Description
These Football Cookies are a delightful chocolate treat perfect for game day or any football-themed celebration. Made with a rich cocoa dough and decorated with sugar cookie icing to resemble football laces, these cookies combine fun and flavor for a sure crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Decoration
- Sugar Cookie Icing
- Green sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside to prepare the wet ingredients.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take about 3 minutes. This creates a smooth base for your dough.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then add the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to mix thoroughly.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Add the sifted flour mixture into the creamed mixture and beat until you achieve a smooth dough. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender cookie texture.
- Chill Dough: Divide the dough into two halves. Roll each half between two sheets of parchment or wax paper until about 1/4 inch thick. Place the dough sheets on baking sheets with the parchment and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to prevent spreading during baking.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with fresh parchment paper.
- Cut Shapes: Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator and use a football-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Alternatively, a sharp knife can be used to trace and cut football shapes. Re-roll leftover dough as needed to maximize yield.
- Bake Cookies: Arrange cut-out cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges feel firm to the touch but the centers remain slightly soft.
- Cool Cookies: Allow baked cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents breakage and helps cookies set fully.
- Decorate: Prepare sugar cookie icing and fill a piping bag fitted with tip #2 (or use a sealable plastic bag with a snipped corner). Pipe stitching details onto each cookie to mimic football laces. Allow the icing to set for at least 10 minutes, or up to 24 hours for fully hardened icing.
- Store Properly: Once icing is set, stack the cookies separated by parchment paper to avoid smudging. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, perfect for enjoying throughout your football festivities.
Notes
- Gameday just got sweeter! These chocolate football cookies are as fun to make as they are to eat.
- Perfect for Super Bowl parties, tailgates, or any football-themed celebrations.
- Chilling the dough is crucial to prevent spreading and maintain crisp edges.
- Using parchment paper for rolling and baking reduces sticking and cleanup.
- Decorate cookies with icing after they have fully cooled to avoid melting and smudging.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 151 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 59 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 27 mg
