Do you ever randomly start to full-body panic about the fact that we’re in month eight of a global pandemic that’s not getting any better and you feel the need to block all of the outside noise out through podcasts about violent murders and cookie baking? Same here. Lucky for us, these sprinkle-filled, frosting topped Birthday Cake Cookies just happen to be the perfect diversion from the disturbing entity that is our world today.
The cookie base here is formed from a white chocolate chip Funfetti cookie dough. I made both chocolate and vanilla buttercream to go on top because making decisions is sometimes hard for me. There are more sprinkles on top because you can never have too many and these times just call for it. These cookies are as sweet as they come and they are recommended for those that love Funfetti-birthday cake-sugar-cake batter-and-sprinkles flavor profile. Although it wasn’t anyone’s birthday, making these Birthday Cake Cookies certainly eased the mental shambles for a while. After all, there’s really nothing that a good frosting swirl on a cookie won’t fix.
Birthday Cake Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups white chocolate chips
- 1 cup rainbow sprinkles plus more for topping
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 4-5 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 pinch of salt
For the Vanilla Frosting:
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened
- 3-4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 3-4 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375° F and grease cookie sheets with baking spray or line with baking mats.
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With an electric mixer, beat together the butter and the sugars until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, and then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.
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In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this mixture into the butter/sugar mixture slowly, stirring well. Then, fold in the white chocolate chips and sprinkles.
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Optional but recommended step: place the cookie dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes to chill the dough. This is helpful if your cookies tend to come out flat; they will not spread as much if the dough is chilled.
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Scoop dough into rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets for about smaller cookies. I like to make about 18 larger cookies by putting about 3-4 tablespoons of dough for each cookie. If you decide to make them large, only put about 6 on each cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes (until the edges look slightly crispy).
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While the cookies are baking, making the frosting. For the chocolate frosting, cream together the butter and cocoa powder. Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing well. Add in the vanilla and salt. Finally, add in the milk or cream, one tbsp at a time, until the frosting reaches a smooth consistency. For the vanilla frosting, follow the same process (omitting the cocoa powder, of course!) Transfer the two frostings into piping bags.
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Let the cookies cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting the cookies. If you frost them too soon, the frosting will melt. Swirl the frosting on the cookies and top with additional sprinkles. Enjoy!