Funfetti Sugar Cookies ~ Barley & Sage

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These funfetti sugar cookies are soft, chewy, and perfect for any birthday celebration! They have a rich vanilla flavor and are filled with rainbow sprinkles. Chilling the dough keeps the cookies from spreading too fast so that the centers stay chewy and under-baked.

funfetti sugar cookies with rainbow sprinkles

what makes these cookies so special?

Texture – These sugar cookies are soft, chewy and have that perfect crispy edge. Best of all, they keep their texture long after they come out of the oven!

Effortless – These cookies are SO easy to make using classic pantry staples!!

Longevity – Most cookies are best eaten when fresh from the oven, but these brown butter sugar cookies are delicious no matter when you serve them. Because of how soft and buttery they are, they keep that perfect chewy texture for up to a week!

Everyone loves them! – I bake these cookies all the time, and I always get so many requests to make them for birthdays!

You might also like my funfetti birthday cake or these baked funfetti donuts!

Ingredient Notes

You just need a few simple ingredients to make these chewy funfetti sugar cookies!

Rainbow sprinkles - You can't have funfetti sugar cookies without rainbow sprinkles! Just use your favorite jimmies for these cookies! Avoid using nonpareils sprinkles because the color will bleed into the batter.
Vanilla extract - Since the primary flavor of these cookies is vanilla, I recommend using high quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Butter - For an even richer flavor, I love using brown butter in these cookies!

how to make sugar cookies

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or hand mixer, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.

Add in the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until light, fluffy, and pale in color. This should take 2-4 minutes which seems like a long time, but you'll see a huge difference in the texture afterwards.

Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until thoroughly combined. The dough should be wet and sticky and you might think you need more flour but you don't!

Gently fold in the rainbow sprinkles.

Scoop a generous 3 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. I use a size 20 cookie scoop.

Cover the dough balls and chill in the fridge overnight for best results. If you absolutely can't wait, just chill it for at least 2 hours.

Chilling the dough is super important so that the cookies don't spread!

funfetti sugar cookie dough rolled into balls

To bake, place 2-3 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Note: I only bake 5-6 cookies at a time on a half sheet pan because they're big and will spread out.

Place the rest of the cookie dough back in the fridge while the first batch bakes.

Bake at 350°F on the center rack of the oven for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers are still soft.

Remove the funfetti sugar cookies from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

why do i have to chill the dough?

Chilling the dough is super important for a few reasons!

First, letting the dough rest gives the flour time to hydrate. Eggs are the only liquid in these funfetti sugar cookies and it takes flour a long time to absorb that moisture. When the flour is hydrated it helps contain the spread of the cookie so that you get a nice set edge and soft, chewy center.

Similarly, the butter needs to be as cold as possible before baking so that the cookies don't spread too much.

But don't we want the cookies to spread? Yes, we do and they will. We just don't want them to spread too much because then you get a flat, crispy cookie instead of one with a soft, chewy center.

tips and tricks for the best cookies

Make sure your oven is the proper temperature!! Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is exactly 350°F. If the oven is too cold, the cookies will spread too much and if it's too hot they centers won't bake all the way through. For example, my oven is about 20 degrees off. So I have to set the oven to 370°F in order to get it to bake at 350°F.

Use a lightweight, light colored baking sheet for best results! Believe it or not, a lighter pan makes the cookies bake more slowly than a dark pan, which helps keep them from spreading too much. My favorite pans for baking cookies are:

You also want to use either parchment paper or silicone mats on your cookie sheet to help keep the cookies from spreading.

Bake funfetti sugar cookies one sheet at a time, on the center rack. This will ensure all your cookies cook evenly and the bottoms don't burn. Then let the cookie sheet cool completely between batches. This ensures the cookies cool evenly and don't spread too much by being put on a hot pan.

Recipe FAQ's

Why did my cookies spread so much?

The reason cookies spread too much either has to do with the dough not being chilled long enough, or improper oven temperature. Make sure the cookie dough is cold and firm before baking and use an oven thermometer to make sure the oven is exactly 350°F.

How long do these cookies stay fresh?

Store baked funfetti cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also store the dough in the fridge for up to a week and bake just a few cookies at a time, as desired.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes! Freeze pre-rolled funfetti cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, once they're frozen transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 weeks. The frozen dough can go straight from the freezer to the oven, just add 2-3 minutes to the cooking time.

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