In these troubled times, you need not just comfort food but a sweet treat that makes you smile. I’ve got just the cookie, Nicole Rucker’s Vanilla Sprinkle Crinkle Cookie. Starting with the cookie section, I’ve been baking my way through her Fat + Flour Cookbook. Her Chewy Coconut Oatmeal Cookies and Fat and Gooey Chocolate Chunk Cookies are on my “bake them again” list. Check out my IG reel for this cookie!
A Sprinkle of Sunshine
Cold Butter Method, or CBM is Nicole’s method for making cookies. In a nutshell, combine the dry ingredients in a mixer, then add COLD, cubed butter to it and blend until it resembles coarse meal. Reminiscent of making pie crust. Add the eggs and vanilla, give it a brief whirl, then add the sprinkles. and mix until the ingredients are incorporated. Try not to overbeat.
Sprinkles: I would love to say use those crazy expensive, natural, organic ones, but the color doesn’t hold well when mixed in dough and baked. Use the bright, colorful, coated ones so they don’t bleed into the dough. If you find a natural, dye-free, bright colored sprinkle that doesn’t melt, let me know.
To portion the dough, weigh it and divide the weight by 12. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to portion out each ball of dough according to weight. Or, if you don’t have a scale, divide the dough into 12 pieces as evenly as possible. Roll the dough balls in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar. The two-sugar combination helps the powdered sugar stick. Chill and roll in powdered sugar once more before baking.
The cookies are rounder than I expected. The next time I make these, I’ll slightly flatten the dough balls with a little smush. Bake until the edges set and the center soft and puffy.
Delicious, fun, “guaranteed to make you smile” cookie, perfect for celebrations, holidays, or anytime you need a little bite of happiness.
Vanilla Sprinkle Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups unbleached all-purpose flour She uses King Arthur AP Flour 290g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 4g
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g) + more for rolling the cookies
- ⅔ cup sifted confectioners' sugar (38g) + more for rolling the cookies
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt 1.5g
Wet Ingredients:
- 7 ounces cold unsalted butter, cubed 198g
- 1 tablespoon unrefined extra-virgin coconut oil 14g
- 2 large eggs 100g
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10g
Adds:
- ¾ cup rainbow sprinkles 50g
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, baking powder, sugars, and salt together, to disperse the powder, break up any lumps of sugar and distribute dry ingredients evenly.
- Add the cold butter and coconut oil, and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand, about 4 minutes. The coconut oil isn't specified as solid or liquid. I used it in solid form; it doesn’t break down very well, so break it into smaller pieces, maybe even grate it into the dry ingredients.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and sprinkles. Mix on low speed until the eggs have been completely incorporated and you have a thick dough. Do not over beat.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking pan with parchment paper.
- Use a spoon, I use an ice cream scoop, to portion the dough into twelve balls, and roll them in granulated sugar, then in confectioners' sugar. Use a scale to weigh dough and portion equally.
- Transfer them to a pan, and freeze them for 30 minutes. Once they're chilled, roll each ball in confectioners' sugar once more.
- Place the balls of dough on the parchment-lined sheet pans, six well-spaced cookies on each sheet. Press them gently to flatten slightly.
- Bake for 10 minutes on the center rack of oven, rotate the pan, and bake for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, until the cookies are puffy and set at the edges.
- The centers will look cooked, but when lightly touched on top, will have a slight puffy, squishy give. Eat them fresh, just after cooling.
- Store cookies in a sealed container in the fridge. Warm them for 15 seconds in the microwave to refresh them before eating.