Quick No-Chill Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
Soft, buttery, and covered in festive sprinkles, these no-chill Christmas sprinkle cookies come together in about 30 minutes without a mixer or a long wait.
The dough stirs together in one bowl, you scoop, roll in sprinkles, and bake. They smell like a holiday bakery the second they hit the oven, and the outside gets a delicate crunch from the candy-like sprinkle crust.
Why These Cookies Work
These cookies hit the sweet spot between a chewy sugar cookie and a buttery shortbread. Melted butter keeps them tender for days, and rolling the dough in crunchy nonpareils gives every bite a satisfying snap.
I keep this recipe around all December because it is so forgiving. No cutouts, no royal icing, just a cheerful cookie that does exactly what you want it to do, every single time.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted: let it cool a few minutes so it does not scramble the egg.
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar: plain white sugar gives the crisp edges.
- 1 large egg, room temperature: cold egg can make the melted butter seize up.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract: use the real stuff if you have it, but imitation works fine.
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour: spoon it into the cup and level it off, do not pack.
- 1/2 tsp baking powder: this keeps the cookies soft inside.
- 1/4 tsp salt: fine sea salt balances the sweetness.
- 1/2 cup holiday nonpareils: the tiny round sprinkles, plus more for rolling.
Variations / Substitutions
- Almond extract: swap the vanilla for 1/2 tsp almond extract for a marzipan note.
- Salted butter: use it and leave out the added salt.
- Dairy-free: replace the butter with a solid vegan butter stick, not the spreadable tub kind.
- Jimmies vs nonpareils: the long sprinkles will bleed color into the dough, so stick with nonpareils if you want a clean look.
- Extra crunch: press a pinch of flaky sea salt on top right after baking.
Ugly Christmas Sweater Cookies are another dessert you’d probably love if you enjoy these cookies.
How to Make Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
Step 1: Mix the Wet Ingredients
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk the 1/2 cup melted butter and 3/4 cup sugar until the mixture looks glossy, about 1 minute. Whisk in the egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.
The mixture will be shiny and slightly thick, which tells you the sugar is dissolving into the butter. You do not need a mixer for this.
Step 2: Stir in the Dry Ingredients
Sprinkle the 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt over the wet ingredients. Stir with a spatula just until no dry pockets remain, then fold in the 1/2 cup sprinkles. The dough will be soft and a little sticky.
Resist the urge to add more flour. A soft dough is what gives the cookies their tender crumb. It will firm up slightly as it sits while you prep the rolling station.
Step 3: Shape and Coat with Sprinkles
Pour extra nonpareils into a small bowl. Scoop rounded tablespoon-sized portions of dough, roll them into balls with damp hands, then roll each ball heavily in the sprinkles until barely any dough shows through. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. You should be able to fill both sheets in under 5 minutes.
The damp hands keep the dough from sticking, and that thick sprinkle coating will turn into a crisp, candy-like shell in the oven.
Step 4: Bake Until the Edges Set
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden and the centers still look a little pale and soft. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the sheets halfway through.
The cookies will feel underdone when you pull them out, but they set up as they cool. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve them while they are still slightly warm and the sprinkle crust is crackly.
A Few Tips Before You Start
- If your kitchen is warm, the dough might get sticky. Pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes before scooping, no more.
- A 1-tablespoon cookie scoop makes consistently sized cookies and keeps your hands clean.
- Rotating the pans halfway through baking evens out any hot spots so all the cookies finish at the same time.
- For busy holiday baking, freeze shaped, uncoated dough balls on a tray, then bag them. Roll in sprinkles straight from the freezer and bake 12 to 14 minutes.
Storing Leftover Cookies
- Room temperature: Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. A slice of plain bread in the container helps them stay soft.
- Freezing baked cookies: They freeze well in a single layer inside a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my sprinkles bleed into the dough?
That usually happens with jimmies, the long rod-shaped sprinkles. Nonpareils hold their color much better in the oven.
Can I freeze the dough ahead of time?
Yes. Shape the dough into balls, skip the sprinkle coating, and freeze them on a tray. Once solid, bag them. Roll in sprinkles right before baking.
Do I need to chill the dough?
Not usually, but if the dough feels too sticky to roll, a quick 10-minute chill in the fridge makes it easier to handle.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes. Double all the ingredients and bake in batches. The cookies spread a little more from the larger batch standing time, so give them an extra inch of space on the sheet.
How do I make these gluten-free?
Use a good 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. The texture will be a bit more crumbly, but still tender.
Christmas Sprinkle Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment. Whisk melted butter and sugar until glossy, then whisk in egg and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined, then fold in 1/2 cup of the sprinkles.
- Scoop tablespoon-sized dough balls, roll between damp palms, then coat heavily in extra sprinkles and place 2 inches apart on sheets.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are just golden. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
Notes
