Soft Butter Sugar Cookies with Sprinkles Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, measure all ingredients and let the egg and egg yolk come to room temperature if possible—this helps them emulsify into the melted butter smoothly. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Have a cookie scoop or a tablespoon ready for portioning. The dough comes together quickly, so having everything in place makes the process effortless. If using vanilla bean paste, give the jar a stir before measuring.

Instructions

Mix the Dough

1. 1Mix the Wet Ingredients
   In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla bean paste until the batter is pale and smooth.
   Look for The mixture should look creamy and slightly thickened, with no streaks of egg.
   Tip Whisking for the full 2 minutes helps dissolve the sugar and creates a shiny, soft dough.
2. 2Add the Dry Ingredients
   Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Gently fold in the sprinkles, being careful not to overmix.
   Look for The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, with sprinkles evenly distributed.
   Tip Overmixing can make the cookies tough; stop as soon as the flour disappears.

After mixing, the batter should be smooth, glossy, and pale in color. Whisking for the full two minutes makes the sugar dissolve and gives the cookies a shiny, crisp crust.

The dough will be soft and slightly sticky but should hold together when scooped. The sprinkles should be evenly distributed without streaks of flour.

Shape and Chill

3. 3Scoop and Roll the Dough
   Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough into 12 equal balls. Roll each ball in the granulated sugar until fully coated. Place the sugared dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
   Look for Each ball should be evenly coated with sugar for a crackly, sparkly crust.
   Tip For uniform cookies, use a cookie scoop and level the top with your finger.
4. 4Chill the Dough
   Refrigerate the baking sheet with the dough balls for 30 minutes. Chilling solidifies the butter, which helps the cookies spread less and stay thick and soft in the center.
   Look for The dough balls should feel firm to the touch before baking.
   Tip Chilling is essential for thick, soft cookies; don't skip this step.

The dough balls should be uniform in size and fully coated in granulated sugar. They should feel firm after chilling, not soft or sticky. The sugar coating should look sparkly and even, with no bare spots. The baking sheet should be lined with parchment to prevent sticking.

Bake and Cool

5. 5Bake the Cookies
   Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the chilled cookies for 13 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look soft and slightly underdone. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
   Look for The edges should be firm and the centers should look puffed and moist, not raw.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for even browning.
6. 6Cool and Serve
   Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, or enjoy warm while the centers are extra soft.
   Look for The cookies should be slightly crackly on top and soft when gently pressed.
   Tip For the softest texture, serve warm within 15 minutes of baking.

The cookies should be golden around the edges and pale in the center, with a crackly, sugary top. The kitchen should smell of butter and vanilla. After cooling for 5 minutes on the sheet, the cookies should be firm enough to transfer to a wire rack without breaking, but still soft in the middle.

Common mistakes

A common mistake is overmixing the dough once the flour is added, which develops gluten and makes the cookies tough. Mix just until no dry streaks remain. Another issue is skipping the chill—without it, the cookies spread into thin, crispy discs.

If the dough is too sticky to roll, chill it for an extra 10 minutes. Finally, do not overbake: pulling the cookies out when the centers look underdone is the key to soft cookies. They will finish setting as they cool.

How to tell it’s done

The cookies are done when the edges are set and lightly golden, but the centers still look soft, puffy, and slightly underdone. This usually takes about 13 minutes in a 350°F oven. The internal temperature of the cookies should reach at least 160°F (71°C) to ensure the eggs are fully cooked.

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes—they will continue to set as they cool. The tops should be crackly, and a gentle press with a finger should leave a slight indent without the cookie feeling raw.

• Egg dishes: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part