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You are here: Home » Recipes » Dessert » Pudding Cookies with Sprinkles

Pudding Cookies with Sprinkles

Dessert

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Christmas pudding cookies with sprinkles, incredibly soft (pinterest image)

Christmas sprinkle pudding cookies are soft, chewy, and easy to make in under 30 minutes with no chill time. A tasty and easy Christmas sprinkle cookie recipe for your Christmas party.

The instant vanilla pudding mix in the cookie dough gives these Christmas cookies a rich vanilla flavor and incredible softness that will make them the hit of any cookie exchange.

Soft christmas sprinkle cookies on large white plate and a smaller serving on small white plate with cup of coffee next to it

This recipe will make about 60 cookies, making it perfect for a crowd.

However, if you prefer a variety of cookies you can use this same pudding cookie dough to make 4 different varieties of Christmas cookies: jam thumbprint cookies, soft frosted Christmas cookies, hidden kiss cookies, and these yummy sprinkle cookies.

Round cookies with red, green and white sprinkles stacked on a serving plate

Ingredients

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

Two sticks of butter, bowl of flour, bowl of shortening, 2 eggs, box of vanilla pudding mix, bowl of granulated sugar, baking powder, bottle of vanilla, and red, white, and green sprinkles scatted all around

You will need:

  • Butter & shortening – I like to use a combo of unsalted butter and shortening for this recipe.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla extract – Use 100% pure vanilla extract for best taste.
  • All-purpose flour
  • Vanilla pudding mix – A 3.4 ounce box of instant vanilla pudding mix. Make sure you don’t grab cook & serve pudding my mistake, it is not the same and won’t work for this recipe. 
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Christmas sprinkles – We used a red, green, and white sprinkle mix like this one, but you can use any color that you prefer.

How to Make

This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below. 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set them aside.

Step 2: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer and large bowl, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy (4-5 minutes).

Step 3: Beat in eggs, vanilla, and instant pudding mix.

Large mixing bowl and electric mixer with creamed sugar and butter and pudding mix, egg, and vanilla extract added.

Step 4: In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, a little at a time, mixing between additions.

Handheld electric mixer on the side of a large mixing bowl with butter mixture and dry ingredients being gradually added.

Step 5: Place sprinkles in a small, shallow bowl. Using a cookie scoop or a heaping Tablespoon, scoop cookie dough out and roll in your hands to form a ball. Place the dough ball in the bowl of sprinkles and roll to coat in sprinkles. Place onto prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

2 image collage. On left: sprinkles on plate with ball of dough in center. On right, sprinkle-covered dough balls on cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Step 6: Bake for 12-15 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully.

Soft vanilla pudding cookies with Christmas sprinkles on white serving platter

Storage

Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the cookies for up to 3 months.

FAQ

Why does this recipe call for butter and shortening? Can I use just one or the other?

I prefer to use a combination of butter and shortening for these pudding cookies. The shortening helps prevent the cookies from overspreading in the oven while the butter gives the cookies that real butter flavor. That said, you can use 1 cup of butter and skip the shortening, but the cookies will spread more and come out flatter. They will still taste yummy though!

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes, to freeze the pudding cookie dough wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer baggie. IT will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight before baking.

Can you roll these out and use cookie cutters?

Unfortunately, these cookies would not hold their shape well enough to be good cut-out cookies. You would need a recipe with a sturdy dough like these cut-out sugar cookies or shortbread cookies.

Sprinkle pudding cookies stacked 3 cookies on top of one another, with one cookie leaning on its side.

More Christmas Cookie Favorites

  • Christmas Cookie Bars with M&Ms
  • Soft Gingerbread Cookies
  • Classic No Bake Cookies
  • Christmas Snowballs with M&Ms
  • Peppermint Pinwheels
  • Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies
Soft vanilla pudding cookies with Christmas sprinkles on white serving platter

Christmas Sprinkle Pudding Cookies

Christmas sprinkle pudding cookies are soft, full of rich vanilla flavor, and easy to make in under 30 minutes with no chill time.
4.50 from 312 votes

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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes minutes
Servings: 60 cookies
Calories: 91kcal
Author: Jaclyn Shimmel
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Ingredients

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¼ cup shortening
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup Christmas sprinkles

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
  • Using a stand mixer or hand mixer and large bowl, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy (4-5 minutes).
  • Beat in eggs, vanilla, and instant pudding mix.
  • In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, a little at a time, mixing between additions.
  • Place sprinkles in a small, shallow bowl. Using a cookie scoop or a heaping Tablespoon, scoop cookie dough out and roll in your hands to form a ball. Place the dough ball in the bowl of sprinkles and roll to coat in sprinkles. Place onto prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully.

Notes

Storage: Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage freeze cookies for up to 3 months.
Make ahead: The cookie dough can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake, up to 3 days. Or the cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 91kcal

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by a third party and intended to serve as an estimate only. The accuracy of nutritional information is not guaranteed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please rate the recipe and leave a comment on the blog or share on social media and tag @crayonsandcravings!
Christmas pudding cookies with sprinkles, incredibly soft (pinterest image)
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By Jaclyn Shimmel | 10/22/2021
Filed Under: Dessert, Recipes Tagged With: Christmas, Cookies

« Thumbprint Pudding Cookies
Hidden Kiss Pudding Cookies »

Comments

  1. Kenj says

    12/03/2022 at 3:22 pm

    Could you use these as a base for a thumbprint cookie?

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/04/2022 at 3:02 pm

      Absolutely, that is just what I did in this recipe.

      Reply
  2. Darla says

    12/04/2022 at 1:04 am

    Is it possible to use the sanding sugar instead of sprinkles?

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/04/2022 at 2:55 pm

      Yes, sanding sugar would work as well.

      Reply
  3. Lacy says

    12/04/2022 at 9:21 am

    Would these be good for a Christmas cookie exchange party? I just don’t want these to be a ball if i package them to hand out being how soft these are.

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/04/2022 at 2:54 pm

      They would be great for an exchange. I would suggest packaging them in a box, tin, or tray covered with plastic wrap.

      Reply
  4. Marisa says

    12/08/2022 at 9:02 pm

    These look great! What can I use instead of shortening?

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/09/2022 at 8:21 am

      Butter can be used but it can cause them to spread more in the oven. That is why I like to use part butter and part shortening.

      Reply
  5. Kay says

    12/09/2022 at 12:37 pm

    could I leave shorting out of the recipe? if so how will effect the baking outcome?

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/09/2022 at 1:12 pm

      The cookies wouldn’t be as soft and tender. I would suggest substituting with butter instead of simply omitting the shortening.

      Reply
  6. Pburke says

    12/10/2022 at 3:05 pm

    these cookies are really good! but even though I used the butter & Cresco shortening they didn’t stay in a ball form. why would that happen? still they passed my husband’s taste test!!
    ty

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/11/2022 at 12:34 pm

      I am glad that your husband enjoyed them 🙂 It sounds like they came out just right– these cookies are soft and spread while baking, unlike snowball cookies which stay in a ball shape.

      Reply
  7. Mel says

    12/11/2022 at 1:21 pm

    When you refrigerate, should the dough be brought to room temperature before baking? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/11/2022 at 4:00 pm

      Nope– straight from the fridge to the oven 🙂

      Reply
  8. Olivia says

    12/12/2022 at 2:14 pm

    Is it salted or unsalted butter?

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/17/2022 at 2:48 pm

      I used unslated but you can use either. If using salted butter I would halve the amount of added salt (or leave it out entirely if you prefer).

      Reply
  9. Betty says

    12/12/2022 at 3:13 pm

    If baking now for Christmas , do they have to be frozen or refrigerated. Can I just keep them in an airtight container

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/17/2022 at 12:34 pm

      If you want to store them for longer than 5 days I would suggest freezing them.

      Reply
  10. Lindsey says

    12/12/2022 at 8:41 pm

    Followed recipe and cookies came out flatter than yours. Should this dough be chilled before baking? Going to try with the next batch!

    Reply
    • Jaclyn Shimmel says

      12/17/2022 at 2:54 pm

      I hope that they still tasted delicious 🙂

      I have heard many people having trouble with cookies overspreading lately and think that the differences in butter may be to blame. I am curious what kind of butter you used and if you used butter and shortening or 100% butter?

      Also, I do not typically refrigerate the dough for these cookies before baking them but I have once or twice when I prepped the dough ahead of time to bake the next day. I didn’t notice much of a difference in the rise. It certainly can’t hurt to try though.

      Reply
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