Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat softened butter and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla, and optional almond extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients on low speed. Stop when the flour disappears, then gently fold in ½ cup of sprinkles.
- Scoop approximately 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie. Roll into balls, press the tops into extra sprinkles, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange dough balls 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the edges set and the centers look slightly soft. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
For soft cookies, measure flour carefully, avoid overmixing, and remove the cookies when their edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. Chill the dough for 30 minutes to prevent excessive spreading. Use jimmies sprinkles for the best color and texture. For a peppermint variation, replace the optional almond extract with 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract. For orange vanilla cookies, add 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest. For white chocolate cookies, add 1/3 cup white chocolate chips and reduce the sprinkles inside the dough to 1/3 cup. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Refrigerate homemade dough for 2–4 days, or freeze portioned dough or baked cookies for up to 2 months. Bake frozen dough balls with approximately 1–2 additional minutes as needed.