Butter Cookies with Sprinkles
Classic Butter Cookies with Christmas Sprinkles are delicately crisp, melt-in-the-mouth biscuits made from a simple creamed mixture of unsalted butter, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and eggs, fragranced with vanilla (and often a hint of almond extract). Once the smooth, buttery dough is piped or rolled into uniform shapes, it is showered with red and green non-pareils or jimmies that bake in place, creating a festive speckled finish without additional icing. These cookies are a staple of holiday dessert platters, cookie-swap boxes, and edible gift tins throughout the season, appreciated for their approachable ingredient list, short baking time, and ability to stay tender yet sturdy for several days when stored properly.
Butter Cookies with Sprinkles
Consider this dough your customizable canvas—tweak the flavor with citrus zest, dip the cooled cookies in chocolate, or switch up the sprinkle colors for birthdays and game days. Unbaked portions freeze solid in minutes, so you can bake off a fresh tray at a moment’s notice without pulling out the mixer again.
15 minutes
10–12 minutes
25–27 minutes
Ingredients
Unsalted butter, softened – 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g)
- Granulated sugar – ⅔ cup (135 g)
- Large egg – 1
- Pure vanilla extract – 1 ½ tsp
- All-purpose flour – 2 ¼ cups (281 g)
- Fine salt – ¼ tsp
- Christmas sprinkles (red & green nonpareils or jimmies) – about ½ cup, plus extra for topping
- Optional additions / suggested enhancers:
- Almond extract – ¼ tsp
- Fine sanding sugar – 2 Tbsp (for rolling)
- Red or green food coloring – a few drops (to tint dough)
- Royal icing – as needed (for extra decoration)
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper so the cookies release cleanly after baking.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture looks pale, creamy, and slightly fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla extract (and almond extract if using) and continue mixing until fully incorporated and smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and fine salt. Add this dry mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms—avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
Fold in about ½ cup of Christmas sprinkles using a spatula, distributing them evenly through the dough. Add food coloring at this stage if you want tinted dough.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie, roll gently between your palms to form smooth balls, and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space for spreading.
Lightly flatten the tops with your fingers or the bottom of a glass, then press a few extra sprinkles on top so they stay visible after baking.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, just until the edges set and turn slightly firm while the centers remain soft and pale—do not overbake or they’ll lose their melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes to stabilize, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Their texture becomes perfect once fully cooled.
Nutrition (whole recipe)
3625 kcal Protein
36 g Fat
193 g Carbs
436 g Fiber
8 g Sugar
221 g
Notes
Chill the shaped dough on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before it goes into the oven—this keeps the edges sharp and prevents excess spread, so the sprinkles stay neatly on top. For extra flavor without altering texture, substitute 2 tablespoons of the flour with cornstarch; the cookies bake up even more tender and “short,” just like a classic Danish butter cookie.