Christmas Funfetti Cookies
Christmas Funfetti Cookies are a fun twist on a classic cookie recipe, that’s a nod to everyone’s favorite childhood boxed cake mix. These festive confetti cookies have a nice crunchy exterior, a soft interior and are full of Christmas-colored sprinkles. They’re perfect for cookie platters, Santa and any occasion this season! Makes 32 sprinkle cookies.
Following along with The Sweetest Season? So far, I’ve made Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies, Christmas Rice Krispie Treats and these!
This festive rendition involves a change in sprinkle color… but the same delicious flavors as always!
Why I love this recipe:
These ones are definitely great for sharing with friends, too! And it should come as no surprise that my kids LOVE these, too.
Other cookies to try this season: Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies | M&M Sugar Cookies | All-Butter Tea Cake Cookies | Cranberry Pinwheel Cookies | Peppermint Brownie Drop Cookies | Speculoos No-Bake Cookies
Need cookie inspiration? Check out my Cookie Recipe Index for more ideas.
Let’s talk about The Sweetest Season and Cookies for Kids Cancer!
The Sweetest Season is my annual holiday cookie week.
Ten years ago, I decided it would be fun to share my favorite Christmas cookie recipes… then I invited other bloggers to join me, and the celebration grew… then we changed the name to make it more inclusive (because that matters!)… and the rest is history.
This year, we’re raising money in support of Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. We’d love if you could join us in supporting a worthy cause this holiday season. Here is our fundraising page.
Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is a recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative and less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer.
Since 2008, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has granted $18 million to pediatric cancer research in the form of 100+ research grants to leading pediatric cancer centers across the country. From these grants have stemmed 35+ treatments available to kids battling cancer today.
And since it’s the season of giving and giving back, I’m thrilled to be supporting an organization that’s actively funding treatments for kids and their families going through the unthinkable.
Again, here is our fundraising page if you’d like to join us in raising some money for this worthwhile organization.
What you need to make this recipe:
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Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you need:
- Unsalted butter—this is our base for the recipe. It needs to be softened, meaning you need to remove it from the fridge about an hour before baking.
- Light brown sugar—or dark brown sugar, if that’s the only one you’ve got. I’m happy to report that I’ve made this recipe with both and that both are delicious.
- Granulated sugar—also known as “white sugar,” there is no replacement for this sugar.
- Egg—this will serve as a binder, as well as help add some lift to the cookies.
- Pure vanilla extract—the real deal stuff has more flavor than the imitation vanilla, so try to use that if you can.
- All-purpose flour—we keep unbleached AP flour at our house, but you can use the regular kind, too.
- Kosher salt—or another salt with a medium grain salt, like sea salt
- Baking soda—make sure yours is fresh!
- Christmas-colored sprinkles—you want to use the cylinder shaped sprinkles in the cookie batter, which are sometimes referred to as jimmies. Why? They hold onto their shape and color better than nonpareils (the round ones), which will immediately bleed color into your cookie dough.
- Christmas-colored confetti sprinkles—we’ll use these to roll the cookies in. I like the crunch they offer to the exterior of the cookies!
How to make Christmas Funfetti Cookies
Make the sprinkle cookie dough.
Add the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, salt and soda in a smaller bowl, and whisk. Pour these dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Add the sprinkles. Measure them in, then gently stir them into the batter with a spoon or a rubber spatula.
Chill the dough. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap, and transfer the dough to the fridge for at least 2 hours. This is important, so don’t skip it.
Bake the Confetti Cookies
Make the coating. Pour the confetti sprinkles into a large bowl or a large plate to where you can easily roll the dough balls.
Place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy with a glass of your favorite kind of milk!
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
- Bake the cookies in advance. These cookies are delicious at room temperature or slightly warm. If you want to serve them warmer, pre-bake them and then warm in a 200F degree oven for 10ish minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Double or triple the recipe for a crowd, especially if you’re expecting a lot of people who adore cookies. You can always send friends home with extra cookies if you don’t want them in your house. This is also great for a cookie exchange and perfect to have on hand for snacking at a cookie decorating party.
- Learn how to Freeze Cookie Dough and freeze the cookie dough 1-2 weeks in advance, then bake them fresh just before guests arrive.
- Make another variation on this festive cookie recipe. I have some ideas below…
Variations on these Christmas cookies
- Red, white and blue sprinkles for July 4th
- Blue and gold for Hanukkah
- Black and gold for a New Year’s Eve party
- Pink and red for Valentine’s Day
- Orange and black for Halloween (like these Halloween Funfetti Cookies!)
- Green and gold for St. Patrick’s Day
Frequently Asked Questions
You know the sprinkle cake you so loved as a kid? These made-from-scratch Confetti Cookies are the cookie version of that sweet.
Yes. If you use regular sprinkles* affiliate link (also known as “jimmies”), the cookies are a bit softer, while nonpareils make for a crunchier variety. I like to use confetti sprinkles* affiliate link in the coating of the cookies to add a bit of texture for the final cookie.
Technically, you don’t have to, but you’ll end up with a flatter cookie, and these cookies are already decently flat…
Quick tips and tricks to the best Christmas Confetti Cookies:
- Let the cookie dough chill. This allows the butter to solidify and gives the flour a chance to hydrate. These two will affect cookie’s texture. Chilled cookie dough leads to fluffier cookies that spread less.
- Use a cookie scoop to make life easier in scooping and shaping the sprinkle cookies.
- How to store the cookies: Store in an airtight container or cookie tin for up to a week. I bet they won’t last that long, though.
- How to reheat: If the cookies are cooled and you’d like them warm to eat, heat up in the toaster oven OR microwave on a microwave-safe plate for 10-15 seconds, or until the centers of the cookie is just slightly gooey.
- Involve your kids. There are a lot of steps where kids can be involved here. Depending on your child’s age, they could help with the batter, rolling the cookie dough, the sprinkle additions and more.
- Make a batch… and freeze the cookie dough that you’re not going to bake so you can enjoy it later… or freeze them to bake fresh for Santa on Christmas Eve. 😉
Other sprinkle-filled recipes to make this season:
- Funfetti Dip
- Festive Funfetti Pancakes
- Funfetti Sugar Cookie Bars
- Colorful (and tasty!) Funfetti Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Sour Cream Funfetti Cupcakes
- Snow Globe Christmas Cookies
Christmas Funfetti Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar lightly packed (55g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 125g
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 186g
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt 3g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda 4g
- 1 cup Christmas sprinkles / jimmies 175g
- ½ cup Christmas confetti sprinkles 87g
Equipment
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Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whip the softened butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with a hand (or stand) mixer until the butter is light yellow and the sugars are well incorporated.
- Add in the egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined.
- Combine the flour, salt and soda in a smaller bowl, and whisk.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, mixing until combined, then add the other half, blending until the batter has come together.
- Measure in the jimmies. Stir them into the batter with a spoon or rubber spatula.
- Chill the dough for at least 2 hours (or overnight.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- Toss the confetti sprinkles into a bowl.
- Use a cookie scooper to out rounds of the cookie dough. Roll the cookie dough in your hands until rounded and smooth.
- Roll in the mixture of confetti sprinkles until coated.
- Place the cookie dough on the baking sheet, leaving about 2” between each so the dough can spread as it bakes.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until just golden brown.
- Enjoy warm with a glass of your favorite kind of milk!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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