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Dot Cake Cookies take the viral dot cake trend and turn it into a soft sugar cookie topped with buttercream and dipped in rainbow sprinkles. Easy to make and perfect for birthdays or anytime you want something sweet and fun.
If you have been anywhere near social media lately, you have probably seen dot cakes. They are those individual little cakes, completely covered in tiny nonpareil sprinkles, from a bakery in New York. The whole concept is so fun, and I’m completely obsessed with those sprinkles.
So I decided I wanted to make something easy that still gives the same kind of vibes. Once I started playing around in my kitchen, these dot cake cookies were born. Same look, same sprinkle-covered joy, but in an easy, scoopable cookie you can make any day of the week!
The biggest thing I learned while making these is that the buttercream has to be the right consistency. If it is too stiff, the nonpareils will not stick properly and you will end up with patchy spots. You want it smooth but just a little tacky for those sprinkles to stick. Once you get that down, these come together really quickly and look like you put in way more effort than you did!
If you love a good frosted cookie, you might also want to try my Italian Ricotta Cookies or these fun Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies. Both use the same simple frosted-and-sprinkled approach!
Why You’ll Love This Dot Cake Cookie Recipe
- No rolling, no chilling, no cutters required. Just scoop, bake, frost, and dip. The whole process is straightforward!
- Only 8 cookie ingredients. Nothing fancy here! Butter, two sugars, an egg, vanilla, baking powder, and flour. That’s it for the dough.
- That double-sugar dough makes a difference. Using both white and brown sugar creates a cookie that’s slightly chewy in the center with lightly golden edges, not flat or crumbly like some sugar cookies can be.
- Completely customizable. Rainbow nonpareils give you that classic viral look, but you can swap in any sprinkle color to match a birthday, baby shower, or holiday!
- Tested six times to get it right. That’s right, six times! The ratios on this dough and frosting are dialed in so your cookies bake up soft, and your buttercream spreads and sticks the way it should.
Ingredient Notes
- Salted butter: For moisture and richness in the dough. Make sure it’s truly softened. It should indent easily when you press it with a finger.
- White granulated sugar: Gives the cookies their classic sweetness and helps with that slightly crisp edge.
- Light brown sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and makes these cookies taste a little richer than a standard sugar cookie.
- Large egg: Binds the dough together and gives the cookies structure so they don’t crumble.
- Vanilla extract: Go with a good pure vanilla if you have it!
- Baking powder: Gives the cookies a little lift so they bake up soft and slightly puffy rather than flat.
- All-purpose flour: The base of the dough. Measure by spooning flour into your measuring cup and leveling it off. Packing it in can make the dough too stiff.
For the Frosting:
- Salted butter: Same as the cookie dough, softened not melted. This is the base of your buttercream.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting. Sift it if you want a really smooth finish.
- Vanilla extract: Adds flavor to the buttercream. Don’t skip it!
- Rainbow nonpareils: These are the tiny round sprinkles that give dot cake cookies their signature look. You can find them in the baking aisle at most grocery stores.
How To Make Dot Cake Cookies
✱ Below shows step-by-step photos and instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.
Step 1 | Preheat
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Step 2 | Cream the Butter & Sugar
Start by making your cookie dough. Combine softened butter, white granulated sugar, and light brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the ingredients together for about a minute, or until smooth and creamy.
Step 3 | Add Egg & Vanilla
Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Beat the mixture again on high speed for another minute, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Step 4 | Add Dry Ingredients
Reduce the speed of the hand mixer. Use a sifter to add the flour and baking powder. Gently mix together, making sure no dry clumps remain in your cookie dough.
Step 5 | Shape Cookie Dough Balls
Use a cookie scoop to drop balls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet.
Step 6 | Bake
Bake the cookies for 11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on a wire cooling rack while you prepare the frosting.
Step 7 | Make the Frosting
Combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
Step 8 | Decorate & Enjoy
Use a piping bag or an offset spatula to frost each cookie. I usually just use a spatula, as I find it easier, and you are covering them with sprinkles.
Dip the tops of each cookie in the sprinkles, making sure they are evenly coated.
Serve and enjoy!
Easy Variations
- Use any color of sprinkles. Rainbow nonpareils are the classic choice for that viral dot cake look, but solid-color nonpareils or themed sprinkle mixes work great too. Think pink for a baby shower, red and green for the holidays, or school colors for a graduation party!
- Add a splash of almond extract. Swap half the vanilla in the frosting for almond extract and you get a slightly different flavor.
- Make them bigger. If you want a larger cookie, use a #20 scoop (about 3 tablespoons of dough) and add 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time. Keep an eye on the edges; you want them just set, not golden.
- Tint the frosting. Add a drop or two of gel food coloring to the buttercream before frosting for a colorful base under the sprinkles. Great for themed parties.
Expert Tips
Here are my top tips I use for the best frosted sugar cookies with sprinkles!
- Use softened butter, not melted. Softened butter creams properly with the sugars, giving you a smooth, light dough. Melted butter changes the texture of the dough, so pull the butter out about 30 to 45 minutes before you start.
- Use a cookie scoop for even sizing. We used a #40 cookie scoop, which gives you about 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie. Even sizing means even baking, so all your cookies come out of the oven at the same time and the same doneness. A large spoon works too, just try to keep them consistent.
- Leave 2 inches between cookies on the pan. These cookies spread. Not a lot, but enough that you want to give them some breathing room. Crowding them will cause the edges to bake into each other, and you’ll end up with uneven shapes!
- Let the cookies cool completely before frosting. This one matters more than people think. Warm cookies will melt your buttercream on contact, and you’ll end up with a sad, sliding frosting situation!
- Make the frosting slightly sticky for better sprinkle coverage. If your buttercream seems too stiff, add a splash of whole milk and mix again. You want it smooth and just a little tacky so the nonpareils cling to the whole surface. Press the cookie into the sprinkles a couple of times to get a full, even coat, too!
What to Serve With Dot Cake Cookies
Personally, I love serving these cookies at birthday parties. They are so fun and go great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side! They would also look beautiful on a dessert table (for any occasion), with other treats like Harry Potter Butterbeer Cookies, Peanut Butter S’mores Cookies, or Lucky Charms Cookies!
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
Storage: Keep frosted dot cake cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can enjoy them cold straight from the fridge, or let them sit on the counter for about 15 minutes so the buttercream softens back up.
Freeze: Freeze the unfrosted, fully cooled cookies in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then frost and dip in sprinkles before serving.
Make Ahead: You can mix the cookie dough up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate it covered. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping, since chilled dough is firmer and harder to scoop. The frosting can also be made ahead and stored in the fridge. Just re-whip it briefly before using.
Recipe FAQs
Dot cake cookies are frosted sugar cookies that are completely covered on top with tiny round sprinkles called nonpareils. The “dot” look comes from those little sprinkles, and the “cake” part refers to the soft, slightly puffy texture of the cookie itself!
You can, but the look will be different. Jimmies (the long, tube-shaped sprinkles) don’t give you that smooth, fully-coated dot appearance the way nonpareils do. Nonpareils are really the best choice for that classic viral dot cake look.
The most common reasons are butter that was too warm (or melted) when you mixed the dough, or too little flour. Make sure your butter is softened but still cool to the touch, and measure your flour by spooning it into the cup rather than scooping directly from the bag. Also make sure you’re leaving about 2 inches between cookies on the pan so they have room!
Yes! The dough keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 24 hours. If you refrigerate it, let it rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping so it’s easier to work with.
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you’re stacking them, place a piece of parchment paper between the layers so the sprinkles don’t stick together.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
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Frosted Sugar Cookies with Sprinkles (Dot Cake Cookies)
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Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter - softened
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup salted butter - softened
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup rainbow nonpareils
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Start by making your cookie dough. Combine softened butter, white granulated sugar, and light brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the ingredients together for about a minute, or until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Beat the mixture again on high speed for another minute, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Reduce the speed of the hand mixer. Use a sifter to add the flour, baking powder, and flour. Gently mix together together, making sure no dry clumps remain in your cookie dough.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop balls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on a wire cooling rack while you prepare the frosting.
- Combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
- Use a piping bag or an offset spatula to frost each cookie.
- Dip the top of each cookie in the sprinkles, ensuring the tops are evenly coated in sprinkles. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- I used a #40 cookie scoop for this recipe. You can also use a large spoon. You just want to make sure your cookie dough balls are about 1 ½ tablespoons big.
- If your buttercream seems too thick you can add a splash of whole milk. You want your frosting to be slightly sticky so the sprinkles adhere better. This will help ensure the tops of your cookies are entirely coated.
- Store these cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can enjoy these cookies chilled or leave them out on the counter for about 15 minutes to give the buttercream a chance to soften.
- These cookies are going to spread a little bit. I recommend leaving about 2 inches between each cookie to account for spreading.
- Make sure your cookies have a chance to cool down before frosting them. Warm cookies and buttercream frosting don’t mix very well. You can pipe the frosting on or use a spatula to spread the frosting on.
- Rainbow nonpareils will give these cookies that classic trendy look, but you can use solid color sprinkles too.
- Press your cookie into the sprinkles a few times to help ensure you get a nice full coating on top of the frosting.
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