Birthday Cake Cookies
These soft and chewy Birthday Cake Cookies start with a box of yellow cake mix and are packed with colorful sprinkles and sweet vanilla flavor. Topped with a simple homemade frosting, they’re a fun and easy treat perfect for birthdays or any sprinkle-filled celebration.
Easy Frosted Birthday Cake Cookies
My birthday is coming up at the end of the month, and I wanted to bake something fun to celebrate. Naturally, I decided to make one of my favorite treats: frosted cake mix cookies, but make them party style. These cake mix birthday cookies start with a yellow cake mix base, just like my Snickers Cookies and Pot of Gold Cookies. The texture is soft, chewy, and just the right amount of sweet. I wanted something easy but still special, and these cookies are exactly that.
Of course, I couldn’t leave out the sprinkles. I might have a slight obsession! I’ve collected over 50 bottles of different kinds because I really do think they make everything more fun. I finished these cookies with a quick vanilla buttercream, similar to the frosting on my Bear Paw Cookies, and then loaded them up with rainbow sprinkles for that classic birthday vibe.
Ingredients
- Yellow cake mix – The shortcut base that gives these cookies their classic cake flavor.
- Canola or vegetable oil – Keeps the cookies soft and chewy.
- Eggs – Help bind everything together.
- Rainbow sprinkles – For color, crunch, and fun.
- Unsalted butter – Makes the frosting rich and creamy.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Milk – Thins the frosting to a spreadable texture.
- Vanilla extract – Adds that classic vanilla frosting flavor.
- Pinch of salt – Cuts the sweetness in the frosting just a bit.
How to Make the Frosted Cake Mix Cookies
- Prep – Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the dough – In a large bowl, stir together the yellow cake mix, oil, and eggs until a thick dough forms. Fold in the sprinkles.
- Scoop and bake – Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until the edges are set but the centers still look soft.
- Cool completely – Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the frosting – Beat the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat until fluffy, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Frost and decorate – Once the cookies are cool, frost each one with a generous swipe of vanilla buttercream and top with extra rainbow sprinkles.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use white cake mix – You can swap in white cake mix, but I think yellow gives the best flavor. If using white, reduce the oil to 6 tablespoons to keep the dough from getting too soft.
- Change up the sprinkles – Use seasonal or themed sprinkles to match any celebration. Stick with jimmies, since nonpareils tend to bleed into the dough.
- Add chocolate chips – Fold in up to 1 cup of white chocolate chips for an extra treat.
- Use canned frosting – In a pinch, you can use your favorite canned vanilla frosting instead of homemade. Let the cookies cool completely before spreading it on.
- Try a homemade twist – Swap the vanilla buttercream for cream cheese frosting like I use in my Polar Bear Face Cookies, or go with a white chocolate version similar to my Jack Skellington Cookies.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overbake – The cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when you take them out. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
- Stick with jimmies – Other types of sprinkles, like nonpareils, can bleed into the dough.
- Cool completely before frosting – Frosting warm cookies will cause it to melt and slide off.
- Adjust the frosting texture – If the frosting is too thick, add a little more milk. If it’s too thin, beat in more powdered sugar.
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Birthday Cake Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles (plus more for decorating)
Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, oil, and eggs until a thick dough forms. Stir in the sprinkles.
- Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to drop dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, then beat until fluffy, adding milk as needed to reach a spreadable texture.
- Once the cookies are cool, frost each one and top with extra sprinkles
Notes
- Store frosted cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Unfrosted cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw and frost before serving.
- If using a 13.25 ounce box of cake mix, reduce the oil to 1/3 cup.
- Stick with jimmies for the sprinkles. Other types of sprinkles, like nonpareils, can bleed into the dough.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated based on automated calculations and should be considered as an approximation. These estimates are provided as a courtesy. Please use your own brand’s nutritional values to verify accuracy.