By now we all know the history of Funfetti, a rainbow-hued twist on a boxed cake mix, thanks to the folks at Pillsbury way back in 1989. It was revolutionary because instead of using the packet of sprinkles to decorate the outside of the cake, bakers were instructed to mix them into the batter.

Today, you’d be hard-pressed to scroll through Instagram or Pinterest without seeing a joyful array of rainbow-colored sprinkles adorning everything from doughnuts to dips. When I need a quick Funfetti fix, I turn to the easiest treat around — cookies — and make them even simpler.

What’s the worst part about making cookies? If you said chilling and scooping the dough, then you’d be right, my friend. Let’s skip that tediousness and take the dough directly from mixer to oven, only cutting individual servings after they are cool and frosted. Bar cookies are softer, more tender cookies — just sturdy enough to support a thick layer of buttery frosting and even more sprinkles. On that note, be sure to use jimmies (sometimes called decorette or confetti-style sprinkles) rather than round, candy-like nonpareils.

A cookie for all the seasons

Funfetti treats are simply the happiest dessert you can whip up in your kitchen. I dare you to try not to smile when someone hands you a cupcake, cookie, or piece of fudge with colorful speckles throughout. Let’s not limit that joy to the cake at a child’s birthday party, though; instead, whip up a batch of these easy Funfetti bar cookies for every occasion. Swap rainbow sprinkles for red and green at Christmas, red and white for Valentine’s Day, red and blue for the Fourth of July, and orange, purple, and black for Halloween.

Christmas Funfetti Bar Cookies

Makes 24 bars

For the cookie layer:

Cooking spray

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

...continued