These easy Funfetti Cookies are made in minutes without a cake mix. Since everything is better made from scratch (and with sprinkles!), this cookie recipe makes any occasion more fun! Perfect for Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Birthdays! Quick and easy to make with pantry staple ingredients.

The best funfetti cookies on a white platter
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Each morning Ani greets me with a request for a sprinkle donut. More often than not, I don’t oblige, but if you’d see the twinkle in her eye, you’d know why I give in on occasion. The girl lives for a sprinkle donut!

I decided it was time to develop a recipe for funfetti cookies without a cake mix. First, I rarely have one on hand and second, I have found it’s just as easy to bake things from scratch as it is with a mix.

Of course I also happen to think that made from scratch with love tastes better, too. These funfetti cookies have a cake and sugar cookie flavor with the added crunch of pretty sprinkles. Funfetti just makes everything more fun, especially for kids – I’ve even got a Funfetti Bread Recipe.

It’s so quick and easy to make these cookies from scratch, it honestly takes about as much time as if you were making them with a store bought mix, and they taste so much better! This is a great recipe to get the kids to help with and introduce them to the joys of baking!

Cookies with sprinkles on a white platter

Funfetti Cookies Ingredients

  • Butter – Unsalted, sweet cream butter is best for this cookie recipe since we will be adding salt to the batter. Make sure to take out the butter at least an hour before to soften.
  • Vegetable Oil – Any light, flavorless oil will do. I prefer vegetable oil, but canola oil works, too.
  • Sugar – It is a cookie recipe after all. White granulated white sugar adds a hint of texture.
  • Powdered Sugar – We also need the soft, pillowy texture of confectioners sugar. Powdered sugar contains the addition of cornstarch, resulting in a softer cookie.
  • Eggs – A simple pantry ingredient that helps bind the cookies. Room temperature preferred.
  • Flour – Unbleached, all-purpose flour makes the best funfetti cookies.
  • Salt – This adds balance and actually makes the cookies taste, well, sweeter by bringing out all the other flavors.
  • Cream of Tartar – The secret ingredient! Cream of tartar helps the cookies rise (and the reason why cake mix cookies come out perfect)! It creates a lighter and fluffier cookie.
  • Baking Soda – Along with the cream of tartar, baking soda will add lift to the funfetti cookies as well.
  • Sprinkles – You can’t spell Funfetti without fun, and sprinkles are what makes them so special! More on sprinkles in a bit!
funfetti cookies served on a white platter

How to Make Funfetti Cookies

  1. Prep – Preheat the oven and line cookie sheet (for easy cleanup).
  2. Cream Oils and Sugars – In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, combine butter, oil and sugars until light and fluffy.
  3. Fold in Eggs – Add eggs, one at a time until just combined.
  4. Add Dry Ingredients – Add flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda until just combined.
  5. Add Sprinkles – Fold in your favorite sprinkles to add a little color and crunch.
  6. Bake – Scoop funfetti dough onto baking sheets to create even sized cookies. Bake and enjoy.
Close up of the baked cookies

Best Sprinkles to Use in Funfetti Cookies

I used regular sprinkles for these funfetti cookies, but have an array of colors and shapes in my sprinkle cabinet. It’s one of the luxuries I have since we gained a lot of space maximizing the kitchen during our remodel.

Call me a crazy sprinkle lady, but did you know that most grocery store bakeries will sell you whatever sprinkles you want, individual by shape and color? They’re so inexpensive and it gives you a lot more options than what’s typically in the baking aisle.

I like to use different color combinations depending on the occasion:

  • Christmas – Red and green sprinkles, in the shape of trees if you can find them.
  • Valentine’s Day – Red, white and pink are beautiful. The small dot sprinkles add an extra bit of finesse.
  • Birthdays – Pink, green, blue, yellow and white. Or I like to purchase the right color palette with the theme of the birthday party. This is when you can get creative!

Okay, so I am a crazy sprinkle lady, but 3 smiling faces tell me it’s all worth it!

How Long Do Homemade Funfetti Cookies Keep?

Once the cookies have cooled to room temperature, store them in an airtight container and room temperature and they will keep well for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cookies for up to 3 months. Freeze them on a baking sheet and then transfer to a freezer bag or container.

funfetti cookies baked and ready to eat

Top Tips To Make Funfetti Cookies

  • Use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough. That way they will all be the same shape and size and cook evenly.
  • When placing the cookie dough onto the sheets, leave a little gap between the as they will spread slightly.
  • The cookies are ready to come out of the oven when they edge are set and very slightly golden brown in color.
  • Use any color combination of sprinkles depending on the occasion!

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funfetti cookies on white platter
5 from 6 votes

Easy Funfetti Cookies without a Cake Mix

These easy Funfetti Cookies are made in minutes without a cake mix. Perfect for Christmas, Valentine's Day and Birthdays!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 13 minutes
Servings: 48 cookies
Pin Rate Print

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, sugars and vanilla until smooth.
  • Blend in eggs.
  • Add flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda until blended.
  • Fold in sprinkles.
  • Using a cookie scoop or large teaspoon, scoop dough onto cookie sheets. Bake 8 minutes.

Julie’s Tips

  • Use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough. That way they will all be the same shape and size and cook evenly.
  • When placing the cookie dough onto the sheets, leave a little gap between the as they will spread slightly.
  • The cookies are ready to come out of the oven when they edge are set and very slightly golden brown in color.
  • Use any color combination of sprinkles depending on the occasion.
Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 128IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    So easy and super delicious my kids love them especially with Chocolate Chips in them. Christmas Favorite for the last two years.

  2. 5 stars
    Mmm! These cookies are so yummy! Super easy recipe to follow and they turned out perfectly! Just the right amount of crunch on the outside and chewy cake flavour in the inside!