Description
These Christmas Cookie Sparkles are super soft and creamy cream cheese sugar cookies rolled in colorful sprinkles, perfect for festive celebrations and holiday treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 ounces (57g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Topping
- 3/4 cup (150g) sprinkles (sanding sugar, nonpareils, and/or jimmies)
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl until combined. Set aside.
- Mix Butter and Cream Cheese: In a large bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the softened butter and cream cheese together on high speed until relatively smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add Sugar and Flavorings: Add the granulated sugar to the butter and cream cheese mixture and beat until combined and creamy. Then add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat on high speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to blend all ingredients evenly.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will be thick.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 3-4 days. If chilling longer than 2-3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling so the dough softens and cookies will spread properly during baking.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Shape and Coat Cookies: Pour sanding sugar or sprinkles into a bowl or multiple bowls if using different colors. Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon-sized balls, then roll each ball in the sprinkles to coat fully. Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently press each ball down slightly using the back of a measuring cup or drinking glass to flatten.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 12-13 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned.
- Cool Cookies: Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store: Store cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week to keep them fresh.
Notes
- Use full-fat cream cheese for the best soft and creamy texture.
- Letting chilled dough sit at room temperature before rolling helps cookies spread properly.
- You can mix different kinds and colors of sprinkles for a festive look.
- Make sure butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature to ensure smooth mixing.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats for easy cookie removal and even baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
