We are in the throes of finals week in our apartment and it has been stressful. Our 9th graders have never had finals before and the thought of needing to know everything that has been taught since September is frightening for them, especially in subjects like biology and history where the minutia can be overwhelming. They will be happy when the finals are behind them. So will I.  I share their anxiety as they walk out the door for each test.

These cookies are reminiscent of the cookies you get from Italian bakeries, but they are much, much better. Many of the bakery cookies that I have eaten are dry with not much flavor. Not these! They’re delicious, and they’re so pretty that they make me smile when I look at them.

Three out of my four boys loved them. One wouldn’t touch them. When he saw the first batch come out of the oven, the great inquisition began.

“Did you hide any vegetables in these?”

“No, there are no vegetables hidden in these cookies. They’re sprinkle cookies. Don’t they look delicious?”

“Is there yogurt in the batter?”

“Nope.”

“Is there any cheese in them?”

“How’s your studying going? Do you have a lot more to go over?”

“Is there any cheese in the batter?”

I paused. He knew. “Ok, there’s a tiny bit of cream cheese in the batter to give them their bakery-like consistency. I promise you won’t taste it.”

That was the end of it for him. He won’t go near them. You know what? All the more for the rest of us. It’s the story of my life. One day he’ll learn.

Sprinkle Cookies
Recipe from King Arthur Flour

3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg
1 cup multi-colored sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts, and the egg; scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add the flour mixture, and mix at low to medium speed until the mixture is evenly moistened.

Place the sprinkles in a small bowl. Scoop the dough into balls using a small ice cream scoop. Roll each ball of dough in the sprinkles until completely covered. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2″ between them. Using a flat-bottomed glass, flatten the cookies to about 1/4″ – 1/2″ thick. The cookies will not spread much during baking.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies just begin to brown. If your cookies are very thick, you might have to cook them for a minute or two longer.

Remove from the oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes, before transferring to a rack to finish cooling completely.

Yield: ~3 dozen cookies

One year ago: Chickpea of the Sea Sandwich
Two years ago: Smooth and Creamy Polenta
Three years ago: Spring Root Vegetable Casserole
Four years ago: Gail’s Rolled Sugar Cookies with Piped Icing
Five years ago: Avocado-Mango Salad
Six years ago: Chocolate Chip Biscotti
Seven years ago: Curried Carrot Soup
Eight years ago: Butterscotch Blondies
Nine years ago: Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies