Chocolate Covered Sprinkle Cookies are the perfect blend of whimsy and indulgence, combining the crisp texture of a cookie with the smooth richness of chocolate. Each bite delivers a delightful crunch of colorful sprinkles, adding a playful touch to the decadent treat. Ready in just 40 minutes, these cookies are as much fun to make as they are to eat.
With a soft center and a slightly firm exterior, these cookies offer a satisfying contrast that melts in your mouth. The milk chocolate coating provides a creamy finish, while the sprinkles bring a burst of sweetness and joy. Perfect for parties or a sweet afternoon pick-me-up, these cookies are guaranteed to brighten any moment.
Ingredients for Chocolate Covered Sprinkle Cookies
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 ¼ cups (295 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers (or 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips + ½ tsp shortening as a substitute)
- ½-1 cup nonpareils (for sprinkling)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a KitchenAid mixer or with an electric hand mixer, beat the butter until well-creamed.
- Add the sugar to the mixing bowl and beat with the butter until well combined (about 30 seconds).
- Stir in the vanilla extract and salt, mixing until well-combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
- Add the egg yolk and beat until combined.
- With the mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add the flour until well-incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl several times, as the mixture will be dry and crumbly.
- Transfer the dough to a clean surface and use your hands to form it into a cohesive ball. Flatten into a disk (about 1″ thick), cover with clear wrap, and chill for 15 minutes.
- Once chilled, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it out to about ¼” thickness using a lightly floured rolling pin.
- Lightly flour your cookie cutters and cut out shapes, transferring them to an ungreased cookie sheet. Re-combine the scraps, roll out, and cut out more shapes to maximize the number of cookies.
- Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes (longer for larger cookies). Allow the cookies to cool completely before dipping in chocolate.
- Prepare the chocolate by placing the melting wafers (or chocolate chips and shortening) in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until fully melted.
- Dip the cookies in the melted chocolate as desired (press the face into the chocolate or spread it directly onto the cookies). Immediately sprinkle with nonpareils or dip the chocolate side into a shallow dish of nonpareils.
- Allow the chocolate to harden completely before serving.
Creative Serving Suggestions
These Chocolate Covered Sprinkle Cookies are as delightful to serve as they are to eat! Arrange them on a colorful platter for birthday parties or holiday gatherings. For a festive touch, pair them with hot cocoa or a glass of milk. Want to impress guests? Stack them in a glass jar tied with a ribbon for a charming homemade gift.
Storage Tips for Freshness
To keep your cookies crisp and the chocolate glossy, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Separate layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. For longer storage, freeze the cookies (without chocolate) for up to 1 month, and dip them in chocolate just before serving.
Fun Recipe Variations
Switch things up by using white chocolate or milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate for dipping. Add a hint of flavor by mixing 1 tsp of cinnamon or orange zest into the dough. For a nutty twist, sprinkle crushed toasted almonds or pecans over the chocolate before it sets. The possibilities are endless!
Time-Saving Tricks
To speed up the process, roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper—this eliminates the need for extra flour and cleanup. If you’re in a hurry, skip the rolling pin and press the dough into a ¼-inch thick rectangle using your hands. For quicker chilling, pop the dough in the freezer for 5-7 minutes instead of the fridge.
Essential Equipment Tips
A stand mixer or hand mixer makes creaming the butter and sugar a breeze. Use silicone baking mats or parchment paper on your cookie sheets for easy removal. For clean chocolate dipping, a fork or dipping tool works wonders. And don’t forget a rolling pin with thickness guides to ensure even cookies every time!
Chocolate Covered Sprinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp shortening
- cup Nonpareils for sprinkling 1/2-1
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In KitchenAid mixer or with electric hand-mixer beat your butter until well-creamed.
- Add sugar to the mixing bowl and beat with the butter until well combined (about 30 seconds).
- Stir in vanilla extract and salt, stirring until well-combined, and scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula to ensure ingredients are well-incorporated.
- Add egg yolk and beat until combined.
- With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add flour until well-incorporated (you will definitely need to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl several times for this, as the mixture is fairly dry and crumbs tend to settle at the bottom of the bowl).
- Transfer dough to clean surface and use your hands to form it into a cohesive ball.
- Flatten into a disk (about 1″ thick), cover with clear wrap, and chill for 15 minutes.
- Once dough has chilled, transfer it to a clean, lightly floured surface and use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out to about 1/4″ thickness.
- Lightly flour your cookie cutters and cut out your shapes, transferring them to ungreased cookie sheet.
- Once you have cut out all of the shapes that you can, be sure to re-combine the scraps and roll out and cut out again to get the maximum number of cookies from your dough.
- Bake on 350F for 10-12 minutes (longer if you are using larger cookie cutters) and allow cookies to cool completely before dipping in chocolate.
- Prep chocolate by placing melting wafers (or chocolate chips and shortening) in microwave-safe bowl and microwaving at 15 second increments and stirring in between.
- Dip cookies in chocolate as desired (I preferred to hold the bottom of the cookie and press the face into the chocolate, it may be easier to spread the chocolate directly on to the cookies if you are using chocolate chips/shortening instead of melting wafers) and then immediately sprinkle with nonpareils or dip chocolate-side down into shallow dish of nonpareils (the bottom of the dish should be completely covered with the nonpareils if dipping).
- Allow chocolate to harden before serving.