead and freeze either as dough balls or as baked cookies.
Rod sprinkles
After testing several options, rainbow rod sprinkles are the best choice for these cookies. They hold their shape and color better than nonpareils, which can bleed into the dough. Use rod-style sprinkles in different color combinations to match the season or event.
For the dough you’ll need basic pantry staples: all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, kosher salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, an egg, and pure vanilla extract. For a more classic “funfetti” flavor, you can swap pure vanilla for artificial vanilla extract — start with 2 teaspoons and adjust to taste.
Tip: if you prefer the classic funfetti note, use artificial vanilla extract and start with 2 teaspoons, adding more if desired.
#100 cookie scoop
This recipe makes teeny cookies, so a #100 cookie scoop (about 1 teaspoon) speeds things up and gives uniform results. A teaspoon works in a pinch, but a scoop saves time when you’re making a large batch.
Make the dough
Start by whisking together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until about 80% combined. Fold in the sprinkles with a spatula, stopping as soon as there are no streaks of flour. Over-mixing develops gluten and will make the cookies tough.
Chill the dough for at least 1–2 hours or overnight. Chilling firms the dough so the cookies bake up round and maintain a soft center.
Scoop, roll, & bake
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 5–6 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone. These cookies will firm up as they cool; avoid over-baking if you want them soft and chewy. Cool on the sheet pan for 4–5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Holiday cookies
Swap sprinkles by holiday to instantly customize these cookies. Some favorite color combos:
- Red, green, and white for Christmas
- Black, orange, lime green, and purple for Halloween
- Red and light pink for Valentine’s Day
- Pastel colors for Easter or Mother’s Day
- Green, white, and orange for St. Patrick’s Day
Storing cookies
Store funfetti cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days for best texture. They gradually lose chewiness after a few days, so enjoy them soon after baking.
Freeze – dough or baked
You can freeze either the cookie dough balls or the baked cookies, which makes this recipe great for make-ahead baking.
- Dough: Scoop dough into balls, roll in extra sprinkles, and freeze on a sheet pan until firm (1–2 hours). Transfer to a freezer bag and store up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
- Baked: Layer cooled cookies between sheets of parchment in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours before serving.
If you try this recipe, please leave a rating and review — feedback helps refine recipes and is always appreciated.
Mini Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 200 grams all-purpose flour (1 2/3 cups)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 114 grams unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup)
- 150 grams granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 15 milliliters pure vanilla extract (1 tablespoon)
- 100 grams rainbow sprinkles, plus more for rolling (1/2 cup)
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- #100 cookie scoop (about 1 teaspoon) or teaspoon
- 2 sheet pans
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and kosher salt in a small bowl.
- Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until about 80% combined. Fold in the sprinkles with a rubber spatula until there are no flour streaks. Cover and chill for at least 1–2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Using a #100 cookie scoop or teaspoon, portion the dough into balls. Roll each ball in extra sprinkles, if desired, and space them 1–2 inches apart on the prepared pans. Keep unused dough refrigerated while baking.
- Bake for 5–6 minutes, until the edges are set and centers still look slightly underdone. Let cookies rest on the sheet pan for 4–5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Weighing ingredients yields the most consistent results, especially for flour. If using measuring cups, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level without packing.
Do not over-mix the dough. Mix until about 80% combined, then fold in sprinkles. Overworking the dough produces tough cookies.
If the dough is too firm to scoop after chilling, let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes until scoopable but still chilled. The cookies are done when puffed and not browning; the centers should look slightly underbaked.
For perfectly round cookies, try the “scoot” method: right after the cookies come out of the oven, use a round cutter or cup and nudge the cookie edges in a small circular motion to round them while still warm.
For classic funfetti flavor, replace pure vanilla with artificial vanilla extract, starting with 2 teaspoons and adjusting to taste.