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Birthday Cake Cookies
Thick, soft, and loaded with white chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles, these birthday cake cookies are topped with a smooth buttercream frosting that makes them taste just like a real birthday cake. Perfect for birthdays, parties, or any occasion worth celebrating. This recipe makes 32 cookies, so there's plenty for a crowd.
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These birthday cake cookies are everything a celebration cookie should be. Thick and puffy with a soft, tender crumb, white chocolate chips baked into every bite, and a smooth buttercream frosting that makes these taste like a real birthday cake.
They're festive enough for a birthday party and simple enough to make on any day that calls for something special.
This recipe makes 32 cookies, which means it is built for a party crowd. Arrange them frosted on a platter for a birthday celebration, or skip the frosting and pack them into a cookie tin or lunchbox. Either way, they deliver smiles all around.
I will be honest with you: my first batch spread way too thin. The cookies were flat, and the texture was all wrong.
The fix turned out to be simple. Chilling the dough for at least an hour before baking gives the butter time to firm back up, and that is what creates the thick, bakery-style height you see in these photos. Don't skip that step. It makes all the difference.
Ingredients For Birthday Cake Cookies
What you'll need to make birthday cake cookies:
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 extra large eggs, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles
For the Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- Rainbow sprinkles for garnish
Ingredient Notes
A few details that will make the difference between dense, flat cookies, and chewy, cakey, puffy cookies:
Extra large eggs. Pull them out of the fridge at the same time as your butter. Room temperature eggs incorporate more evenly into the dough.
Vanilla and almond extract. Both extracts together are what give these cookies that unmistakable birthday cake flavor. The almond extract is subtle, but don't leave it out. It's the detail that makes people ask what's in them.
All-purpose flour. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly from the bag packs in too much flour, which will yield desne, dry cookies.
Recipe Note
Frosted or Unfrosted? I make these birthday cake cookies both ways, depending on the occasion. When it's an actual birthday or a party, the frosting is non-negotiable (in my opinion). But honestly, I've been known to skip it on a random Tuesday when I just want a great cookie without the fuss. They're that good on their own, and still look pretty, too.
How to Make Birthday Cake Cookies
FIRST STEP: Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
SECOND STEP: Cream the butter and sugar. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter for about one minute until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating for another two minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Don't rush this step. It's what gives the cookies their soft, tender texture.
THIRD STEP: Add the eggs and extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix until combined.
FOURTH STEP: Add the flour mixture. With the mixer still on medium-low, add the flour mixture one cup at a time, mixing just until the flour disappears. Overmixing at this stage will make your cookies tough.
FIFTH STEP: Fold in the mix-ins. Add the white chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles and mix just until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
SIXTH STEP: Chill the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. This is the step that gives your cookies that thick, puffy bakery-style shape.
SEVENTH STEP: Bake. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough, spacing each ball two inches apart.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden. The centers will still look soft, and that's exactly right.
Check them at the nine-minute mark since every oven runs a little differently.
EIGHTH STEP: Cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
NINTH STEP: Make the frosting. Beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth, about one minute. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt and mix to combine.
Reduce the speed to low and add the powdered sugar half a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
TENTH STEP: Frost and decorate. Do not decorate until the cookies are completely cooled. Otherwise, the frosting will melt onto your cookies.
Spoon or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cookies. For a bakery-style finish, use a piping bag fitted with a round tip and start from the center, working outward in a spiral. Add sprinkles while the frosting is still wet, so they stick.
Baking Tips For The Best Birthday Cake Cookies
Don't skip the dough chill time. One hour is the minimum. The colder the dough goes into the oven, the thicker and puffier the cookies come out. If you have time, chilling overnight produces an even better result.
Pull them out of the oven before they're completely set. I learned this the hard way, and ended up with overdone cookies. The centers will look underdone when you take them out, and that's exactly right. They continue to set on the hot baking sheet after you pull them from the oven.
Use jimmies, not nonpareils. The small round sprinkles bleed their color into the dough during mixing and baking. Classic jimmy-style sprinkles hold their shape and color much better.
How To Store Birthday Cake Cookies
At room temperature: store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If your kitchen runs warm, the frosting may soften, so keep them somewhere cool or refrigerate them instead.
In the fridge: Frosted cookies keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Pull them out about 30 minutes before serving to let the frosting soften up.
In the freezer: You can freeze unbaked cookie dough in a ziplock bag for up to three months. Thaw completely in the fridge before baking as directed.
Baked cookies freeze well for up to three months, but I recommend freezing them unfrosted. Freeze them in a single layer first until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.
More Festive Cookie Recipes ⭐ Chocolate Kiss Cookies | Turtle Cookies | Strawberry Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Serving Suggestions
These cookies are, of course, ideal for a birthday party or celebration. Round out your dessert table with my Birthday Cake Delight, a fun no-bake dessert lasagna that has the reminiscent flavors of a birthday cake.
Add in some more colorful treats such as Fruity Pebble Treats or Cookie Dough Bars, two more no-bake desserts that are easy to serve - no forks or plates required.
More Decorated Cookies For Parties
Birthday Cake Cookies
Thick, soft, and loaded with white chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles, these birthday cake cookies are topped with a smooth buttercream frosting that makes them taste just like a real birthday cake. Perfect for birthdays, parties, or any occasion worth celebrating. This recipe makes 32 cookies, so there's plenty for a crowd.
Did you try this recipe?Let our readers know how it turned out by Leaving a Review!
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 extra large eggs (room temperature)
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles
Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- Rainbow sprinkles for garnish
DIRECTIONS
To Make The Cookie Dough
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat the softened butter in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer on medium-high speed for about one minute until smooth.
- Add the granulated sugar and continue beating for another one and a half to two minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract and almond extract and mix until combined.
- With the mixer still on medium-low, add the flour mixture one cup at a time, mixing just until the flour disappears.
- Add the white chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles and mix just until evenly distributed.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Baking The Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or heavy duty aluminum foil.
- Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the chilled dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing each ball two inches apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden. Check at the nine minute mark.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To Make The Buttercream Frosting
- Beat the softened butter on medium speed for about one minute until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt and mix until combined.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the powdered sugar half a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Spoon or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cookies. Add sprinkles while the frosting is still wet.
Notes
- Measure your flour correctly. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. Scooping directly from the bag packs in too much flour and will affect the texture of your cookies.
- Don't skip the dough chill time. One hour is the minimum. The colder the dough goes into the oven, the thicker and puffier your cookies will be.
- Pull them out of the oven before they're fully set. The centers will look soft and underdone when you take them out. That's exactly right. They'll continue to set on the hot baking sheet after you remove them from the oven.
- Use jimmies, not nonpareils. Classic jimmy-style sprinkles hold their shape and color during mixing and baking. The small round nonpareils tend to bleed into the dough.
- Cool completely before frosting. Even slightly warm cookies will melt the buttercream.
Nutrition
Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 64mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 282IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
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FAQ
What is a Crumbl birthday cake cookie?
A Crumbl birthday cake cookie is one of Crumbl Cookies most popular flavors. It's a large, thick, chilled sugar cookie topped with a generous swirl of pink almond-flavored cream cheese frosting and finished with rainbow sprinkles. The cookie itself is plain with no mix-ins, and the frosting is the main event.
Our version is a little different. The cookie dough is loaded with white chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles, and we top them with a classic buttercream frosting rather than cream cheese frosting. They're baked until thick and puffy, and the result is a cookie that delivers that same celebratory birthday cake feeling in every bite. If you love the Crumbl birthday cake cookie, these are absolutely worth trying.
Can I make birthday cake cookies without frosting?
Absolutely. These cookies are delicious on their own and hold up well in a lunchbox or cookie tin without the frosting. See the note above for more on when to frost and when to skip it.
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Yes, but you might want to reduce the added salt in the recipe by half to keep the balance right.
Why did my birthday cake cookies spread too much?
The most common culprit is dough that wasn't chilled long enough. Make sure you're giving it a full hour in the refrigerator before baking. Butter that was too warm going into the dough can also cause spreading. Make sure your butter is soft, but not melted.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Simply double all the ingredients and bake in batches. The dough keeps well in the refrigerator while each batch bakes.
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