Birthday Cake Cookies

A stack of cookies with rainbow sprinkles.

Birthday cake cookies are chewy, buttery, and filled with white chocolate chips and sprinkles. Plus, they're made entirely from scratch - no need for a boxed cake mix today!

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Resting Time 30

Total Time 1 40

Servings cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter room temperature
½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (160 g) brown sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 ¾ cups (330 g) all purpose flour *measured properly
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (80 g) rainbow sprinkles
12 ounces (340 g) white chocolate chips

Instructions

In a large bowl, add butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together until light and fluffy, about a minute. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
In a separate bowl, whisk (or sift) together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Gently stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until just combined (do not overmix).
Add white chocolate chips and sprinkles and stir until just combined.
Cover bowl or wrap dough in wax paper. Chill for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours) in the refrigerator. Refrigerating allows the flavors meld and also creates a firmer dough to roll into balls.
Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Remove dough from refrigerator. Scoop dough using a medium (1.5 tablespoon) scoop or shape by hand into 1.5 inch balls.
Place cookie dough balls 2 inches apart onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned around edges and across the tops. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

* How to measure flour properly: For most accurate results every time, use a kitchen scale to measure flour by weight. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method. Stir the flour (especially if it's been packed down in a bag/container), then gently spoon into the measuring cup, leveling off the top with a knife. Scooping with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup and adds up to 25% extra to the recipe, resulting in dry, bland cookies that don't spread properly.
Storage: Cookies will keep for up to 5 days in a sealed container. To help keep cookies fresh, you can place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed. Raw cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Freezing: Cookie dough balls (and baked cookies) freeze well, up to 3 months in a sealed plastic container or freezer bag. Allow frozen balls to thaw for up to 10 minutes on the baking sheet before baking, or add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Variations: Try using sprinkles to match your favorite sports team, school colors, holiday colors, or the party's theme colors.
More tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cookies, based on reader comments and questions!

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