Name: Crumbl Birthday Cake Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: PT-487081H31M10S
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups salted butter, softened; 1 ½ cups granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 1 ½ teaspoons cake batter flavoring; 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour (540g); 1 tablespoon baking powder; ¼ cup rainbow sprinkles, plus more for topping; 8 ounces cream cheese, softened; ¼ cup butter, softened; ½ teaspoon cake batter flavoring; 4 cups powdered sugar; 1–2 tablespoons milk (as needed)

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These Crumbl-inspired Birthday Cake Cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with cake batter flavor. Topped with creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting and colorful sprinkles, they’re the perfect treat for any celebration.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Soft and Chewy: Perfectly soft cookies with a rich cake-like texture.
Celebration-Ready: The cream cheese frosting and rainbow sprinkles make these cookies festive and fun.
Easy To Make: Simple ingredients and easy steps to make bakery-quality cookies at home.
Customize: Use more or fewer sprinkles, or change the frosting to suit your taste.

Ingredients

(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)

Cookie Dough:

1 ½ cups salted butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons cake batter flavoring
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour (540g)
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ cup rainbow sprinkles, plus more for topping

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
½ teaspoon cake batter flavoring
4 cups powdered sugar
1–2 tablespoons milk (as needed)

Directions

Preheat and Prep:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Make The Cookies:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time, followed by the cake batter flavoring. Beat until fully combined.
Gradually mix in the flour and baking powder until just combined.
Gently fold in the rainbow sprinkles using a spatula.
Shape The Dough:
Portion dough into 1/3 cup balls. Flatten each dough ball with the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to form hockey-puck shapes, about 1 inch thick. Arrange six cookies per baking sheet with room to spread.
Bake:
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the centers are puffed, the edges are set, and the tops are no longer glossy. Let cookies cool on the sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make The Frosting:
In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese, butter, and cake batter flavoring on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low to prevent splattering. Once fully incorporated, beat on medium speed until smooth. Add milk as needed to reach desired consistency.
Frost and Serve:
Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cookies in a spiral pattern, starting from the center and working outward.
Top each frosted cookie with extra rainbow sprinkles.
Enjoy!
Serve and enjoy these soft, cake-flavored treats!

Servings and Timing

Servings: 12 large cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 15-18 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: ~50 minutes

Variations

Colorful Sprinkles: Use different colored sprinkles to fit any theme.
Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free butter and cream cheese, and substitute plant-based milk for the frosting.
Chocolate Chips: Add semi-sweet chocolate chips to the dough for an extra layer of flavor.
No Frosting: Skip the frosting and enjoy as a simpler, cake-flavored cookie.

Storage/Reheating

Room Temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Refrigeration: Store in the fridge for up to 1 week (bring to room temp before serving).
Freezing: Freeze the dough or baked cookies for up to 2 months. For dough, scoop and freeze in balls, then bake from frozen.

FAQs

1. Can I use a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer?

Yes, a hand mixer works just fine to cream the butter and sugar.

2. Can I freeze the dough?

Yes, freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet, then transfer to a container once frozen. Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra minute to the baking time.

3. Can I use a different type of frosting?

Absolutely! You can use buttercream or whipped cream cheese frosting if you prefer.

4. Why do the cookies need to be flattened?

Flattening the dough helps the cookies bake evenly and prevents them from spreading too much during baking.

5. Can I skip the cake batter flavoring?

While the flavoring adds that iconic birthday cake taste, you can omit it if needed, though the flavor will be slightly different.

6. Can I add other mix-ins?

Yes—add chocolate chips, nuts, or crushed candies for additional texture and flavor.

7. How can I make these more decadent?

Top the frosted cookies with a drizzle of chocolate, caramel sauce, or edible glitter for extra flair.

8. Can I use different sprinkles?

Yes, any color or shape of sprinkles can be used for decoration.

9. How do I know when the cookies are done baking?

The cookies are done when the edges are set and golden, but the centers are still soft and slightly puffed.

10. Can I make smaller cookies?

Yes! Simply reduce the portion size to make smaller cookies and adjust the baking time (around 8-10 minutes).

Conclusion

These Crumbl Birthday Cake Cookies are everything you want in a celebration treat: soft, chewy, and loaded with cake flavor. Topped with a generous swirl of cream cheese frosting and finished with sprinkles, they’re perfect for birthdays, parties, or whenever you need a special sweet treat. Enjoy every colorful bite!

Maggie