These Slice and Bake Cookies are deliciously buttery and sweet. They're dotted with fun, colorful sprinkles, and if you're feeling it, drizzled in creamy white chocolate!
CREAM BUTTER: In an electric or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together until they're creamy, similar in consistency to peanut butter. This should take about 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
FINISH DOUGH: Add in the vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), sea salt, and cornstarch. Beat just until combined. Then, add in the flour and beat just until incorporated. Avoid over-mixing.
ADD SPRINKLES: Fold in the sprinkles and mix gently. The dough may seem a bit crumbly at first, but it will come together with some mixing/kneading.
CHILL DOUGH: Form the dough into one large ball, then divide it in half. Shape each half into a log that's about 11 inches long and roughly 1.5 inches in diameter. Roll it on the counter to help even it out. Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
SLICE COOKIES: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat liner. Pour the sparkling sugar onto a large flat plate. Unwrap one log of dough at a time from the fridge, cut it in half, then brush the outside of each half-log with the beaten egg. Roll the dough log in the sparkling sugar.
BAKE: Slice each dough log into 1/2-inch thick cookies. Place the cookies on your prepared baking sheet, spacing 1-inch apart. Bake until the edges are just starting to lightly brown, which should take about 8-12 minutes. Be sure to keep a close eye on them to prevent over-baking.
COOL: Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
OPTIONAL WHITE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the white chocolate chips and vegetable oil. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring for 15 seconds between each burst, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip half of each cooled cookie into the white chocolate or pour the melted chocolate into a plastic bag, snip off the tip, and drizzle it over the cookies. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature before serving.
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Notes
Note 1: Flour: Over-measuring your flour can lead to dry, crumbly cookies while under-measuring will cause the cookies to spread and lose shape. Be sure to level off the top of the measuring cup with the flat side of a butter-knife for the most accurate measurement. Or best case -- use a kitchen food scale to measure the flour amount (we're looking for 325 grams here).Note 2: Sprinkles: Use sprinkle jimmies, not nonpareils. Here’s a breakdown of different types of sprinkles, but essentially the jimmies won’t dye the cookie dough and they bake up nicely. Nonpareils will bleed color into the cookie dough, are often uncomfortably crunchy, and may leave you with some funky-colored slice and bake cookies.Note 3: Coarse Sugar: This extra-coarse sugar adds a lovely sweetness and crunch to the cookies. If you aren't able to find it, use sparkling sugar or cane sugar instead.