Summertime Fun Cookies

Summer. Camp continues, Mrs Burns drops by.

I made pulled pork for the family this week. The kitchen filled with the smell that pulled pork makes. Lisa and the kids ate around the table. The conversation was about the week, the kids' activities, the small ordinary news of a household in motion. Diego called from CSU and said hello. The twins ate too much. Sofia ate the right amount. Lisa ate slowly. I ate the rest.

The dog tags were under the polo. The chain was around my neck. Hector's ring is not on a chain yet. Papá is still alive. Mamá is still in Las Cruces. The road keeps bending. The road bends. Feed your people. The game is won at the table.

The twins ate too much at dinner—they always do—and somehow they still found room for dessert. That’s the thing about summer evenings around the table: the meal is almost beside the point. What matters is that everyone is there, the conversation is running, and something sweet is waiting at the end of it. I made these Summertime Fun Cookies because they’re exactly what they sound like—no pretense, no occasion required, just color and butter and the right amount of sugar for a night that deserved to end well.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 13 min | Total Time: 28 min | Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces (such as M&Ms)
1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles, plus more for topping

Instructions

Preheat. Heat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract until fully combined.
Combine. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
Fold in mix-ins. Using a spatula, fold in the candy-coated pieces and sprinkles until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Scoop and top. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Press a few extra candies and sprinkles onto the tops of each cookie.
Bake. Bake 11—13 minutes, until edges are just set and centers look barely done. Do not overbake—they firm up as they cool.
Cool. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition (per serving)

Summertime Fun Cookies — Something Sweet for the Table That Never Sits Still