What other perfect addition to your spread besides these adorable football cookies? Not only are they ideal for the day, but they taste fantastic, too! Who doesn’t love cookies and football?
Exactly!
If you’re feeling extra adventurous, instead of making a simple brown icing, you can add the color of the team you’re rooting for! These are so easy to make that they also make great birthday cookies for a little football fan!
The football cookie dough can be substituted with whatever cookie dough is your favorite flavor. It doesn’t need to be chocolate only. You can make peanut butter, chocolate chip, sugar cookie, double chocolate, whatever you fancy!
Why Football Cookies Are Perfect for Game Day
It might be the perfect treat to bring or have on your big game day. Children will love them because they are cookies, and the adults (mostly us women) can genuinely appreciate how adorable they are!).
Don’t want to make a bunch of cookies?
No problem.
Add all the football cookie dough, shape it into a big football outline, and bake. You will have to make it longer than the cookies, but add 5 to 7 minutes and check it with a toothpick. You will want it to be softer so it won’t dry.
The perfect football cookie cake!
Simple Steps for Shaping Football-Themed Cookies
I know what it’s like to have the perfect idea for a cookie, but I need help finding the shape you need. It makes me think of when I was younger, and when my mom or nana would make cookies (or biscuits, for that matter), we would use the top end of a cup.
It usually worked perfectly with the exact size we needed.
>>> Best Chocolate Chip Cookie without Brown Sugar
Many stores will carry football-shaped cookie cutters, especially around this time of year (or you can find them online; you can find almost anything online!).
But if you’re unwilling to purchase a new cookie cutter or don’t have the time because the dough is waiting to be shaped as we speak, then here are a few tips you can use to make those adorable football-shaped cookies—without a football-shaped cookie cutter!
An oval cookie cutter would work very well. If you can find an Easter egg cookie cutter, it would be the same. I feel that it’s easier to have this because it is much more common!
After cutting out the dough in the shape of an egg or oval, you need to play with the cookie slightly to make it sharper at the ends.
You can also use a knife and shape them freehand. However, if you have a little template, such as an oval or egg shape, you can make them look more uniform. If you’re attempting to do a freehand, get a bigger circle (such as a big mug) and cut out each cookie.
After each circle football is cut, take a sharp knife, clean it off with a wet paper towel, and trim it to make it a football.
Step-by-Step Recipe for Football Cookies with Chocolate Icing
Prepare the Dough
Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set this aside.
Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Mix the egg, vanilla extract, milk, and lemon zest until thoroughly blended. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a dough forms.
Try not to over mix this because it can lead to a more dense cookie.
Shape the Cookies
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s about ¼-inch thick. Use a football-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. If you don’t have one, oval cutters with slight trimming work perfectly! Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. This can be done ahead of time if you don’t want to do everything on the day of.
Make the Chocolate Icing
Combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Stir until smooth. Adjust the milk to achieve the desired icing consistency. This is when you can make any color you would like. Omit the cocoa powder and add in with food coloring the colors of your favorite team!
Decorate the Cookies
Spread the chocolate icing evenly over the cooled cookies. Use white frosting in a piping bag to create football laces on top. Leave the decorated cookies to set for 10-15 minutes.
If you don’t want to put it in a bag, what I like to do is put the icing in a bowl and dip the whole top of the cookie into the bowl and then let it dry completely. This covers the whole top of the cookie and is so much easier than fussing with a bag.
The only part you will need to use a piping bag (or any bag) is to do the laces and other detailed parts of the football shaped cookie.
Now you have cookies that look every bit as good as they taste!
Football Sugar Cookie with Chocolate Icing
These game night football cookies are not adorable, but also delicious. The combination of the chocolate and vanilla dough creates an elegant contrast and a delightful treat for any football-themed gathering.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp milk
- pinch of lemon zest (optional)
For the Chocolate Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp milk (add more for desired consistency)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Icing (for the laces)
- White frosting (store-bought or homemade) for the football laces
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
1) Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set this aside.
2) Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
3) Mix the egg, vanilla extract, milk, and lemon zest until thoroughly blended.
4) Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a dough forms.
Shape the Cookies
5) Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it's about ¼-inch thick. Use a football-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
If you don't have one, oval cutters with slight trimming work perfectly! Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake
6) Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. This can be done a day in advance if you're short on time.
Make the Chocolate Icing
7) Combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Stir until smooth.
8) Adjust the milk to achieve the desired icing consistency.
Decorate the Cookies
9) Spread the chocolate icing evenly over the cooled cookies. Use white frosting in a piping bag to create football laces on top.
Leave the decorated cookies to set for 10-15 minutes.
Notes
Tools You'll Need for this Recipe:
To create these delectable football-shaped cookies with chocolate icing, you'll need the following tools:
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk or electric mixer
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Football-shaped cookie cuttern (or see other ways in post)
- Rolling pin
- Cooling rack
- Decorating bag or ziplock bag (for icing)
- Small round icing tip or scissors (if using a decorating bag)
- Optional: Food coloring and sprinkles for decoration
Healthier Cookie Alternatives
Sometimes, cookies can just be cookies, and it’s okay to indulge every now and then. However, when one loves a cookie but maybe not all the heaviness, there are always solutions!
- Swap the Flour: Use whole wheat or almond flour instead of regular flour for added fiber and nutrients.
- Reduce Sugar: Replace granulated sugar with coconut sugar or substitute stevia or monk fruit.
- Butter Alternatives: Substitute coconut oil or unsweetened applesauce instead of butter for a lighter touch.
- Dark Chocolate Twist: Opt for a dark chocolate icing made with melted 70% dark chocolate for a more balanced flavor and added antioxidants.
- Skip the Icing: Make the cookies in the shape of a football, but forgo the icing and enjoy the taste of the cookie!
Frequently Asked Questions
American Football Cookies are the Touch (Down) You’ve Been Looking For
Try out these fun cookies on your next big game day; I’m sure the kids will love them! They’re easy; you can scale them up to make a cookie cake or tiny bite-size footballs or change the floors or colors.
Experiment and let me know how you made out with these adorable football cookies!