The Best Funfetti Cookie Recipe (Soft, Chewy & Colorful!)
There’s something magical about biting into a soft, chewy cookie that bursts with colorful sprinkles — and that joy only doubles when you bake them at home. This Funfetti Cookie Recipe is everything you want in a celebration cookie: buttery texture, the perfect amount of sweetness, crispy edges, and a soft melt-in-your-mouth center. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, holiday, school event, or simply baking to brighten your day, these cookies will instantly bring smiles.
Kids love them. Adults love them. And bakers love that they’re quick and easy — no chilling, fancy equipment, or complicated techniques required.
This post will walk you through everything from ingredient substitutions to baking science tips, storage tricks, and variations to customize these cookies for any occasion. By the time you finish reading, you’ll be an expert at baking the very best Funfetti Cookies!
⭐ Why You’ll Love This Funfetti Cookie Recipe
✔ Soft and chewy—never dry or cakey
✔ No chilling required (bake immediately!)
✔ Bright and colorful with sprinkles throughout
✔ Made with everyday pantry ingredients
✔ Perfect for birthdays, holidays, school parties, bake sales & gifting
✔ Customizable for any theme or color scheme
If you’re searching for a foolproof and festive cookie, this is it!
🎂 What Are Funfetti Cookies?
Funfetti is a flavor and baking style that originated from Funfetti cake — a vanilla cake with rainbow sprinkles baked inside. Now, the fun has expanded to everything from pancakes to cupcakes… and of course… cookies!
Funfetti Cookies are:
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Vanilla-based soft sugar cookies
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Packed with sprinkles throughout the dough
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Bright, colorful, and full of playful texture
Think of them as the ultimate happiness cookies — perfect for celebrations of all kinds.
🛒 Ingredients for the Best Funfetti Cookie Recipe
These classic ingredients create a cookie that is buttery, chewy, and perfectly balanced:
Dry Ingredients
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2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
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½ teaspoon baking soda
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½ teaspoon fine salt
Wet Ingredients
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1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
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⅔ cup (130g) granulated sugar
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¾ cup (85g) powdered sugar
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1 large egg
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1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Mix-Ins + The Fun Factor!
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½ cup sprinkles (or up to ⅔ cup)
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Best choice: jimmies sprinkles (they hold their color and won’t bleed into the dough)
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✨ Pro Tip: Avoid nonpareils (tiny round sprinkles) in the dough — they bleed color and create streaks!
🍪 Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow this easy method and you’ll have bakery-quality Funfetti Cookies in minutes:
1️⃣ Preheat Oven
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Preheat to 350°F / 180°C
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Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
2️⃣ Mix Dry Ingredients
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Sift together flour, baking soda & salt
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Set aside
3️⃣ Cream Butter + Sugars
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Beat butter, granulated sugar & powdered sugar
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Use a stand mixer with paddle attachment, medium-low for 4 minutes
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Mixture should be pale and fluffy
4️⃣ Add Egg + Vanilla
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Mix just until combined — don’t over-mix
5️⃣ Combine Wet & Dry
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Add flour mixture
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Mix gently until the dough forms a soft ball
6️⃣ Fold in Sprinkles
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Fold with spatula to avoid color streaking
7️⃣ Shape
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Scoop into 1.5 tablespoon balls
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Place 2 inches apart on lined cookie sheets
8️⃣ Bake
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Bake 11–12 minutes
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Edges will be lightly golden, centers soft — this is PERFECT!
9️⃣ Cool
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Rest on pan 5–10 minutes
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Transfer to cooling rack to finish setting
📌 Baking Tips for Perfect Funfetti Cookies Every Time
| Tip | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Use room-temperature butter | Helps achieve the ideal spread & fluffy texture |
| Don’t overmix dough | Prevents tough, dense cookies |
| Underbake slightly | Keeps centers soft and chewy |
| Use jimmies sprinkles | Colors stay bright without melting |
| Cool on the pan first | Allows cookies to finish cooking gently |
Remember: All ovens vary — keep an eye on them at the 10-minute mark!
🎨 Sprinkle Selection Guide (Important!)
Not all sprinkles are created equal…
| Type of Sprinkle | Best for This Recipe? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Jimmies | ⭐ Best choice | Hold color, soft texture |
| Nonpareils | ⚠ Use lightly (tops only) | Bleed color in dough |
| Confetti Quins | Good | Cute, may melt slightly |
| Shaped Sprinkles | OK for top garnish | Not ideal baked inside |
Seasonal shapes and colors make these cookies holiday-ready!
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Red + Green → Christmas
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Pink + Red → Valentine’s Day
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Black + Orange → Halloween
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Pastels → Easter
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Gold + White → New Year’s Eve
🍪 Funfetti Cookie Recipe — Printable Recipe Card
Feel free to add your own blog styling!
🎉 Funfetti Cookie Recipe
Soft, chewy sugar cookies speckled with colorful rainbow sprinkles — festive, fun, and perfect for any celebration!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 20–24 cookies
Ingredients
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2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
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½ teaspoon baking soda
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½ teaspoon fine salt
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1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened to room temp
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⅔ cup (130g) granulated sugar
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¾ cup (85g) powdered sugar
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1 large egg
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1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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½–⅔ cup rainbow sprinkles (jimmies only)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line baking sheets with parchment.
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In a medium bowl, whisk/sift flour, baking soda, and salt.
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Beat butter + both sugars for 4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
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Add egg and vanilla — mix only until just combined.
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Add dry ingredients and mix until dough forms.
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Fold in sprinkles gently to avoid color bleeding.
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Scoop 1.5 tbsp-sized dough balls. Space them 2 inches apart.
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Bake 11–12 minutes, until edges turn lightly golden.
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Cool 5–10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a rack.
🧁 Variations You’ll Love
Change one or two ingredients to reinvent your Funfetti Cookie Recipe again and again:
| Flavor Twist | How to Make It |
|---|---|
| Cake Batter Funfetti Cookies | Add ¼ cup boxed white/vanilla cake mix to dough |
| Chocolate Funfetti | Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder; use rainbow + white sprinkles |
| Birthday Cake Filled | Stuff center with white chocolate or buttercream |
| Funfetti Sandwich Cookies | Pipe vanilla frosting between cooled cookies |
| Gluten-Free Funfetti | Sub 1:1 gluten-free flour (like Bob’s Red Mill) |
| Funfetti Ice Cream Sandwiches | Fill with vanilla or birthday cake ice cream |
The possibilities are endless!
🥣 Can I Make the Dough Ahead?
Yes! This dough is very freezer-friendly.
| Method | How | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerate | Cover tightly, chill | Up to 3 days |
| Freeze dough balls | Freeze on sheet, transfer to bag | Up to 3 months |
| Freeze baked cookies | Store airtight | Up to 2 months |
Baking from frozen: add +2 minutes to bake time
🧊 How to Store Funfetti Cookies
| Storage Method | Shelf Life |
|---|---|
| Airtight container at room temp | 4–5 days |
| Refrigerator | 1 week |
| Freezer | 2 months |
Keep cookies soft by placing a slice of bread or a marshmallow in the container — works like magic!
🧁 Serving Ideas
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Birthday party platters
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School lunchbox treats
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Holiday cookie swaps
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Ice cream topping (crumble them!)
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Wrap in clear gift bags for party favors
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Pair with birthday cake-flavored milkshakes or cocoa
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Use as edible décor on dessert tables
These cookies are made for celebrations — big or small!
❓ Funfetti Cookie Recipe FAQs
Can I add almond extract?
Yes! Add ¼ teaspoon for a classic bakery cookie flavor.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes — just omit added salt in the recipe.
Why are my cookies too flat?
Likely butter too warm, flour under-measured, or over-mixing. Pop dough balls in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking next batch.
Why did my sprinkles melt?
You may have used nonpareils or shape sprinkles that melt — stick to jimmies.
Can I make giant bakery-style Funfetti cookies?
YES! Scoop 3–4 tablespoons per cookie and bake 13–15 minutes.
Expert Baking Science Notes
Understanding why ingredients behave the way they do can make you a stronger baker:
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Powdered sugar contributes to a melt-in-your-mouth texture
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Granulated sugar encourages spread and crispy edges
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Baking soda creates soft chewiness vs. cakiness
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Soft butter helps whip in air for volume
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Egg acts as binder + adds richness
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Sprinkles add pockets of color and a hint of texture
Every component balances another. Change too much and you risk altering the signature Funfetti Cookie Recipe texture — that’s why this formula is perfect as is!
PrintThe Best Funfetti Cookie Recipe (Soft, Chewy & Colorful!)
These Funfetti Cookies are soft, chewy sugar cookies packed with bright, colorful sprinkles! Perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or any day that needs a pop of happiness. They bake up tender in the center with lightly crispy edges — everything you love in a classic sugar cookie but with a festive twist.
Ingredients
-
2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
-
½ teaspoon baking soda
-
½ teaspoon fine salt
-
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
-
⅔ cup (130 g) granulated sugar
-
¾ cup (85 g) powdered sugar
-
1 large egg
-
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-
½ cup sprinkles (or up to ⅔ cup for extra color)
Instructions
-
Preheat Oven
Preheat to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. -
Mix Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. -
Cream Butter & Sugars
Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer), beat butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar on medium-low speed for 4 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. -
Add Wet Ingredients
Mix in the egg and vanilla extract just until combined. -
Add Dry Ingredients
Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until a dough forms (do not overmix). -
Add Sprinkles
Fold in sprinkles gently with a spatula to keep the colors from bleeding. -
Shape & Bake
Scoop dough into 1½ tablespoon balls and arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
Bake 11–12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and centers look slightly underdone. -
Cool
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
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Use rainbow jimmies — round nonpareil sprinkles can bleed into the dough.
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Soft butter only — melted butter will cause cookies to spread too much.
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Slightly underbake for that soft and chewy texture.
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Chill the dough 15–20 minutes if your kitchen is warm or dough feels sticky.
Final Thoughts — The Only Funfetti Cookie Recipe You Need!
This Funfetti Cookie Recipe is a bakery-style favorite that’s unbelievably easy to make at home. With their chewy centers, crispy edges, and festive sprinkles throughout, these cookies are guaranteed to brighten any moment — big celebration or cozy night in.
✔ Quick
✔ No chilling
✔ Tons of colorful fun
✔ Loved by all ages
Once you try these, you’ll understand why Funfetti Cookies are always the first to disappear from any cookie tray. Bake a batch, share the joy, and keep the recipe handy — because everyone will ask for it!