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    Home » Recipes » Baking Recipes

    Smarties Cookies

    By Robyn | Published: May 5, 2023 | Modified: Jun 27, 2023

    TO THE RECIPE Show me the Video
    close up of a pile of Smarties cookies with text overlay to create a pin for Pinterest.

    These colourful Smarties cookies are a popular recipe with kids and adults alike! Melt in the mouth vanilla cookies are studded with chocolate chips and topped with smarties to create a bright and pretty cookie that is perfect for parties, bake sales and picnics.

    a batch of Smarties cookies on white background, with a small plate of Smarties in the right hand bottom corner.

    Smarties biscuits are pretty much guaranteed to put a smile on the face of my family – young and old. These fun cookies are made from a soft and tender vanilla cookie dough, slightly crumbly like shortbread, dotted with chocolate chunks and then topped with colourful Smarties.

    Jump to:
    • Why we love this recipe
    • Ingredient notes and substitutions
    • How to make smartie cookies from scratch
    • FAQ
    • My recipe tips
    • Chocolate is cheaper than Smarties, but if you want to use the packet of Smarties you can add extra Smarties to the cookie dough instead of chocolate.
    • Make ahead/storage
    • Variations
    • Why not try…
    • Smarties Cookies

    Why we love this recipe

    • This easy recipe is made in one bowl and take just 10 minutes to prepare.
    • It is an eggless cookie recipe – like lemon biscuits, bourbon biscuits and lemon white chocolate cookies there are no eggs in these cookies.
    • Baking cookies with smarties is a guaranteed way to get the kids in the kitchen! From weighing the ingredients to counting out the Smarties – and tasting along the way – these are a fun baking project for rainy weekends or school holidays.
    • The soft tender vanilla cookie is like a cafe style cookie that is sold in many cafes throughout Australia.

    Ingredient notes and substitutions

    Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient quantities.

    • Butter or margarine – I have made these cookies with butter and margarine and they both work, the only difference is the butter produces slightly crisper cookies than those made with margarine. I use unsalted butter, but if you want to use salted butter, leave out the pinch of salt. If using butter, make sure it is at room temperature.
    • Icing sugar / confectioners sugar – adding this superfine sugar helps give the cookies that tender texture.
    • Soft brown sugar – gives a slightly dense cookie (which is so tasty!) as well as providing a little moisture to stop the cookies from becoming too dry and sandy.
    • Plain flour – all purpose flour.
    • Vanilla essence – vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract.
    • Baking powder – used as a leavener to create a lighter texture.
    • Chocolate – milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate. I like to use bar chocolate and roughly chop it to create chocolate chunks but use chocolate chips if you prefer. Or use extra Smarties.
    • Smarties – or any other candy coated chocolate.
    ingredients needed to make the cookies weighed out and placed in individual bowls.

    How to make smartie cookies from scratch

    Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the full recipe.

    • In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter / margarine with the icing / confectioners sugar, soft brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
    • Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix to a firm dough. This can take a little time.
    The butter and sugars whisked together in a bowl.
    flour stirred into the butter and sugar.
    • Mix in the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.
    • Roll the dough into a 5cm / 2 inch diameter sausage in clingfilm / cling wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
    chocolate chunks added to the cookie dough.
    the cookie dough rolled into a sausage shape and being wrapped in cling film.
    • Slice the cookie dough into 1.5 cm / 0.5 inch thick slices and place on two baking tins lined with baking paper, leaving a little room in between to allow for the cookies to spread slightly.
    • Gently push 5-6 Smarties into the top of each of the cookies, taking care not to press too hard as this can crack the cookie dough.
    the chilled cookie dough being cut into slices.
    the sliced cookie dough on a lined baking tin topped with Smarties, ready to be baked.
    • Place in the preheated oven and bake until very lightly golden.
    • Leave on the trays for 5 minutes to cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
    a batch of Smartie cookies on a tray with a small dish of Smarties in the top right.

    FAQ

    Why do you chill cookie dough before baking?

    Chilling the dough in the fridge solidifies the fat, so when the cookies are placed in a hot oven to bake the fat takes longer to melt. This means your cookies are less likely to spread.

    Do Smarties melt in the oven?

    These cookies take a short time to cook so the Smarties don’t have a chance to melt. The chocolate does become soft but the sugar coating stays intact.

    My recipe tips

    • If you are using butter (rather than margarine), make sure it is at room temperature  – this will make it easier to mix with the sugar.
    • Don’t over bake the cookies, they are like shortbread cookies in the fact that they don’t want much colour to them.
    • If you want to make Dotty cookies, then I recommend you use margarine rather than butter. This gives them a softer texture without that crispness that comes with butter. I actually developed them with Dotty cookies in mind so prefer using margarine in this particular recipe!
    Budget Tip Box

    Chocolate is cheaper than Smarties, but if you want to use the packet of Smarties you can add extra Smarties to the cookie dough instead of chocolate.

    Make ahead/storage

    This Smarties cookie recipe will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. (They rarely stay around for that long without being eaten!)

    To freeze the cookies: wrap well to avoid any strong smells like onion tainting the cookies. Freeze for up to 6 weeks.

    Variations

    You can top the cookies with mini Smarties, or use M&M’s or chocolate chips instead of Smarties. For Easter, decorate with Cadbury’s mini eggs.

    Why not try…

    You may also like these other fun baking recipes:

    • close up of cornflake cake to show glossy chocolate coating the cornflakes.
      Chocolate Cornflake Cakes
    • stack of Caramilk cookies, with one cookie leaning against the stack to show the melted caramilk chunks
      Caramilk Cookies
    • one rice krispie cake on a white serving platter, with other cakes just visible to the sides
      Rice Krispies Cakes
    • a close up of a stack of s'mores with melted chocolate and marshmallow dripping down the sides
      Digestive S’mores
    a stack of 3 cookies with another cookie on it's side.

    Smarties Cookies

    Author: Robyn

    Melt in the mouth vanilla cookies are studded with chocolate chips and topped with Smarties to create a bright and pretty Smartie cookies that are perfect for parties, bake sales and picnics.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Resting time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 55 minutes mins
    Course baking
    Cuisine International
    Servings 18 cookies
    Calories 228 kcal

    Equipment

    • 2 baking trays / baking sheets

    Ingredients
      

    • 220g (1 c) margarine or softened butter
    • 40g (⅓ c) icing sugar / confectioners sugar
    • 40g (½ c, packed) soft brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence / vanilla extract
    • 375g (2½ c) plain flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • pinch salt
    • 50g milk or dark chocolate, roughly chopped
    • 70g Smarties

    Instructions
     

    • In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter / margarine with the icing / confectioners sugar, soft brown sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
    • Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix to a firm dough. This can take a little time.
    • Add the chopped chocolate then roll into a 5cm / 2 inch diameter sausage in clingfilm / cling wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
    • Preheat the oven to 170˚C fan / 190˚C / 338˚F convection / 374˚F.
    • Line two baking sheets / baking tins with baking paper.
    • Slice the cookie dough into 1.5 cm / 0.5 inch thick slices and place on the tins leaving a little room inbetween to allow for the cookies to spread slightly.
    • Gently push 5-6 Smarties into the top of each of the cookies, taking care not to press too hard as this can cause the cookies to crack.
    • Place in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until very lightly golden.
    • Leave on the trays for 5 minutes to cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Video

    Notes

    Nutritional information calculated using butter.
    Butter or margarine – I have baked these cookies with butter and margarine and they both work, the only difference is the butter produces slightly crisper cookies than those made with margarine. I use unsalted butter, but if you want to use salted butter, leave out the pinch of salt. If using butter, make sure it is at room temperature.
    Icing sugar / confectioners sugar – adding this superfine sugar helps give the cookies that tender texture.
    Soft brown sugar – gives a slightly dense cookie (which is so tasty!) as well as providing a little moisture to stop the cookies from becoming too dry and sandy.
    Plain flour – all purpose flour.
    Vanilla essence – vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract.
    Baking powder – used as a leavener to create a lighter texture.
    Chocolate – milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate. I like to use bar chocolate and roughly chop it to create chocolate chunks but use chocolate chips if you prefer. Or use extra Smarties.
    Smarties – or any other candy coated chocolate.
    If you are using butter (rather than margarine), make sure it is at room temperature  – this will make it easier to mix with the sugar.
    Don’t over bake the cookies, they are like shortbread cookies in the fact that they don’t want much colour to them.
    If you want to make Dotty cookies, then I recommend you use margarine rather than butter. This gives them a softer texture without that crispness that comes with butter. I actually developed them with Dotty cookies in mind so prefer using margarine in this particular recipe!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 228kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 107mgPotassium: 52mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 315IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword dotty cookies, eggless cookies, smartie cookies

    HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?

    I’d love to see your creation!

    Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
    Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen

    Or just leave a comment below!

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    Robyn Jones, Recipe Developer & Food Photographer

    Robyn Jones

    Recipe Developer | Food Photographer | Writer

    Hi! I'm Robyn, a toddler mum with a passion for all things food! Having moved internationally 7 times in the past 12 years I have developed a love of making international recipes into family friendly ones you can make in your own home, with local ingredients; wherever you live!

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