I can never resist these Christmas Sprinkle Cookie Cups, with their colorful edges, sweet creamy centers, and instant holiday sparkle. One tray brings all the festive bakery-style charm with barely any fuss.
I’m obsessed with these Christmas Sprinkle Cookie Cups because they hit that sweet spot between cute party treat and actual, can’t-stop-eating dessert. The cookie base is buttery, soft in the center, and packed with rainbow nonpareil sprinkles, so every bite has that little pop of crunch and color.
And the filling? Sweet, creamy, and dangerously easy to swipe with a finger before it ever reaches the cookie cups.
I love how they look stacked on a holiday tray, but honestly, I love them more straight from the counter. Bright, festive, bite-size chaos.
My kind of Christmas cookie. No contest here.
Ingredients
- Butter makes the cookie cups rich, soft, and honestly kind of bakery-level.
- Granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps the edges get that tiny crisp bite.
- Brown sugar keeps the centers chewy, cozy, and a little caramel-like.
- The egg holds everything together so the cups don’t crumble apart.
- Vanilla brings that warm cookie smell you’ll notice before the first bite.
- Flour gives the dough structure, so the cups actually hold the filling.
- Baking soda helps them puff just enough without turning cakey.
- Salt keeps the sweetness in check, because yes, cookies need balance.
- Sprinkles add color, crunch, and instant Christmas party energy.
- Chocolate chips are optional, but let’s be real, they’re never a bad idea.
- Powdered sugar makes the filling smooth, sweet, and super creamy.
- Milk or cream loosens the frosting so it pipes or spoons in nicely.
- Plus, red and green sprinkles make them look festive with zero effort.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup rainbow nonpareil sprinkles, plus extra for topping
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened, for filling
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups (180 to 240 g) powdered sugar, for filling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, for filling
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, for filling
- Red and green jimmies or extra festive sprinkles for decorating
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin or line with mini paper liners and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Beat in 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined.
4. In a separate bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Fold in 1/2 cup rainbow nonpareil sprinkles and, if using, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. Do not overmix.
6. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough per cup into the prepared mini muffin tin, pressing the dough up the sides to form a cup shape. You may need to re-scoop once dough spreads during baking.
7. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden. Immediately after removing from oven, press the center of each cookie with the back of a small spoon or a melon baller to deepen the cup. Allow the cookie cups to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. While cups cool, make the filling by beating 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar until you reach desired sweetness and stiffness, then beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream to achieve a pipeable frosting consistency.
9. Spoon or pipe the filling into cooled cookie cups. Top each filled cup with extra rainbow nonpareils and red and green jimmies or other festive sprinkles for decoration. Serve and enjoy.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven
2. 24 cup mini muffin tin or mini paper liners
3. Large mixing bowls
4. Electric mixer or a sturdy whisk and hand mixer alternative
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Rubber spatula and metal spoon for folding and scooping
7. Tablespoon scoop or small cookie scoop and a melon baller or small spoon to press centers
8. Wire cooling rack and piping bag or zip top bag for filling
FAQ
Christmas Sprinkle Cookie Cups Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Unsalted butter (cookie dough) -> Salted butter: use same amount and reduce added salt in recipe by about 1/4 teaspoon to avoid over-salting.
- 1 large egg -> Flax egg for vegan option: mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes; keeps texture slightly chewier.
- All-purpose flour -> Gluten free 1-to-1 flour blend: use equal weight replacement and add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum if blend does not already contain it to help structure.
- Powdered sugar (for filling) -> Homemade powdered sugar: blend 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch until very fine; use same volume as commercial powdered sugar.
Pro Tips
1. Soften the butter just enough so it creams easily but is not greasy. If it is too soft the cookie cups will spread and lose their shape; if it is too cold they will be dense. Aim for a cool, pliable texture that yields with gentle pressure.
2. Scoop and press quickly. The dough will relax and spread as it warms, so fill the muffin cups and shape the walls without dawdling. If you notice excessive spreading during baking, re-scoop while the cookies are still warm to rebuild the cup walls.
3. Use a small piping bag or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped for the filling. It makes portioning neater, gets the frosting deep into the cups, and avoids overfilling. If the frosting seems too soft, chill it briefly to firm up before piping.
4. Prefer nonpareils for the dough and decoration when you want crisp, colorful spots. Jimmies can bleed or soften during mixing and may affect texture. Add chocolate chips only if you like pockets of chocolate; they can weigh cups down, so use minis sparingly.
5. Store finished cookie cups in a single layer at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate if your filling contains cream. Bring refrigerated cookies to room temperature before serving so the filling is soft and the cookie is tender.
Christmas Sprinkle Cookie Cups Recipe
I can never resist these Christmas Sprinkle Cookie Cups, with their colorful edges, sweet creamy centers, and instant holiday sparkle. One tray brings all the festive bakery-style charm with barely any fuss.
12
servings
534
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven
2. 24 cup mini muffin tin or mini paper liners
3. Large mixing bowls
4. Electric mixer or a sturdy whisk and hand mixer alternative
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Rubber spatula and metal spoon for folding and scooping
7. Tablespoon scoop or small cookie scoop and a melon baller or small spoon to press centers
8. Wire cooling rack and piping bag or zip top bag for filling
Ingredients
-
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
-
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
-
3/4 cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar
-
1 large egg
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
-
1 teaspoon baking soda
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
1/2 cup rainbow nonpareil sprinkles, plus extra for topping
-
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips (optional)
-
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened, for filling
-
1 1/2 to 2 cups (180 to 240 g) powdered sugar, for filling
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, for filling
-
1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, for filling
-
Red and green jimmies or extra festive sprinkles for decorating
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin or line with mini paper liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Beat in 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined.
- In a separate bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
- Fold in 1/2 cup rainbow nonpareil sprinkles and, if using, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. Do not overmix.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough per cup into the prepared mini muffin tin, pressing the dough up the sides to form a cup shape. You may need to re-scoop once dough spreads during baking.
- Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden. Immediately after removing from oven, press the center of each cookie with the back of a small spoon or a melon baller to deepen the cup. Allow the cookie cups to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While cups cool, make the filling by beating 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar until you reach desired sweetness and stiffness, then beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream to achieve a pipeable frosting consistency.
- Spoon or pipe the filling into cooled cookie cups. Top each filled cup with extra rainbow nonpareils and red and green jimmies or other festive sprinkles for decoration. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 114g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 534kcal
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0.9g
- Polyunsaturated: 1g
- Monounsaturated: 6.3g
- Cholesterol: 76mg
- Sodium: 201mg
- Potassium: 70mg
- Carbohydrates: 72g
- Fiber: 1.1g
- Sugar: 53g
- Protein: 3.3g
- Vitamin A: 735IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 12mg
- Iron: 0.5mg
