Pan Banging Cookies

It has the weirdest title, I know. But here me out–these are one of the best cookies I’ve ever made. They are slightly crunchy on the outside, but nice and chewy on the inside. They are simple to make and require ingredients you probably already have in the pantry.

My kids love these cookies for a few reasons. One, it has sprinkles. Two, they taste amazing. And three, they love watching me bang the cookie sheet on the oven rack multiple times to see the cookies deflate.

When you bang the cookies on the oven rack, it creates these tiny ripples in the cookies, which also helps create a soft center and a denser outer layer. The sugar and sprinkle mixture the dough is rolled in before baking creates a little extra crunch on the outside of the cookies, similar to a snickerdoodle.

They cookies are quite large, but it is also what makes them unique. And if you have kids at home, they will definitely love enjoying a larger cookie. (This picture was from 3 years ago, but look at those smiles!)

Give these cookies a try! I promise you won’t be disappointed. Enjoy! xoxo

Pan Banging Cookies

print recipe here

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 ½ hours

Serves: 12

2 cups flour

1 t baking soda

¾ t salt

½ t cream of tartar

1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp

1 ½ + ¼ c sugar (separated)

1 egg

1 T vanilla extract

¾ c + 2 T sprinkles 

Directions:

Set an oven rack in the middle and then preheat to 350 degrees.  Line three jelly roll pans, or cookie sheets, with aluminum foil, shiny side up.   In a small bowl, combine 2 T sprinkles and ¼ c sugar. Set aside. 

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until creamy, about a minute.  Add 1 ½ c sugar (leave ¼ c for later) and beat until pale in color and fluffy.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix the egg and vanilla on low speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix on low. Add the ¾ c sprinkles and mix just until fully incorporated (you don’t want to break up the sprinkles into smaller bits).

Weigh out 3 ounces per cookie, or use a ¼ cup measuring cup, to have 12 cookies. Roll each cookie in the sugar/sprinkle mix and place 4 cookies evenly spaced on the three cookie sheets. Bake cookies one sheet at a time.

Once the cookies go in the oven, set a timer for 8 minutes. Open the oven and lift the cookie sheet about 5 inches above the oven rack and gently drop it on the rack. The cookies should deflate and small ridges should appear. Close the oven door and set a timer for 2 minutes. Again, open the oven door, lift the cookie sheet above the rack, and gently drop on the rack. More ridges should appear. Do this two more times, baking the cookies for 14-16 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool fully, about 10 minutes. Continue with the remaining cookies.

Recipe Source: The Wall Street Journal

Notes: You can use whatever sprinkles you like, but I like the large jimmies the best. The ones from King Arthur Baking do not bleed the color into the batter like Wilton or other off-brands. Cookies will stay fresh for 2-3 days in an airtight container.