Last Updated on January 9, 2023 by Kathryn Donangelo
Birthday Cake Cookies are perfectly sweet, chewy and have an unforgettable buttery flavor. Loaded with chocolate chips, sprinkles and the same flavors of a classic birthday cake! These cookies are made in one bowl and require no chilling. Make these homemade birthday cake cookies from scratch for any occasion, everyone will love them.
Be sure to try my Birthday Cake Cheesecake and Birthday Cake Rice Krispie Treats!
PIN Birthday Cake Cookies to try later!
BIRTHDAY CAKE COOKIES
I love any excuse to make cookies, especially these Birthday Cake Cookies because it’s my birthday week! I’m not much of a cake person so cookies are always preferred when it comes to indulging in treats. This year is an extra special birthday to me because it will be my first time celebrating as a Mom with our sweet baby girl, Gianna. She also happens to be my blogging assistant and watches me make every thing I blog ;).
These Birthday Cake Cookies are better than any other birthday cake I’ve had! The flavors reminiscent of a classic birthday cake and you don’t have to go through the trouble of making an entire cake baked from scratch. Plus, these cookies take 20 minutes to make, are made in one bowl and don’t require any chilling.
You can bake these Birthday Cake Cookies for any special occasion or for whenever you are craving cake or just want a deliciously sprinkled cookie. These Funfetti Cake Mix Cookie Bars, Sprinkle Cookies and Cake Batter Cookies are also perfect and fun to celebrate a birthday or special occasion.
INGREDIENTS
- Butter: unsalted and make sure the butter is at room temperature, not melted or too soft. If the butter is too soft the cookies will get flattened.
- Sugar and brown sugar: the perfect combination of sweetness. The brown sugar makes these cookies chewy.
- Eggs and egg yolk: binds the dough together and the extra yolk adds richness.
- Vanilla and almond extract: adds flavor and enhances all of the flavors together.
- All-purpose flour: you could also use whole wheat flour as a healthier alternative.
- Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix: gives these cookies the “birthday cake” flavor.
- Baking powder: makes these cookies rise and form the perfect cookie shape.
- Salt: balances the sweetness.
HOW TO MAKE BIRTHDAY CAKE COOKIES
HOW TO STORE COOKIE DOUGH
These cookies can be made into cookie balls and stored in the refrigerator or freezer until you want you bake them. Having pre-made cookie dough on hand at all times is always a good idea. You will be thanked later for this, trust me! You can either store the dough or make into cookie dough balls.
Store in the refrigerator: store cookie dough balls on a baking sheet or an airtight container for up to 3 days. Store dough in a large heavy duty ziplock bag, airtight container or bowl covered with plastic wrap. Cookie dough will stay good for up to 2-3 days.
Store in the freezer: place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour or until completely frozen. Transfer the cookie dough to an airtight container or large ziplock bag. Store for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before baking cookies,
Once you try these Birthday Cake Cookies you’ll request them every year! You can now have Birthday Cake and Birthday Cookies because why not?!
Sprinkles always make every dessert better and I love adding sprinkles in the dough and on top for more color.
Wondering how these cookies taste like birthday cake? The secret ingredient is the vanilla pudding mix. Adding vanilla pudding mix adds a unique vanilla flavor (similar to birthday cake or cake mix). It also makes these cookies soft and extra fluffy.
Other delicious cookies to try with pudding mix are Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies, Cake Batter Cookies (Funfetti Cookies) and Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies.
BIRTHDAY CAKE COOKIE VARIATIONS
Birthday Ice Cream Sandwiches: add softened vanilla ice cream or cake batter flavored ice cream between two cookies. Roll them into sprinkles for even more fun!
Dip half of each cookie in chocolate: dip in milk chocolate, white chocolate or dark chocolate. You could also do a combination of chocolate!
Drizzle cookies with chocolate: instead of dunking cookies in chocolate. Drizzle melted chocolate on top of baked cookies.
Frosted Birthday Cake Cookies: spread buttercream, vanilla or chocolate frosting on top of the cookies. Then top with more sprinkles and chocolate chips.
Frosted Cookie Sandwiches: add the frosting in between two of the cookies.
Some other treats that could be made for a birthday celebration are my One Bowl Brownes, Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars and M&M Cookies. Simply add sprinkles to the batter or dough!
THE BEST COOKIES FOR ANY OCCASION
These Birthday Cake Cookies don’t have to be made just fort birthday. Bake these for any special occasion, holiday or just because. Swap out the rainbow sprinkles and use themed sprinkles for the occasion. Enjoy these cookies for:
- Christmas
- Halloween
- Graduation party
- Schools out
- Baby shower
- Wedding shower or wedding
- Just because
STORE LEFTOVER BAKED COOKIES
Store leftover baked cookies in an airtight container in a cool area for up to 1 week. I doubt they will last that long though!
LOOKING FOR OTHER CLASSIC DESSERT RECIPES? TRY THESE!
- Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
- 5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- S’mores Cookies
- Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Italian Ricotta Cookies (made with sprinkles)
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies (made with cake mix)
- Thin Mint Cookies
- Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes
- White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
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Birthday Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter unsalted and at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 3.4 oz.box vanilla instant pudding mix
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Add in the egg, egg yolk and extracts. Mix until fully combined.
- Mix in flour, vanilla pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Be sure not to over-mix and occasionally scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Once the cookie dough has formed add in the chocolate chips and sprinkles. Stir until completely incoporatated in the cookie dough. The dough should seem fluffy and not sticky.
- Scoop cookie dough with a mini ice cream scoop (or 2 tablespoon of dough per cookie). Place cookie dough 2 inches apart on nonstick cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are a light golden brown color. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
- Optional: top cookie dough balls with additional chocolate chips and sprinkles for decoration.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up one week in a cool area.
- Store cookie dough or balls in freezer for up to 3 months. Let cookie dough thaw completely before baking.Â
- Make these cookies for any occasion by using different colored sprinkles. Use green and red for Christmas, orange and black for Halloween, blue and pink for a Baby shower, or any other themed party or occasion colors.
Thanks. These look really colorful and classy and perfect for my kids Birthday parties. Delicious, chocolaty and yummy.
🙂 thank you!
Fam really loves it! Highly recommended! Tasted really amazing and super easy to make! Thanks a bunch for sharing this recipe, will have this again! Well done!
Thank you so much! Thanks for trying my recipe!
These cookies are genius! Make up a batch for smaller parties or as another option for bigger birthday parties.
Yes that would be perfect! 🙂 Thank you!
Love these cookies! So easy and perfect every time!
Thank you!
These are my new favorite cookies! I just made them and they are so delicious, soft and gooey inside! Going to add them to my favorite cookie list!
Woohoo! Love that, thank you!
These are so much fun! I made them for my kids to take to school, and all their friends loved the cookies. I will definitely be making these birthday cake cookies again.
How fun! I’m sure the kiddos all loved these colorful and fun treats!
At first, I was mesmerized by how cute these cookies are, but once I tasted them I was convinced that the real feat of this recipe is the taste and texture! Great work
Thank you so much!!
My daughter saw these and HAD to make them. So bright and colorful, they really cheered up our day (and our stomachs)!
That is so great to hear! 🙂
Yesss, I love these. One of my favorite ice cream flavors is the birthday cake flavor, I’m a fan of that “yellow cake” taste and sprinkles always make everything better for me.
🙂 this is such a fun recipe!
These cookies are a child’s dream come true! I made them, and they turned to be delicious! I love that you added confetti to the dough and also on top.
They are so fun and colorful! So glad you made these, thank you! 🙂