Funfetti Cake Batter Cookies
25 min
|
easy
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
These Funfetti cake batter cookies are soft and chewy with big birthday-cake flavor and a burst of rainbow sprinkles, using cake mix so you get party vibes without the fuss.
Perfect for birthdays, bake sales, or a last-minute sweet fix, and because I do not tolerate dry cookies, a touch of sour cream keeps them extra tender.
Ingredients (20 servings)
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Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz) funfetti cake mix funfetti cake mix 1 box (15.25 oz)
- ½ cup vegetable oil vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp sour cream sour cream 1 oz
- 2 large eggs large eggs 2 ct
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 0.5 tsp
- ⅓ cup rainbow sprinkles rainbow sprinkles 1.74 oz
For Decoration
- rainbow sprinkles rainbow sprinkles 0.4 oz
How to Make Funfetti Cake Batter Cookies
-
Preheat and prep pans
Heat the oven to 350 F and set racks in the upper and lower third.
Line two sheet pans with parchment for the best spread and easy release.
-
Whisk the wet ingredients
In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
-
Add the cake mix
Sprinkle the Funfetti cake mix over the wet ingredients and fold with a spatula until no dry pockets remain.
Stop as soon as it comes together to keep the cookies tender.
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Fold in sprinkles
Gently fold in the rainbow sprinkles so the color does not smear.
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Scoop and decorate
Use a #40 scoop or about 1.5 tablespoons to portion dough into balls and place them 2 inches apart on the pans.
Dip the tops into extra sprinkles or press a few on top for a bold confetti look.
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Chill for thickness (optional)
For thicker cookies, chill the scooped dough on the pan for 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
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Bake to just set
Bake 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set, tops are puffed with tiny cracks, and centers look slightly glossy.
Rotate pans front to back and switch racks halfway for even color.
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Cool and store
Cool on the pan 5 minutes to finish setting, then transfer to a rack.
Store in a glass container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months.
Substitutions
- Vegetable oil -> melted unsalted butter
- Using melted and cooled unsalted butter gives richer flavor and slightly crisper edges, though the cookies may bake up a touch cakier and a hair thicker.
- Sour cream -> full-fat Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt
- Greek yogurt keeps the tang and tenderness with a tiny bit more chew, while unsweetened coconut yogurt makes them dairy free and adds a subtle creamy note without changing structure.
- Rainbow sprinkles -> rainbow jimmies or confetti quins
- Jimmies and quins hold color in the oven better than nonpareils, delivering the same joyful look with no bleeding and a cleaner bite.
Tips
- Portion like a pro
- A #40 scoop keeps cookie size consistent so they bake evenly and finish at the same time.
- Chill for puff and crinkle
- A short chill firms fat and slows spread, giving you thicker cookies with those cute crackly tops.
- Bake by visual cues
- Pull them when edges set and centers are still slightly glossy, because carryover heat finishes the middle for a soft chew.
- Pan choice matters
- Use light-colored aluminum lined with parchment to prevent over-browning and encourage an even spread.
- Weigh the cake mix
- If you have a scale, use 432 g for a 15.25 oz box to avoid dryness from an over-packed box or measuring error.
- Finishing touch
- Press a few extra sprinkles onto hot cookies right out of the oven for vivid color that adheres without melting.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 123 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 1 | g |
| Total Fat | 6 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 17 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- Why did my cookies spread too much?
- Warm dough or a dark pan is usually the culprit, so chill scooped dough for 20 minutes and bake on a light aluminum pan lined with parchment, not silicone, and make sure your oven is truly at 350 F.
- My dough feels too sticky to scoop, what should I do?
- Chill the bowl for 10 to 15 minutes to firm it up or lightly oil your scoop to release clean portions without adding extra flour.
- The cookies baked up dry and cakey, how can I fix that next time?
- Stop mixing as soon as the cake mix disappears, bake only until just set, and if your kitchen is very dry add 1 to 2 teaspoons milk to the dough for a softer texture.
- Can I make the dough ahead of time?
- Yes, scoop and chill the dough balls on a tray, freeze solid, then store in a bag and bake from frozen at 350 F adding 1 to 2 extra minutes.
- Can I switch up the cake mix flavor?
- Absolutely, try vanilla, yellow, strawberry, or funfetti chocolate and keep the add-ins at about 1/3 cup so the cookies do not spread oddly.
- How do I make these dairy free?
- Swap sour cream for unsweetened coconut yogurt and confirm your cake mix and sprinkles are dairy free, then bake as directed.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies play nice with a drizzle of melted white chocolate and a pinch of flaky salt, which sharpens the sweetness and gives a glossy bakeshop finish.
For a party move, sandwich two around vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbet and roll the edges in more sprinkles for a cold, crunchy halo.
More pairings:
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