Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies
These Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies combine the flavors of sugar cookies and Funfetti birthday cake candy canes into one delicious, cream cheese frosted cookie. They’re delicious cookies that are perfect for any time of year.
We love to make these cookies for all kinds of occasions, from holiday gatherings to random Tuesday nights. They’re so good, and that birthday cake flavor makes them perfect for any time at all.
Their beautiful frosted tops make them an ideal sweet treat to bring to potlucks, parties, and holiday get-togethers, while that classic flavor makes them appropriate for any occasion or for none at all. They’re perfect!
These Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies are so pretty, and they’re really delicious. They would make a great addition to a Buffet Table, or a Cookie Tray, or anywhere you decide to serve them. The bright Blue and Pink color gives these cookies such a fun vibe, and the flavors are really wonderful. You could even serve these at a Brunch, or Luncheon, and they’re sure to be a hit. Keep this one in your favorites.
Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies
These cookies add the flavor of birthday cake in a unique way. They use Funfetti candy canes! If you didn’t know they existed, you’re welcome. These candy canes have that beautiful sprinkled color scheme on a white candy cane, and they taste just like funfetti birthday cake!
We combine those candy canes with classic sugar cookies and cream cheese frosting, and what we end up with is a fusion of three amazing tastes that taste amazing together. Birthday cake, sugar cookies, and cream cheese frosting combine to make the ultimate cookies perfect for children and adults.
Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies Ingredients
It only takes a few simple baking ingredients to make these cookies. Aside from the Funfetti candy canes, you probably have most if not all of the ingredients in your kitchen right this second.
For the Cookies
- Butter – softened
- Sugar
- Vanilla
- Egg
- All purpose flour
- Baking Powder
- Funfetti candy canes – crushed
For the Frosting
- Butter – softened
- Vanilla
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Multicolored nonpareils to decorate the cookies
- Crushed funfetti candy canes to decrate the cookies
**See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies Instructions
Making these cookies is just as simple as the ingredient list. Both the cookies and the frosting are easy recipes that even beginners can make.
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough
In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg until light and fluffy. Next, combine the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl and blend well. Add the flour a little at a time to the wet ingredients with the mixer set on low. Add the crushed candy canes and mix well.
Next, remove the whisk attachment and replace it with a paddle attachment. Continue to blend the cookie dough until a smooth ball starts to farm. Scrape down the mixing bowl as needed throughout the process until a ball is created.
Step 2: Color the Cookie Dough
When the dough is finished, divide it in half and remove one half from the mixing bowl. Blend pink food gel food coloring into the dough in the mixer until it reaches your desired color intensity. Next, remove the pink dough and add the other half of the dough. Repeat the process using blue food coloring.
Step 3: Bake
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Then, roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees until the cookies start to turn a light golden brown at the edges.
To give the cookies a crinkle look, dip the flat bottom of a glass into sugar and lightly press down on the cookies about halfway through baking. This will spread them out more and give the crinkle appearance.
Finally, remove the cookies from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.
Step 4: Make the Frosting
While the cookies are cooling, blend the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer. Then, add the vanilla and heavy cream and mix well again. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, blending after each addition until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Step 5: Frost and Decorate the Cookies
Place frosting in a pastry bag with the large Star Tip. Pipe the frosting onto the fully-cooled cookies using a swirling motion and bring the center up to a point. Then, sprinkle the nonpareils and crushed funfetti candy cane pieces on top of each cookie. Let the frosting set for about 30 minutes and serve.
Hint: It’s easiest to order funfetti candy canes here for this recipe.
PIN IT!!
Storage
Because they’re frosted, these cookies will last for about 3 days in the refrigerator. You can’t freeze them. Unless you make the cookies and don’t frost them until your ready to use them. Then you can freeze them for a couple of months.
Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies Tips
This is an easy recipe to make, but even easy recipes have a few little secrets. These tips will help you make the best cookies possible. They’re easy tips, so be sure to give them a look.
Fully Softened Butter and Cream Cheese – Be sure your butter and cream cheese are fully softened. This allows you to get the light, fluffy texture you need.
Room Temperature Eggs – Room temperature eggs combine more easily and help the cookies bake up better.
Really Beat the Frosting – You can’t overmix frosting. It will just get fluffier and fluffier, so be sure you really beat it to get a great texture.
More Cookie Recipes
If you love cookies, then we have some recipes that we think you’ll really enjoy.
Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies FAQ
If you have questions about these birthday cake sugar cookies, then we have answers. This FAQ covers all the most frequently asked questions about this recipe.
What are sugar cookies?
Sugar cookies are a simple cookie dough made with sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and either baking powder or baking soda.
Why is my cream cheese frosting lumpy?
You didn’t fully soften your butter, your cream cheese, or both. If either aren’t fully softened, you’ll end up with lumpy frosting that has chunks of butter or cream cheese in it.
Why are my sugar cookies crumbly?
They’re too dry. You either accidentally added too much flour or incorrectly measured one of the wet ingredients.
How long will these cookies last?
These cookies will last for about three days in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze frosted sugar cookies?
No. This cream cheese frosting won’t tolerate freezing and then thawing.
Why do I have to refrigerate these cookies?
Unlike the icing you see on many sugar cookies left at room temperature, the frosting on these cookies is made with a cream cheese base, so it must be refrigerated.
Try These Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies Today
Whether you bake a batch of these cookies for an afternoon snack or bring them to a party, they’re always the right choice. These cookies are so tasty and so festive, and they’re easy to make. With a combination like that, there’s no reason not to try this recipe. Give it a try, and we know you’ll love them as much as we do.
MORE RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE:
Triple Chocolate Cookies
Blueberry Thumbprint Cookies
Copycat DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookies
Strawberry Kiss Cookies
Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 2 Sticks Butter – softened
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
- 8 Funfetti Candy Canes – crushed – see link
For the Frosting:
- 1 stick Butter – softened
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese – softened
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
- 1 32 ounce bag Powdered Sugar
- 1 bottle Nonpareils – multi colored – to top
- Crushed Candy Canes to top
Instructions
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, using the Whisk attachment, add the Butter, Sugar, Vanilla, and Egg, and blend until light and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, add the Flour, and Baking Powder, and stir well to blend. Add the Flour a little at a time and mix on low to blend, until all the Flour is added. Add the crushed Candy Canes, and mix well.
- Remove the Whisk attachment, and use the paddle. Continue to blend the Cookie dough until it's completely blended and a smooth ball starts to form.
- Scrape down the mixing bowl as needed. Divide the Cookie Dough in half, and remove one of the halves from the mixing bowl.
- Place 2 or 3 drops of the Pink Food Coloring Gel on the Dough in the mixing bowl, and mix on low to blend the color into the dough. Add a couple more drops of Food Coloring Gel if the Pink is not bright enough.
- When the dough is all pink, remove from the mixing bowl, and place the other half of the dough back in the mixing bowl, and drop 2 or 3 drops of the Blue Food Coloring Gel into the dough, and mix. Add more Blue Food Coloring Gel if needed, and mix until all the dough is blue.
- Line two cookie sheets with Parchment paper, and roll the cookie dough into small balls, about 1 inch balls, and place the balls on the Parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or just until the cookies start to turn a light golden brown around the edges. About half way through baking the cookies, check the oven, and the cookies may have started to crack a little. Take a flat bottom glass, dip it in Sugar before lightly applying to each cookie – smash the cookies very gently, and slightly, making them a little flatter, and spread out a little more. This will give the cookies the crinkle look.
- When the cookies are done, remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely. While cookies are cooling, make the Frosting.
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened Butter, and Cream Cheese, and blend to combine. Add the Vanilla, and Heavy Cream, and mix. Add the Powdered Sugar a little at a time, blending after each addition, until the Frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Place frosting in a pastry bag with the large Star Tip. Pipe the Frosting onto the cookies, using a swirling motion, and bring it up to a point. Sprinkle the Nonpareils and crushed Candy Cane pieces on the top of each cookie. Allow the Frosting to set or firm up a bit, about 30 minutes. Serve, and Enjoy!
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
