Description
Pot of Gold Cookies are festive, colorful sugar cookies perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any celebration. Featuring a soft, buttery base studded with white chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles, each cookie is topped with golden candy-coated chocolates for a charming, treasure-inspired touch. These delightful treats combine a tender texture with playful colors and a hint of sweetness, making them ideal for parties and kid-friendly gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles or colored sugar
Topping and Decoration:
- 1/4 cup yellow or gold candy-coated chocolates (like M&M’s or Sixlets)
- optional: edible gold glitter or shimmer dust for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This aerates the dough and creates a tender crumb.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined, which adds moisture and flavor to the dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and seasoning.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough and maintain a soft texture.
- Fold in Chips and Sprinkles: Gently fold in the white chocolate chips and rainbow sprinkles to distribute them evenly throughout the dough while preserving the bright colors.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop the dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
- Add Candy Toppings: Press 2–3 yellow or gold candy-coated chocolates gently into the top of each dough ball to create the signature ‘pot of gold’ effect.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 9–11 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers remain slightly soft, ensuring a chewy interior.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes so they firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate and Serve: Optionally dust the cooled cookies with edible gold glitter or shimmer dust for extra sparkle before serving.
Notes
- For extra festivity, tint the dough lightly with green food coloring or roll the edges in green or gold sugar before baking.
- These cookies are ideal for St. Patrick’s Day, birthday parties, or any fun, kid-friendly event.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and aid in easy cleanup.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh for up to 5 days.
