How to Make Perfect Birthday Cake Cookies: A Sweet, Easy Treat!
Here’s the truth: I didn’t bake these Birthday Cake Cookies for a party. I made them on a random Wednesday, when the week felt long and the sky was gray, and I just needed a reason to smile.
Servings: 18
Calories: 210kcal
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup cooking oil
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ⅓ cup rainbow sprinkles
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3½ cups powdered sugar adjust to your preferred consistency
- 4 tablespoons sprinkles
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking pans with parchment paper. Now you’re ready to make those cookies come to life!
- In a large bowl, mix together the vanilla cake mix, cooking oil, eggs, and almond extract until smooth. Once everything is well combined, gently fold in the sprinkles to give your dough some color and fun.
- Scoop the dough with a 1½-inch cookie scoop and place it on the baking sheets, ensuring there’s a 2-inch space between each one. They’ll spread out a bit, so give them room to grow!
- Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes. Once the edges are golden and the cookies puff up, they’re done. Be vigilant, they should be soft and chewy, not crunchy, so take them out the moment the edges brown.
- Give the cookies 2-3 minutes to cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to a rack. Be patient, they need time to firm up and cool completely before you frost them.
- As the cookies cool, blend together the cream cheese, butter, and extracts until the mixture is perfectly creamy and smooth. Taste it (because why not?), and then slowly add in the powdered sugar, about half a cup at a time, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Once the cookies are cool, pipe or spread the frosting onto each one. Start from the edges and swirl toward the center, it’s okay if it’s not perfect, just have fun with it!
- Top the cookies with sprinkles to finish them off with that fun, colorful birthday touch.
- And just like that, your homemade Birthday Cake Cookies are ready to enjoy!
Notes
- When baking, don’t forget to check the cookies at the 9-minute mark.
- Be gentle when folding in the sprinkles to keep them from bleeding into the dough.
- To achieve smooth, even frosting, don’t rush the process—let the sugar incorporate slowly for the fluffiest result.
- Don’t skip the parchment paper. It simplifies cleanup and ensures your cookies won't stick!