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    Home » Recipes » Parties

    Sunshine Cookies

    Modified: Jul 19, '24 · Published: Jul 24, '15 · By: Beth Klosterboer · Commission earned on paid or sponsored links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Turn any day into a sunny day. Share these adorably cute candy-filled piñata-style Sunshine Cookies to make anyone's day a little brighter.

    sunshine cookies filled with candy.

    The sun hasn't blessed us with its presence much this summer, so I thought I'd bring some sunshine inside. I spent the morning baking these whimsical sun-shaped cookies.

    To my surprise, the sun came out in the afternoon and some friends and their kids stopped by. We spent the afternoon playing in the sunshine and snacking on these sweet candy-filled cookies.

    Everyone had a blast cracking the cookies open to find the candy hidden inside.

    Fill 3-D smiley face sun cookies with candies to brighten up any day.

    What's not to love about cookies and candy especially when they look so cute?

    Decorated piñata cookies do take a bit of time to make but seeing the smiles on my friend's faces made it all worthwhile. They were the perfect Summertime Recipe but they'd be great any time of year.

    smiley face sunshine cookies with candy hiding inside.

    Sunshine Piñata Cookies

    Ingredients

    sugar cookie dough - butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, almond extract, flour, baking powder, and salt

    yellow food coloring

    mini candies to fit inside the cookies - I used mini M&M's.

    yellow candy melts or yellow royal icing - You will use this to glue the two cookie pieces together.

    ½-inch candy eyes - These are larger than the candy eyes you find at most craft or grocery stores. I ordered mine from Amazon. See the link below.

    black food coloring marker

    Supplies

    cake pops pan (metal half-sphere pan) - I used a Telebrands Bake Pop pan. It makes larger cake pops. If you use a different size pan, you may need to adjust the size of your cookies.
    rolling pin
    flour for dusting the work surface
    optional, non-stick silicone mat
    2 ½ inch round cookie cutter
    3 ¼ - 3 ½ inch sunshine cookie cutter

    The sugar cookie recipe below is adapted from LiloLoa.

    You can find items needed to make this recipe at Amazon.com. I earn a small commission when you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this blog at no extra cost to you.


    Ateco Plain Edge Round Cutt...Shop on Amazon Fox Run Sun Cookie CutterShop on Amazon White And Black ½-Inch Ca...Shop on Amazon  Telebrands Bake PopShop on Amazon

    Instructions

    Bake yellow half sphere cookies using a cake pop pan.

    Bake half-sphere cookies.

    Lightly dust your work surface or a non-stick mat with flour.

    Roll the cookie dough out to between a 1/16 inch and ⅛th inch thickness, cut 17 or 18 circles using a round cutter, and drape circles of dough over each mound on your pan and smooth with your fingers. Freeze pan for 15 minutes then bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

    The cookies will spread slightly while baking so you want to give them a bit of room to spread. You don't want the dough forming a lip at the base of the cookie. I used a 2 ½-inch cutter for this, but your cake ball pan may be smaller, so adjust the size of your dough circles to fit.

    sunshine cut-out cookies.

    Bake sunshine cut-out cookies.

    Roll out the remaining dough and cut out 17-18 sunshine shapes. Set them on parchment-lined baking sheets, refrigerate for 15 minutes, then bake for 10-14 minutes until the tops look dry.

    Cool cookies completely.

    making candy-filled sunshine cookies.

    Fill with candy.

    Fill each half-sphere cookie with candy, pipe on some yellow royal icing or melted candy coating around the top edge of the cookie, set a sun-shaped cookie over top, turn the cookies right side up, and allow to dry completely.

    adding candy eyes and black food coloring smiles to sunshine cookies

    Add the smiley faces.

    Attach two candy eyes using icing or candy melts, then draw on smiles using black food coloring markers.

    You can tell by looking at these pictures that I made these on a gloomy day. If you want, you can bake the cookies and freeze them, un-decorated, until you want to serve them. Then remove from the freezer and allow them to thaw for about an hour, then fill and decorate.

    The cookies will be ready to go when you want to share them with friends and family.

    candy-filled sunshine cookies

    Storage

    Store your cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. 

    You can also freeze the unfilled cookies for up to three months. Let them thaw completely and then decorate them with smiley faces, fill them with candy, and "glue" them together.

    Related Recipes

    If you are looking for other smiley face or sunshine treats, be sure to check these out.

    Bright yellow smiley face pretzels made using yellow candy melts or white chocolate.

    Smiley Face Pretzels

    smiley face chocolate chip cookies

    Smiley Face Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Snowman Pretzels made with white-chocolate pretzel rings.

    Smiley Face Snowman Pretzels

    M&M filled sunshine cookies make fun summertime treats for kids.

    Recipe

    sunshine cookies filled with candy.
    Print
    Sunshine Cookies
    Prep Time
    1 hr 15 mins
    Cook Time
    21 mins
    Total Time
    1 hr 6 mins
     
    Bright yellow smiley face sunshine shaped cookies filled with candy.
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: pinata cookies, summer desserts, sun shaped cookies
    Servings: 17
    Calories: 140 kcal
    Author: Beth Klosterboer
    Ingredients
    • 2 cups all purpose flour plus more if needed
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ cup butter softened slightly
    • ¾ cups sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • ¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon almond extract
    • yellow food coloring
    • 1 cup mini candies like mini M&M's or Jelly Bellies
    • 2 tablespoons yellow royal icing or melted candy coating
    Instructions
    1. Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in egg, vanilla, almond extract, and yellow food coloring.
    2. Add dry ingredients and stir just until combined. If the dough is sticky, add a small amount of flour.
    3. Lightly dust your work surface or non-stick mat with flour.
    4. Roll the cookie dough out to between a 1/16 inch and ⅛th inch thickness, cut 17 or 18 circles using a 2 ½ inch round cookie cutter, and drape circles of dough over each mound on your pan and smooth with your fingers. Freeze pan for 15 minutes.

    5. Heat oven to 325 degree oven.
    6. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes.
    7. Roll out the remaining dough and cut out 17-18 sunshine shapes using a 3 ¼ - 3 ½ inch sunshine cookie cutter

    8. Set them on parchment-lined baking sheets, refrigerate for 15 minutes, then bake for 10-14 minutes until the tops look dry.

    9. Cool cookies completely.
    10. Fill each half sphere cookie with candy, pipe on some yellow royal icing or melted candy coating around the top edge of the cookie, set a sun shaped cookie over top, turn the cookies right side up and allow to dry completely.
    11. Attach two candy eyes using icing or candy melts, then draw on smiles using black food coloring markers.
    Recipe Notes

    I used a Telebrands Bake Pop pan. It makes larger cake pops. If you use a different size pan, you may need to adjust the size of your cookies.

    Store your cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. 

    The calories listed are for 18 cookies. The candy calories are not included. 

    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Beth Klosterboer
    Beth Klosterboer
    Hi, I'm Beth Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com
    Beth Klosterboer
    Latest posts by Beth Klosterboer (see all)
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    1. Heather {Brie Brie Blooms} says

      August 21, 2015 at 2:09 pm

      LOVE THESE COOKIES! SO SO CREATIVE AND FUN FOR SUMMER! #CLIENT

      Reply
      • Beth says

        August 21, 2015 at 2:35 pm

        Thanks so much. I'm glad you like them!

        Reply
    2. Jill @ KitchenFunWithMy3Sons says

      August 06, 2015 at 3:22 pm

      These are SO cute!

      Reply
      • Beth says

        August 06, 2015 at 4:07 pm

        Thanks, Jill:)

        Reply
    3. Noa Ambar Regev says

      August 02, 2015 at 4:28 pm

      What a cute idea! Love it for a summer party (pinned!).

      Reply
      • Beth says

        August 02, 2015 at 4:48 pm

        Thanks for the pin:) I hope you are enjoying a sunshiny day!

        Reply
    4. Karen @ Sugartown Sweets says

      July 29, 2015 at 10:15 pm

      Your happy and sunshiney pinata cookies would brighten up any day--these are super awesome Beth!! Plus, they look like such fun to make. What a colorful and festive party you've put togother! 🙂

      Reply
      • Beth says

        July 29, 2015 at 11:21 pm

        This party was sure a lot of fun because not only was the sun shining outside, but inside, as well. Thanks, Karen:)

        Reply
    5. Samantha K says

      July 28, 2015 at 11:00 am

      The whole table setup is fun and definitely would end cabin fever around here! LOVE the pinata cookies! (client)

      Reply
      • Beth says

        July 28, 2015 at 11:12 am

        The kids had so much fun and so did the adults. It was nice to spend the day outside together. I was happy to bring smiles to my guest's faces.

        Reply
    6. Cathy says

      July 27, 2015 at 1:31 am

      LOVE this!! So So creative!!! I would love for you to share this at my link party Making Memories Mondays going on now! There’s a great cash giveaway too!
      Cathy

      Reply
    7. Diana Rambles says

      July 25, 2015 at 6:07 pm

      Those are so much fun!

      Reply
      • Beth says

        July 25, 2015 at 6:12 pm

        Thanks, Diana:) They were fun to make too.

        Reply
    8. The Partiologist says

      July 25, 2015 at 3:13 pm

      You're sunshine cookies have certainly brought a smile to my face. It sure looks like everyone enjoyed the day!

      Reply
      • Beth says

        July 25, 2015 at 3:21 pm

        Mission accomplished! I'm glad these got you to smile!

        Reply
    9. Imane Daher says

      July 25, 2015 at 2:02 am

      Hi Beth,

      I would appreciate if you may tell me where to get the round mold to do these cookies. I love, love them as all your project. Thank you for all your beautiful and lovely tutorials and recipes.

      Thank you in advance,

      With all my gratitude,

      Imane

      Reply
      • Beth says

        July 25, 2015 at 2:11 am

        Thanks Imane, I'm happy to hear you like the cookies!

        I've added a link at the bottom of this post for the pan. You can buy them from Amazon right now. It's a Telebrands Bake Pop Pan and it's a great size for these cookies.

        Reply
    Beth Jackson Klosterboer

    Welcome to Hungry Happenings!

    I'm Beth. I've been a professional chocolatier & baker for over 30 years, have written 5 cookbooks, and love creating fun food for holidays and special occasions.

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