We love the imperfection of these festive smashed cookies! The addition of two eggs gives the centers a tender and soft texture, while the crinkled edges get ever so slightly golden and crisp. These aren’t your traditional rolled-and-cut sugar cookies—they’re easier, more forgiving, and absolutely stunning with their colorful sprinkle coating and simple confectioners’ sugar glaze. The unique “smashing” technique creates cookies with character and charm, each one slightly different with beautiful crackled edges that catch the light. Perfect for a holiday cookie tin, Christmas cookie exchange, or anytime you want a festive treat that looks impressive but comes together with minimal effort. The sprinkles aren’t just decoration—they’re baked right into the cookie, creating pockets of color and a slight crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft, buttery interior. Top with a simple confectioners’ sugar glaze for a holiday treat that’s as delicious as it is eye-catching!
Total Time: 2 hr 30 min (includes chilling, cooling and setting times) | Active Time: 45 min | Level: Easy
Key Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting if needed
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup red, green and white sprinkles (festive holiday colors)
For the Glaze:
- ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
Substitution Notes: Any color combination of sprinkles works—try pastels for spring, red/white/blue for July 4th, or orange/black for Halloween. Jimmy sprinkles (the long cylindrical kind) work best as they coat more evenly than round nonpareils.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cream Butter and Sugar In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar and room temperature butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Beat for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color. This lengthy creaming time incorporates air for tender cookies with the perfect texture.
2. Add Eggs and Vanilla Add the pure vanilla extract and lightly beaten eggs to the butter mixture. Continue to mix on medium speed until incorporated. Don’t worry if the mixture looks slightly curdled—this is completely normal and will come together once you add the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt until evenly combined. This ensures the leavening agent is distributed throughout for consistent rise. Remember to measure flour correctly: spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess rather than scooping directly from the bag, which compacts the flour and results in dry baked goods.
4. Mix Wet and Dry Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour—overmixing develops gluten and creates tough cookies. The dough should be soft, smooth, and slightly sticky.
5. Shape into Balls Divide the dough into 18 equal portions (about 2½ tablespoons each). A cookie scoop makes this process easier and more uniform. Roll each portion between the palms of your hands to create smooth, uniform balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet as you work.
6. Coat with Sprinkles Pour the red, green, and white sprinkles into a shallow bowl or baking dish. Roll each dough ball in the sprinkles, turning to coat completely until you can’t see any bare dough. Press gently to help the sprinkles adhere. Return the coated balls to the baking sheet.
7. Chill the Dough Refrigerate the sprinkle-coated dough balls until they’re firm and chilled through, about 1 hour. This chilling step is crucial—it prevents excessive spreading during baking and helps the cookies maintain their beautiful crinkled shape.
8. Preheat and Prepare Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line one additional baking sheet with parchment paper so you have two prepared sheets total.
9. Smash the Cookies (The Fun Part!) Place 9 chilled dough balls on each prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Using a ⅓-cup measuring cup (the bottom works perfectly), smash each dough ball down firmly until the edges start to crack and they’re 3 to 3½ inches wide. Leave about ½ inch of space between each smashed cookie—they don’t spread much. If the dough starts sticking to the bottom of the measuring cup, dust it lightly with flour and continue smashing. The cracks and imperfections are what make these cookies special!
10. Bake Bake both sheets simultaneously, rotating them halfway through baking (swap top and bottom positions and turn front to back) for even browning. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes total, until the cookies puff slightly, the centers are still soft, and the bottoms are just golden brown. Don’t overbake—you want soft centers!
11. Cool Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to set up—they’ll be very delicate when hot. Then carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before glazing. The texture will continue to develop as they cool.
12. Glaze and Set Once the cookies have completely cooled, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and whole milk in a small bowl until smooth and combined. The glaze should be thick but pourable—add a tiny bit more milk if it’s too thick, or more sugar if it’s too thin. Transfer to a small piping bag or resealable plastic bag, snip the tip, and drizzle over the cookies in a decorative zigzag pattern. Alternatively, use a spoon to drizzle. Return to the wire rack and let the glaze set completely, about 30 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
- Cookie Tin Gift: Layer in festive tins with parchment between layers for beautiful homemade holiday gifts
- Cookie Exchange Star: These always stand out on a cookie platter with their colorful, fun appearance
- Dessert Platter: Arrange alongside other holiday cookies for variety in color, texture, and flavor
- Party Favor: Package individually in clear cellophane bags tied with ribbon for party guests
- Ice Cream Pairing: Serve alongside vanilla ice cream for a simple but elegant dessert
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
Room Temperature Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The glaze will stay set, and the cookies will maintain their tender texture. Layer with parchment paper if stacking to prevent the glaze from smearing.
Freezing Baked Cookies: Freeze unglazed cookies for best results. Layer in freezer-safe containers with parchment between layers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then glaze just before serving.
Freezing Cookie Dough: The shaped, sprinkle-coated dough balls freeze beautifully! Place on a baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1 hour), then transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the baking time. No need to thaw!
Make-Ahead Instructions: The dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. The shaped, sprinkle-coated balls can be refrigerated overnight before smashing and baking. Baked cookies can be made 2 to 3 days ahead and glazed on the day of serving for freshest appearance.
Glaze Setting Tip: If you need the glaze to set faster, place the cookies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes instead of waiting 30 minutes at room temperature.
Tips & Tricks
Cream Butter and Sugar Thoroughly: Don’t shortcut the 5-minute creaming time—this lengthy beating incorporates air that creates the tender, slightly cake-like texture in the center of these cookies. Under-creamed butter and sugar results in dense, heavy cookies.
Measure Flour Correctly: Use the spoon-and-level method rather than scooping directly from the bag. Scooping compacts the flour, adding too much to the recipe and resulting in dry, crumbly cookies. Spooning flour into the measuring cup keeps it light and airy.
Embrace the Imperfection: The beauty of these cookies is in their rustic, homemade appearance. Don’t stress about making them perfectly uniform—the cracks, uneven edges, and slight variations are what give them character and charm!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the chill time – Unchilled dough spreads too much during baking and won’t create those beautiful crackled edges
- Not creaming long enough – The full 5 minutes is necessary for proper texture; stopping early creates dense cookies
- Overbaking – Pull cookies when centers still look slightly soft; they firm up as they cool
- Glazing warm cookies – The glaze will melt and run off; wait until cookies are completely cool
- Using too much pressure when smashing – Smash firmly but not so hard that you completely flatten the cookies
Chef’s Advice
Flavor Variations:
- Add 1 teaspoon almond extract along with the vanilla for an almond sugar cookie version
- Mix ½ teaspoon lemon or orange zest into the dough for citrus-scented cookies
- Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon to the dough for a snickerdoodle-inspired version
- Use chocolate sprinkles for a more sophisticated look
- Add a few drops of food coloring to the glaze for colored drizzle
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Salted butter can replace unsalted—just omit the added salt
- Dairy-free milk (almond, oat, soy) works in the glaze
- Coconut oil can substitute for butter for dairy-free cookies (texture will differ slightly)
- All-purpose gluten-free flour blend (1:1 ratio) works for gluten-free versions
Presentation Ideas:
- Use seasonal sprinkles for year-round appeal (pastels for Easter, red/white/blue for patriotic holidays)
- Drizzle with melted chocolate instead of white glaze for chocolate lovers
- Add edible glitter or sanding sugar to the wet glaze for extra sparkle
- Stack three cookies in clear bags tied with ribbon for party favors
- Arrange in a circular pattern on a platter with fresh holly or greenery around the edges
Smashing Technique: For the most dramatic crackled edges, smash with decisive pressure in one motion rather than multiple gentle presses. The measuring cup bottom creates uniform circles, but you can also use the bottom of a glass or jar for different patterns.
History and Cultural Significance
“Smashed” or “fork-flattened” cookies have roots in traditional American baking, where simple drop cookies were pressed with fork tines or the bottom of a glass to create uniform thickness and decorative patterns. Peanut butter cookies with their characteristic crosshatch pattern are perhaps the most famous example of this technique.
The modern “smashed cookie” trend gained popularity in the 2010s on food blogs and social media, where bakers began experimenting with dramatic smashing techniques that created rustic, artisanal-looking cookies. These cookies celebrate imperfection and the handmade aesthetic that contrasts with perfectly uniform commercial cookies.
Sprinkle cookies have been beloved in American baking since at least the mid-20th century, when commercial sprinkles became widely available to home bakers. The technique of rolling dough in sprinkles before baking (rather than just sprinkling on top) became popular as bakers discovered it created better adhesion and more dramatic visual impact.
Sugar cookies themselves are an American classic dating back to colonial times, though they were originally called “jumbles.” The addition of multiple eggs to create a softer, cake-like texture represents a more modern evolution of the traditional crispy sugar cookie, reflecting American preferences for soft, chewy baked goods.
These Smashed Sugar Cookies represent the contemporary American baking aesthetic: playful, colorful, slightly imperfect, and designed for maximum visual appeal on social media while remaining genuinely delicious.
Final Thoughts
These Smashed Sugar Cookies are proof that sometimes the most fun recipes are also the easiest. There’s something wonderfully satisfying about smashing down those perfectly round dough balls and watching them transform into beautifully crackled cookies. The combination of soft centers, slightly crispy edges, colorful sprinkles, and sweet glaze creates a cookie that’s irresistible to both kids and adults.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility and forgiving nature. You can customize the sprinkle colors for any occasion, adjust the glaze flavor, and embrace the unique character of each cookie without stressing about perfection. They’re impressive enough for holiday parties yet simple enough for a casual weeknight baking session with kids.
So grab your measuring cup, choose your favorite sprinkles, and get ready to make some cookie magic. These Smashed Sugar Cookies are about to become your new favorite easy holiday treat. Happy smashing!
Nutrition Information
| Serving Size | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cookie | 195 | 3g | 29g | 8g | 0.5g | 17g |
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated using standard online calculation tools and may vary based on ingredients and preparation methods. For accurate dietary advice, consult a qualified nutrition professional.
Level: Easy | Yield: 18 cookies
Recipe courtesy of Amanda Neal for Food Network Kitchen Copyright 2021 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.
