These Fruity Pebbles Cookies are soft and chewy eggless sugar cookies that are loaded and coated with Fruity PEBBLES™! They're so fun and even have a little citrus in them to bring out that fun classic flavor! Best yet, they're gluten free, nut free, eggless and easily vegan! If you're a Fruity PEBBLES™ lover...then these are the cookies for you!
These Fruity Pebbles Cookies will bring you right back to your childhood! They're soft yet crunch thanks to our fun rainbow cereal and sweet yet tangy thanks to that added citrus! In addition, they stay soft for days, just like my Sprinkle Sugar Cookies! If you want a fruity sugar cookie without the tang, make sure to look at my recipe for Strawberry Sugar Cookies!
If you're looking for more sugar cookie recipes, try my super popular Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies, Small Batch Sugar Cookies, Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies or my Cut Out Sugar Cookies.
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Reasons to Love these Cookies
- Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Chewy- These cookies are the most perfect texture.
- Covered in Sugar- The sugar coating gives a nice sweetness! If you love cookies coated in cinnamon sugar instead, make sure to try my cinnamon chocolate chip cookies!
- Fruity PEBBLES™- These cookies are loaded and topped with this sweet rainbow crunchy cereal! If you love desserts with Fruity PEBBLES™, make sure to check out my Fruity Pebbles Ice Cream and my Fruity Pebbles Treats!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non dairy, use a non dairy milk of your choosing.
- Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- Don’t use melted; the cookies will spread into a giant mess.
- Cornstarch and Water- These cookies have no egg so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Orange Juice- Only use non pulp so you don’t have chunks in your cookies. The citrus helps bring out the fruity flavors without being overly tangy like my Orange Shortbread Cookies or Orange Cookies!
- Fruity PEBBLES™- You can use whatever gluten free/vegan rainbow rice cereal that you desire.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these Vegan
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
- Use a gluten free/vegan rainbow rice cereal. Make sure to read the labels if you're allergic to nuts.
How to Make this recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ¾ packed cups of regular flour (294 grams).
- Only use 1 ½ tablespoons of milk.
- Use ½ tablespoon of orange juice.
- You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Fruity Pebbles Cookies
Here are the step by step instructions to make these cookies!
Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 3: Cream the Sugar
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and 1 ¼ cups of the sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Add in the other Wet Ingredients
Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture, milk, orange juice and vanilla into the creamed butter and sugar. It will look chunky.
Step 5: Add in the Dry Ingredients and Fruity PEBBLES™
Slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
Pour in ½ cup of the rainbow cereal and use a spatula to mix all through the dough.
Step 6: Chill the Dough
Keep the dough in a bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2.5 hours. You must NOT skip this step or the cookies will spread everywhere. I love to chill mine overnight.
Step 7: Scoop the Dough and Coat with Fruity PEBBLES™ and Sugar
I use an ice cream scoop to make large cookies. It makes 12 scoops.
Roll each dough ball into the extra ¾ cup rainbow cereal, then roll each dough ball in the extra ¼ cup of granulated sugar.
It must be in that order or else the cereal will not stick to the dough.
Step 8: Bake the Cookies
Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-16 minutes or until golden on the bottoms. You can carefully use a cookie spatula to check.
Store extra dough balls in the fridge while the rest are baking if they don't all fit. I only bake 6 at a time.
Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven and top with extra Fruity PEBBLES™ if desired.
Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape.
- Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened or melted butter/vegan baking sticks. The cookies will spread out when baking into a giant mess.
- Chill the Dough- If you don’t chill the dough for at least 2.5 hours, the cookies will spread and be flat and thin. Chilling overnight is the best.
- Reshape the Cookies- If you want your cookies nice and round, reshape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Either use a spatula to push them back into a circle shape or use a large circle cookie cutter. If using a cookie cutter, place it over the cookies and rotate quickly in a circle.
Recipe FAQs
You can make the dough the night before. Keep it in the bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap. Pop in the fridge.
If doing this, there is no need to chill it again, prior to baking.
Or you can freeze the dough for up to 30 days by forming a disc and wrapping it in plastic wrap. Pop it in a zip top bag and freeze. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using.
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make these cookies a day before!
Unlike most gluten free cookies, they’re actually so soft they stay fresh for several days!
Yes! You can use a small cookie scoop or roll the dough into 1 inch balls.
Bake the cookies at the same temperature but for 13-15 minutes. Reshape as needed. Should make around 24 cookies.
Although the cereal says gluten free and do not contain any obvious animal products, I read that they may or may not contain vitamin D3 that is synthesized from lanolin, which is derived from sheep wool.
There is vegan vitamin D3 which comes from lichen...so I am unsure as to where it comes from in the rainbow cereal.
To play it safe, you can buy a labeled vegan rainbow rice cereal. Some other brands make it however many are made in facilities with nuts...so please read your labels if you have nut allergies.
Once the cookies have cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
If you want them warm, heat the cookie in the microwave for a few seconds prior to serving. Be careful not to burn your mouth if doing so.
Other Rainbow Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
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📖 Recipe
Fruity Pebbles Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour (I use a 1:1 gluten free flour with xanthan gum)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (reserve ¼ cup for rolling)
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon orange juice , no pulp
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup Fruity PEBBLES™ , reserve ¾ cup for rolling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, the baking powder and the kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand held mixer, beat the room temperature butter or vegan baking stick and 1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar until soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, beat in the cornstarch water mixture. Then beat in the vanilla, milk and orange juice. The mixture might look slightly chunky and that’s ok.
- Still on low speed, beat the gluten free flour mixture into the wet ingredients, a little at a time until just combined.Once combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl using a spatula.
- Pour in ½ cup of the rainbow cereal and use a spatula to mix into the dough.
- Cover the bowl with the dough still in it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2.5 hours. This is very important. There are no eggs and if you don't do this step, the cookies will spread into a giant mess while baking.
- After 2.5 hours, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Take the dough out of the fridge. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough out. You should have 12 scoops.
- Roll the dough balls in the extra ¾ cup rainbow cereal, then roll each dough ball in the extra ¼ cup of granulated sugar.It must be in that order or else the cereal will not stick to the dough.
- Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-16 minutes or until golden brown on the bottoms. Carefully use a cookie spatula to check.Store extra dough balls in the fridge while the rest are baking if they don't all fit. I only bake 6 at a time.
- Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push the cookies back into a circle shape or use a large circle cookie cutter. If using a cookie cutter, place it over the cookies and rotate quickly in a circle. Top with extra Fruity PEBBLES™ if desired.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.
John
Fruity Pebbles are my most favorite cereal! These cookies came out delicious and were super easy to make! Thanks!
Lee
So glad you love them!
nancy
these fruity pebbles cookies were so easy to make, i loved them! they are perfect for valentines day as well!
Lee
Thank you!
Ginny
I don't think I've ever seen a cookie that incorporated fruit pebbles- what a great idea! I love how colorful they are!
Alex
I’m gonna cry these are so good🫢🫢🫢
Lee
Thank you so much!
Lauren
These came out great!! we're bringing them to a party tonight with a friend whose daughter has severe egg and nut allergies 🤩 we used regular all-purpose flour with your adjustments and they were perfect! hardly spread at all. Thank you!
Lee
So glad to hear!!! Hope they love them! Thanks!!
Taylor
Let me start by saying - I don’t like baking but had to make dessert for Easter. These were so easy and came out amazing! I got about 20 regular sized cookies from one batch and had to cook a little longer (17 minutes). The GF and non-GF people alike were coming back for seconds 🙂 Excited to try another one of her recipes.
Lee
So so glad!!! Thank you so much!
Amanda Mia
I made these for a birthday gift and they were so ultra soft everyone who got a chance to try them said they were one of the best things I've made
Lee
Thank you so so much! So glad!
Lynn
Can I add eggs to it ? If so how do I do that ?
Lee
Hi! Sadly I cannot test this recipe with eggs due to my son's severe allergy. It actually took me years to try to mimic the texture of a cookie with eggs, so I am not truly sure what adding one would do. If you wanted to try, I would use packed cups of flour, no cornstarch water mixture, only 1 egg and only 1.5 tablespoons of milk. Hope it works out! Sorry I can't be of more help!