Name: Funfetti Birthday Cookies
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup all-purpose flour; ¾ cup cake flour; ⅓ cup sprinkle jimmies; ½ cup granulated sugar; ½ cup light brown sugar; ½ cup melted unsalted butter; 1 large egg; ½ tsp cornstarch; ¼ tsp baking soda; ¼ tsp salt; 2 tsp vanilla extract

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pink baking tray with 10 funfetti birthday cookies, 2 birthday candles and some sprinkles

These funfetti birthday cookies are perfect for any occasion but I chose them as (one of) my dessert of choice this because they are just SO good! Perfectly soft, chewy and buttery cookies with the distinct flavor of sprinkle jimmies sprinkled throughout. What more could a girl ask for?

These cookies, like my other cookie recipes, are insanely easy to make and I’ve included plenty of tips below for the novice cookie maker!

Enjoy them on their own get creative and grab two along with a scoop of ice cream to make the ultimate birthday treat!

key ingredients

All purpose flour. Provides enough structure for the cookie o hold its shape during baking and once cooled
Cake flour. Has a lower gluten percentage than all-purpose flour and helps make the cookie soft.
Butter. Huge contributor to flavor for this cookie and also helps to them to stay soft & chewy after cooling.
Granulated sugar. Works with the flour to give a sturdy texture in addition to the necessary sweetness
Brown sugar. Adds depth to the flavor and makes the cookie chewy and soft.
Egg. Binds all the ingredients together
Cornstarch. Another measure to make sure that cookies stay soft.
Baking soda. Gives a cookies a chewier texture compared to baking powder that would give an airy, more cake-like texture.
Sprinkles. The “fun” in “funfetti”!

tips for the best funfetti birthday cookies

Don’t over-mix. These cookies are not forgiving when it comes to over-mixing and will end up drier and hard. For optimal results mix the dry ingredients only until there are no more dry spots visible. This will prevent too much gluten from forming resulting in a chewy cookie that stays soft even after cooling.
Make sure the butter is melted. This is the key to a chewy and flavorful cookie! During melting some of the water evaporates so the butter flavor is more concentrated without being too oily.
How long you chill the dough matters. The harder the dough is right before baking, the less it spreads to it will be thicker. This also means that you will end up with more of a soft and chewy center.
There’s no wrong answers – just be aware of what you’d like your outcome to be!
Use an oven thermometer. I sound like a broken record since I recommend this for every baking recipe but that just shows its importance! This recipe calls for a high temperature so that the cookies bake faster – ultimately resulting in less spread and softer and chewier cookie.
Ovens can have hotspots and/or run lower or higher than the presented reading so an oven thermometer takes out the guess work. I use this one and make sure it reads at needed temperature before starting my baking project.
Spoon your flour into the measuring cups then level. This ensures that you are not packing in more flour than called for in the recipe. As with over-mixing this recipe is not forgiving to gross excesses of flour as the extra gluten will give a tough and dry cookie.
For perfectly round cookies, once cookies are fresh out of the oven use a round biscuit cutter or a small bowl just slightly larger than cookie to mold the shape. Position the biscuit cutter/bowl so that the cookie is in the center and gently, in circular motions drag the biscuit cutter along the edge of the cookie until you have your desired shape.

how to make funfetti birthday cookies

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F

Step 2. Mix all the dry ingredients except for the granulated and brown sugar (all-purpose flour, cake flour, cornstarch, sprinkle jimmies, baking soda & salt) in a bowl and set aside.

Step 3. In a separate mixing bowl add the melted butter along with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract then mix until combined.

Step 4. Add in all the dry ingredients from step 2 and combine until smooth. Make sure not to over-mix at this stage only mixing until there are no dry spots or obvious lumps of flour. Over-mixing will results in a drier and tougher cookie.

Step 5. Chill the cookies dough for at least 15-20 minutes before baking. Chilling time ultimately depends on how thick you like your cookies.
For average thickness chill for 15 minutes. For bakery-style thickness chill until the dough is easy to form in balls then return to the refrigerator (or freezer) until the balls of cookie dough are firm to the touch (like cold butter).

Step 6. Scoop the cookies on to a light-colored baking tray lined with parchment paper. Be sure to leave at least 2 inches of space between each ball of dough to allow space for it to spread during baking.

Step 7. Bake on the middle rack at 400°F for 8-10 minutes. If you enjoy a firmer cookie bake for the full 10 minutes. If you like a softer center bake for 8 minutes.
The cookies should be golden brown around the edges at the 8-minute mark so it’s important to keep an eye on the cookies after 8 minutes if you want a firmer doneness

Step 8. Allow the cookies to cool until at least barely warm before serving. Store in an airtight container and enjoy within a week for optimal freshness.