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When the Snowstorm Wins, You Bake!

We had it all planned out, a first-ever family ski trip to visit relatives, Super Bowl Sunday with the whole crew, and me showing up with a big batch of cookie bites sporting Giants flags just to stir up some friendly trouble among the Patriots fans. It was going to be perfect.

Then the snowstorm had other ideas.

The trip was cancelled, the game-day gathering wasn't happening, and honestly? The kids were devastated. So I did the only logical thing: I cranked up the oven, pulled out the butter, and we still made cookies. Not just any cookies, Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Table chocolate chip cookies, baked into the most cheerful little bite-sized minis I could manage, piled high with vanilla buttercream and enough sprinkles to lift anyone's spirits.

And here's the thing, the cookies worked and did lift spirits for a bit. Maybe not as well as a ski slope, but the smell of butter and brown sugar filling the house, the kids arguing over who got to add the sprinkles, and the absolute catastrophic mess of sugar sprinkles coating every surface within a three-foot radius of my youngest? Worth every single bit of it. The smiles were real, the cookies were incredible, and the kitchen floor sparkled for days.

Soft, chewy, deeply buttery mini cookies topped with creamy vanilla buttercream and a generous shower of sprinkles — these cookie bites are what a snow day actually calls for.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Perfect portion size: Bite-sized cookies are just the right size for little hands, and let's be honest, eating five of them feels much more reasonable than eating one giant cookie.

Feeds a crowd: This recipe makes ~36 cookie bites, which is plenty for a whole family going stir-crazy indoors.

Simple pantry ingredients: Nothing fancy here, just the good basics, done right the Magnolia way.

Kid-friendly: Children can help with almost every step, from mixing to the (extremely enthusiastic) sprinkle-adding portion of the program.

Make-ahead friendly: Bake the cookies in advance and frost them whenever you're ready.

Customizable: Swap sprinkle colors for any holiday, season, or just whatever makes you smile on a grey snowy day.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Yield: 36 cookie bites

Ingredients You'll Need

For the Cookie Bites:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 Cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
A WHOLE BAG of chocolate chips (because why not)

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp heavy cream or milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅓ cup rainbow sprinkles

How to Make Them

Step 1: Get Your Kitchen Ready

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fair warning: also consider covering your counters in parchment paper if small children will be involved in the sprinkle stage.

Step 2: Make the Dough

Cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then gradually mix into the wet ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Step 3: Shape and Bake

Using a small cookie scoop or teaspoon, form 1-inch dough balls and place them 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until the edges are just lightly golden but the centers still look soft. They'll firm up as they cool — pull them early for that perfect chewy texture.

Step 4: Make the Buttercream

Qhile the cookies cool, beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in the heavy cream and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Now — and this is the critical step — let the kids add the sprinkles. Stand back. Accept what happens next.

Step 5: Frost and Celebrate

Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe the buttercream on top. Add whatever extra sprinkles remain (likely fewer than you started with). Declare the snow day a success.

*I used a small condiment bowl to press the cookies down in the middle (while still warm) so you can fit more frosting. This is optional, but I thought it made it easier.

These cookie bites were practically made for little helpers — and for making a glorious mess on a day when you're all stuck inside together.

Measuring ingredients gives them a job before the chaos begins. Mixing the dough is endlessly satisfying for small hands. Scooping dough balls is genuinely fun and keeps them focused. And adding sprinkles — well, that's where all structure breaks down and everyone just has the best time. Let it happen. The laughter is worth the cleanup.

Baking together on a cancelled-plans kind of day is its own reward. These are the memories they'll actually remember.

Notes:

Don't overbake — pull them when centers look slightly underdone. They'll set up perfectly as they cool.
Cookies can be baked ahead and frozen unfrosted. Thaw and frost the day of serving.
Add gel food coloring to the buttercream to match any party theme, holiday, or sports team.
Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Storage Tips

Room temperature in an airtight container: up to 3 days. Refrigerator: up to 5 days (bring to room temp before serving for best texture). Freezer: freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months, then thaw and frost before serving.

Customization Ideas

Use red and green for Christmas, pink and red for Valentine's Day, orange and black for Halloween. Match the buttercream color to a birthday party theme. Swap in white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or butterscotch. Stir ¼ cup of mini M&Ms into the dough. And yes — if your ski trip ever gets rescheduled, add those Giants flags.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes the best days are the ones that don't go as planned. The ski slope wasn't happening, the Super Bowl party wasn't happening, and for a little while it felt like the whole weekend was a loss. But 36 tiny cookies, one very messy frosting session, and a kitchen covered in rainbow sprinkles later — everyone was smiling. That's really all you can ask for.

If a snowstorm is keeping you home, bake these. You won't regret.

Cookie Bites Topped with Buttercream Frosting