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Milk Bar Confetti Cookies

Erin Sellin

Jul 20, 2026

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These Milk Bar Confetti Cookies are the real deal, a homemade copycat of Christina Tosi’s iconic Momofuku Milk Bar recipe that tastes just as good as what you’d get at the bakery. Crispy edges, thick chewy centers, rainbow sprinkles throughout, and little crunchy birthday cake crumbs baked right into the dough. They are wildly festive, completely from scratch, and completely worth every single step.

 

The secret is a two-part process: you make a quick birthday cake crumb first, then fold it into the cookie dough. That crumb is what gives Milk Bar confetti cookies their signature texture and that nostalgic “cake batter” flavor that box mix can never quite deliver. Once you understand how it works, the whole recipe makes perfect sense and you’ll want to put that crumb in everything.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.

For the Birthday Cake Crumb

• Granulated sugar and brown sugar — both sugars create the right texture and slight caramel note in the crumb
• Cake flour — gives the crumb a tender, delicate texture; don’t swap for all-purpose
• Rainbow sprinkles — bake right into the crumbs for color and crunch
• Grapeseed or canola oil — neutral oil binds the crumb clusters together
• Clear (imitation) vanilla extract — this is intentional. Clear vanilla tastes more like boxed cake and frosting than pure vanilla, it’s the key to that birthday cake flavor

For the Cookies

• Unsalted butter — room temperature; the long creaming process is what sets these apart
• Granulated sugar and light corn syrup — corn syrup adds chew and helps keep the centers soft
• Eggs — beaten in for 7-8 minutes total, which aerates the dough for that light, bakery texture
• Bread flour — higher protein than all-purpose gives these cookies more chew, exactly like the bakery version
• Milk powder — adds a subtle richness and that classic Milk Bar depth of flavor
• Cream of tartar — borrowed from snickerdoodle technique, this is what gives the cookies their slightly tangy, distinct flavor and helps keep them soft
• Rainbow sprinkles + birthday cake crumb — folded into the dough at the end for maximum color and texture

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Milk Bar Confetti Cookies

By Erin Sellin

These Milk Bar Confetti Cookies are a copycat of Christina Tosi’s famous recipe — crispy edges, chewy centers, birthday cake crumbs, and loads of rainbow sprinkles.

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

Servings: 12

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Ingredients 

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Birthday Cake Crumb

• ▢ 1/4 cup granulated sugar, (50 grams)
• ▢ 2 1/4 teaspoons light brown sugar, (12.5 grams)
• ▢ 1/4 cup cake flour, plus 2 tablespoons (45 grams)
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, (1 gram)
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, (1 gram)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles, (10 grams)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons canola oil, (20 grams)
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract, (6 grams)

Cookies

• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, (225 grams)
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, (300 grams)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon light corn syrup, (25 grams)
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract, (8 grams)
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups bread flour, (400 grams)
• ▢ 2/3 cup milk powder, (50 grams)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, (9 grams)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda, (6 grams)
• ▢ 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, (5 grams)
• ▢ 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles, (40 grams)
• ▢ birthday cake crumb

Instructions 

To make the birthday cake crumb

• Preheat oven to 300 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
• In a small bowl combine both sugars, the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and rainbow sprinkles. Mix with a fork until evenly combined. Mix in the oil and vanilla until the mixture starts to form small clumps and clusters. Stir in the sprinkles.
  1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoons light brown sugar, 1/4 cup cake flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
• Transfer the clusters to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice to break the clumps up. Allow the crumb to cool completely before proceeding.

To Make The Cookies

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until well combined and fluffy.
  1 cup unsalted butter, softened, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed for an additional 7-8 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
  2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
• With the mixer on low, add the flour, milk powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and rainbow sprinkles, beating just until they are evenly incorporated.
  2 1/2 cups bread flour, 2/3 cup milk powder, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the birthday cake crumb and mix on low just until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  birthday cake crumb
• Using a 1/3-cup measure, scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheets (you can place them very close together for now). Press the tops of the balls of dough down to flatten slightly. Wrap the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 1 week). Do not skip the chilling period!
• When you're ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 350º F. Place the mounds of dough at least 4 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are set and golden brown in color (the centers will look underdone). Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes before removing them to the racks. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Notes

You can make the crumb up to 1 week ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature. You want to use clear (imitation) vanilla extract in this recipe, not pure vanilla extract. Imitation more closely lends the cake batter flavor we’re looking for. Recipe From Momofuku Milk Bar

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 543mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 579IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Erin Sellin

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Course: Dessert Recipes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Calories: 445

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

How To Make Milk Bar Confetti Cookies

This recipe has two components: the birthday cake crumb and the cookie dough. The crumb bakes first, cools, then gets folded into the dough. It sounds like extra work, but the crumb comes together in under 30 minutes and is the single thing that makes these cookies taste like Milk Bar.

Step 1: Make the Birthday Cake Crumb

1. Mix together both sugars, cake flour, baking powder and salt until it is evenly combined.
2. Add the oil and clear vanilla. Using a fork mix until it forms small clusters and clumps. The wet ingredients act as a binder to create those little crunchy pieces. Add in the sprinkles and mix until those are incorporated.
3. Spread the clusters onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice to keep them from baking into one solid mass.
4. Let the crumb cool completely before adding it to the cookie dough. (Try not to eat all of it straight from the pan, it’s very hard not to.)

Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough

5. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and corn syrup on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
6. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 7-8 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Don’t rush this step, the long creaming is what gives Milk Bar cookies their distinct texture. You’ll hear the mixture start to slap against the bowl as it lightens.
7. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the bread flour, milk powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and rainbow sprinkles. Mix just until incorporated, do not overmix.
8. Add the cooled birthday cake crumb and mix on low just until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 3: Portion and Chill the Dough

9. Using a 1/3-cup measure or large scoop, portion the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. They can be placed close together for chilling.
10. Gently press the tops of each dough ball down slightly to flatten.
11. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 week. Do not skip this step the cookies will spread too much and not bake properly if you skip the chill.

Step 4: Bake the Cookies

12. Arrange the chilled dough mounds at least 4 inches apart on fresh parchment-lined baking sheets. These cookies spread, so give them plenty of room.
13. Bake for 18-20 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and set; the centers will still look slightly underdone. That’s exactly right — they firm up as they cool.
14. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This is when the texture sets up.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Use clear (imitation) vanilla, not pure vanilla. This is one of Christina Tosi’s key techniques. The clear vanilla delivers that artificial, funfetti-frosting flavor that makes these cookies taste like birthday cake.
• Don’t skip the long creaming step. Creaming the butter and eggs for 7-8 minutes isn’t just a suggestion — it’s what gives these cookies their light, slightly airy, distinctly bakery texture. Set a timer and let the mixer run.
• Bread flour over all-purpose. The higher protein content in bread flour creates a chewier cookie — much closer to what Milk Bar actually sells.
• Chill the dough. At minimum 1 hour, but overnight is even better. The dough chilled up to a week is a great make-ahead option for parties.
• Pull them out when the centers look underdone. The edges should be golden but the centers should still look soft. They continue to set up as they cool on the pan.
• Make the crumb ahead. The birthday cake crumb can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It’s also great crumbled over ice cream.
• Use rainbow sprinkles, not nonpareils. The little round nonpareils bleed color in the dough. The long jimmy-style rainbow sprinkles hold up better in baking.

Storage

• Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer (baked cookies): Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a zip-close bag for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.
• Freezer (unbaked dough): Portion the dough, freeze on a sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from the refrigerator (thaw overnight), not from frozen.

More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

• Frosted Churro Cookies
• Cosmic Brownie Cookies
• Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Funfetti Cookies
• Cookie Dough Cookies

Once you make Milk Bar confetti cookies at home, you’ll understand why people line up for them. The recipe is more involved than a standard drop cookie, but each step has a purpose and the result is a cookie that tastes completely unlike anything else. Make a batch for the next birthday, holiday, or just a random Tuesday that deserves some sprinkles.