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 playful, colorful cookies are topped with a simple confectioners’ sugar glaze for a holiday treat that’s perfect for a cookie tin or dessert platter. Unlike traditional rolled and cut sugar cookies, these smashed beauties celebrate rustic charm—each one is unique with its own pattern of cracks and crinkles. The generous coating of red, green, and white sprinkles makes them instantly festive and eye-catching, while the sweet glaze drizzle adds an elegant finishing touch. Whether you’re baking with kids who’ll love the “smashing” part, creating treats for a cookie exchange, or simply want a fun twist on classic sugar cookies, this recipe delivers big on both flavor and visual impact. Plus, they’re surprisingly easy—no cookie cutters or intricate decorating required!
Level: Easy | Total Time: 2 hr 30 min (includes chilling, cooling and setting times) | Active Time: 45 min
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
For Coating and Decorating:
- ¾ cup red, green and white sprinkles (or any holiday colors you prefer)
- ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
Substitution Notes: Any color combination of sprinkles works—pastels for spring, red-white-blue for July 4th, or all one color for a monochromatic look. Almond extract can replace vanilla for a different flavor profile. Half-and-half or cream can substitute for milk in the glaze.
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 extended creaming time incorporates plenty of air for a tender cookie texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
2. Add Wet Ingredients Add the 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 normal and will come together when you add the flour. The two eggs are key to creating those soft, tender centers.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined. When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess—don’t scoop directly from the bag, as this 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 as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour—overmixing develops too much gluten and creates tough cookies.
5. Portion and Shape Divide the dough into 18 equal portions (about 2½ tablespoons each). This ensures uniform cookies that bake evenly. Roll each portion between the palms of your hands to form 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 until completely coated on all sides. Press gently so the sprinkles adhere well. Return the sprinkle-coated balls to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Chill the Dough Refrigerate the sprinkle-coated dough balls until firm and chilled through, about 1 hour. This chilling step is essential—it prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking and helps them maintain their fun crinkled edges.
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 sheets total ready to go.
9. Arrange Dough Balls Place 9 chilled dough balls on each prepared baking sheet, spacing them to allow room for spreading after smashing.
10. Smash the Cookies Here’s the fun part! Using a ⅓-cup measuring cup, firmly smash each dough ball down until the edges start to crack and the cookies are 3 to 3½ inches wide. Leave about ½ inch of space between each smashed cookie. If the dough starts sticking to the bottom of the measuring cup, dust it with a little flour and continue smashing. The cracks and imperfections are part of the charm—embrace them!
11. Bake Bake both sheets simultaneously, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Bake until the cookies puff slightly, the centers are still soft, and the bottoms are just golden brown, 14 to 17 minutes. The edges should be set but the centers should still look slightly underdone—they’ll finish setting as they cool.
12. Cool Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up—they’ll be very delicate when hot. Then carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before glazing.
13. Make and Apply Glaze Once the cookies have cooled completely, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 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 too thin. Transfer to a small piping bag or resealable plastic bag, snip the tip, and drizzle over the cookies in your desired 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 Star: These colorful cookies look stunning layered in holiday tins for gifting or storage
- Dessert Platter: Arrange on a platter with other festive treats for a beautiful cookie spread
- Party Favor: Package individually in clear cellophane bags tied with coordinating ribbon
- Hot Beverage Pairing: Serve with hot chocolate, coffee, or tea for dunking—the crispy edges hold up well
- Ice Cream Topping: Crumble over vanilla ice cream for a festive sundae
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
Room Temperature Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place parchment or wax paper between layers to protect the glaze. The cookies maintain their texture beautifully throughout storage.
Freezing Baked Cookies: Freeze unglazed cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then add the glaze before serving. The sprinkles may lose a bit of their vibrancy after freezing but will still taste delicious.
Freezing Cookie Dough: After coating the dough balls in sprinkles, freeze them on a baking sheet 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 prepared, shaped, coated in sprinkles, and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. You can also bake the cookies 2 days ahead and store them in an airtight container, adding the glaze on the day you plan to serve them for the freshest appearance.
Glaze Setting Time: If you need the glaze to set faster, place the cookies in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes instead of waiting 30 minutes at room temperature.
Tips & Tricks
Don’t Skip the Chill Time: The 1-hour refrigeration is crucial for cookies that hold their shape and develop those beautiful crinkled edges when smashed. Warm dough will spread too much and lose definition.
Embrace Imperfection: The beauty of these cookies lies in their rustic, imperfect appearance. Each cookie will crack differently when smashed, and that’s exactly what makes them charming. Don’t worry about making them look “perfect”—the irregular cracks are the whole point!
Smash with Confidence: Use firm, even pressure when smashing the cookies. If you’re too tentative, they won’t crack properly. If they stick to the measuring cup, a light dusting of flour solves the problem without affecting the appearance.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Scooping flour directly from the bag – This compacts the flour and creates dry, tough cookies; always spoon flour into your measuring cup
- Not chilling the dough balls long enough – Warm dough spreads excessively and won’t create those signature crinkled edges
- Overbaking – Pull cookies when centers still look slightly soft; they continue to cook on the hot sheet
- Glazing warm cookies – The glaze will melt and absorb into warm cookies instead of creating a pretty drizzle on top
- Overcrowding the baking sheets – After smashing, cookies are 3-3.5 inches wide and need adequate space
Chef’s Advice
Flavor Variations:
- Add 1 teaspoon almond extract along with the vanilla for a subtle almond flavor
- Mix in 1 tablespoon of lemon or orange zest to the dough for citrus-scented cookies
- Use ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract instead of vanilla for mint sugar cookies
- Add ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips to the dough before shaping for chocolate chip smashed cookies
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds for lemon poppy seed smashed cookies
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Salted butter can replace unsalted—just omit the added salt from the recipe
- All-purpose gluten-free flour blend (1:1 ratio) works well for gluten-free cookies
- Coconut oil can substitute for butter in a dairy-free version (use solid, room-temperature coconut oil)
- Plant-based milk works in the glaze for a fully dairy-free cookie
Presentation Ideas:
- Use only white sprinkles for an elegant, winter wonderland look
- Match sprinkle colors to party themes—pink and red for Valentine’s, pastels for Easter
- Drizzle with melted chocolate instead of sugar glaze for a different finish
- Add edible glitter or sanding sugar over the wet glaze for extra sparkle
- Create ombre effects by using different shades of the same color sprinkles
Customization Tips: For extra-thick cookies, use slightly larger dough portions (3 tablespoons) and bake 2 to 3 minutes longer. For thinner, crispier cookies, smash them even flatter and reduce baking time by 1 to 2 minutes.
History and Cultural Significance
“Smashed” cookies represent a modern evolution in home baking that embraces imperfection and rustic charm. While traditional sugar cookies have been a staple of American baking since colonial times, the trend toward artisanal, intentionally “imperfect” baked goods gained momentum in the 2010s as a reaction against overly refined, perfect-looking commercial treats.
The technique of intentionally smashing cookies before baking creates texture contrast—crispy, lacy edges with soft, chewy centers. This approach was popularized by bakeries and food bloggers who recognized that not every home baker wants to spend hours cutting, decorating, and perfecting cookies. Smashed cookies deliver impressive visual impact with minimal skill or time investment.
Sprinkle-coated cookies have been popular since the mid-20th century when commercial sprinkles became widely available. The combination of fun colors and the satisfying crunch of sprinkles has made them particularly appealing to children and nostalgic adults alike.
Food Network’s recipe development team created this particular version to celebrate holiday baking while acknowledging that many modern home bakers want recipes that are both beautiful and achievable. The smashing technique is forgiving—there’s no “wrong” way to do it, making these cookies perfect for baking with children or for bakers of any skill level.
These cookies embody the current trend in home baking toward approachable, fun recipes that prioritize flavor and enjoyment over technical perfection. They’re proof that simple techniques can create stunning results.
Final Thoughts
These Smashed Sugar Cookies prove that you don’t need perfect piping skills or intricate decorating techniques to create stunning, delicious cookies. The fun smashing technique creates cookies that are unique works of edible art—no two exactly alike. The crispy, crinkled edges contrast beautifully with the soft, tender centers, while the colorful sprinkle coating and delicate glaze drizzle make them irresistibly festive.
The best part? Kids absolutely love helping make these cookies, especially the satisfying smashing step. It’s a recipe that encourages participation and creativity without the pressure of perfection. Whether you’re an experienced baker looking for something different or a beginner wanting impressive results without stress, these cookies deliver on every level.
So gather your sprinkles, prepare to embrace imperfection, and get ready to create the most fun, colorful, and delicious cookies you’ll bake all season. These Smashed Sugar Cookies are about to become your new go-to recipe whenever you need a treat that’s equal parts impressive and easy!
Nutrition Information
| Serving Size | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cookie | 185 | 3g | 28g | 7g | 0.5g | 16g |
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 | Course: Cookies, Dessert | Yield: 18 cookies | Servings: 18
Recipe courtesy of Amanda Neal for Food Network Kitchen Copyright 2021 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.
