Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies Recipe

I perfected Kids Birthday Cookies loaded with white chocolate and rainbow sprinkles, and I’m about to reveal the tiny secret that makes them utterly unforgettable.

These cookies are the BEST! Loaded with rainbow sprinkles and white chocolate!

I started messing with a cookie base because I wanted something that actually tasted like birthday, not just looked the part. I love how the white chocolate chips melt into little creamy pockets while the sprinkles give sudden pops of color and crunch, its kind of addictive.

If you like a little mischievous nostalgia you’re gonna think of Birthday Cake Cookie Dough the minute you take a bite. They vanish fast so don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: Mostly carbs, some protein, gives structure, little fiber, not nutritious.
• Unsalted butter: High in fat in calories, adds richness and crumb, not heart healthy.
• Granulated and brown sugar: Give sweetness and moisture, mostly simple carbs, few nutrients.
• Egg and yolk: Provide protein and fat, bind ingredients, add richness and colour.
• Vanilla extract: Purely for flavor, tiny antioxidants maybe, make the cookies taste sweeter.
• Sour cream or yogurt: Adds tang and moisture, contains some protein, tenderizes the crumb.
• Rainbow sprinkles: Mostly sugar, add crunch and color, no real nutrients, just fun.
• White chocolate chips: Sweet and fatty, mostly sugar and cocoa butter, melt into creamy pockets.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour (about 345 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks, 227 g) unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles (jimmies)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat; in a medium bowl whisk together 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour (about 345 g), 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (tip: spoon and level the flour or weigh it so the cookies dont get dense).

2. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks, 227 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scrape the bowl once or twice.

3. Add 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional) and 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt; beat until mixed well but dont overwork it.

4. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in two additions until just combined, scraping the bowl; overmixing makes tough cookies so stop as soon as there are no big streaks of flour.

5. Fold in 3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles (jimmies) and 1 cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate with a spatula, reserve a handful of sprinkles to press on top of each dough ball if you want extra color.

6. If the dough feels soft or sticky chill it 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge so the cookies dont spread too much; you can chill up to 2 hours. If youre in a hurry chill 15 minutes and handle gently.

7. Scoop dough into balls about
1.5 tablespoons to 2 tablespoons each (I like a medium cookie), place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets and gently press the tops down a bit, then press a few reserved sprinkles into each cookie so they stick.

8. Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes, until edges are set and bottoms are just turning light golden but centers still look slightly soft; rotate the pan halfway if your oven bakes unevenly.

9. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely; the white chocolate will firm as it cools.

10. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp up to 4 days, or freeze unbaked dough balls on a tray then bag them for up to 3 months; bake frozen balls an extra 1 to 2 minutes.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven preheated to 350 F (175 C)
2. Baking sheets plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
3. Medium mixing bowl (for dry ingredients)
4. Large mixing bowl (for creaming and mixing)
5. Electric mixer, hand or stand (a sturdy whisk works if you dont have one)
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
7. Kitchen scale (recommended for weighing flour)
8. Rubber spatula (for scraping and folding)
9. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and a wire cooling rack

FAQ

Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: swap in cake flour for a softer, more tender cookie. Use 1 cup cake flour for each cup all purpose. Or make your own by replacing 2 tablespoons of each cup of all purpose with cornstarch and sift well.
• Unsalted butter: if you only have salted butter use the same amount but cut the added salt to about 1/4 teaspoon (the recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon). Cookies will still be great, just a touch saltier.
• Eggs: if you don’t want to separate, use 2 whole eggs instead of 1 egg plus 1 yolk. It adds a little more moisture but saves time and keeps the texture nice.
• Sour cream or plain yogurt: use equal plain Greek yogurt for the same tang and richness. Or swap with 2 tablespoons buttermilk (or 2 tablespoons milk plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice) if you prefer a thinner batter.

Pro Tips

1) Weigh the flour or spoon and level it every time. Too much flour = dry dense cookies. If you wanna be extra safe add 1 to 2 teaspoons cornstarch for a softer, more tender crumb.

2) Get your butter soft but not melty. It should give when you press it, not smear all over your finger. If it’s too warm the dough will spread like crazy, so chill 15 to 30 minutes before scooping if needed.

3) Fold sprinkles and white chocolate in gently and reserve some sprinkles to press on top. Overworking the dough or mixing when warm can make colors bleed and makes the dough tougher. Chilling also helps keep shape and bright colors.

4) Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack in a fully preheated oven, use light-colored pans and pull them when edges are set but centers still look a bit soft. Let sit on the hot sheet 3 to 5 minutes, then cool on a rack. For frozen dough balls add about 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.