That’s how the cookie rumbles: Chocolate Football Cookies

Homemade Chocolate Football Cookies

My March Madness bracket just got busted, as did most this weekend, so taking a step back from basketball to do a bit of a throwback post! Pun intended. 😛But instead of sports, I’m talking cookies.

I was not super excited about the Super Bowl this year but it felt wrong not to watch the game. So, when I decided to host a last minute watch party, I baked some Chocolate Football Cookies to get into the spirit. Sharing this easy recipe, a take on sugar cookies but not overly sweet. Perfect for cookie cutters and however much icing you want!

No Chilling, Easy Bake Cookies

Chocolate Football and Hand Peace Sign Cookies

I adapted this recipe ever so slightly from Easybaked, a lovely blog owned by Ruthanne who is a passionate baker who has fun with creative yet easy bakes. Which is exactly what I love about this recipe – it’s very simple and straight forward and a great base for your own creativity.

Step 1: Cream butter & sugar

Chocolate Football Cookies - Butter and Sugar

Beating together butter and sugar aerates the dough, which helps the overall structure of the cookie. In most recipes, it tells you to use room temperature butter. I find that is sort of, right.

It’s best if the butter hasn’t been sitting out on your counter for too long. If the butter is too warm, it won’t cream as well and the cookies actually become too dense. Take out your butter, cut it in pieces, and by the time you’ve prep everything else, the butter should be just softened enough! I actually think my first batch of these cookies were on the denser side as I waited too long to get my butter into the mixing bowl.

Step 2: Add the flavor

Incredients - Cocoa, Eggs, and Vanilla

Once you cream the butter and sugar, mix in the cocoa, vanilla, and eggs until smooth. I like to use the same rule about the temperature of my eggs as butter – not straight from the fridge but not completely room temp either.

This recipe uses unsweetened cocoa powder. I haven’t tried it with sweetened cocoa and worry that it will take away from the overall flavor too much. But, perhaps half-and-half would be a nice mix if you are looking for something to better satisify your sweet tooth.

Step 3: Make the dry mix

Ingredients - Baking Powder, Salt, and Flour

In a separate bowl, mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fairly simple. Got no baking wisdom to share with you on this one. ☺️

Step 4: Mix ’em and roll ’em cookies

Chocolate Football Cookies - dough and mixer

Slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing until smooth. As the dough starts to form, you may need to get your hands dirty!

Once the dough is kneaded, it’s ready to be rolled out and cut out into any shape you like! I of course, made these into footballs but you can cut them into any shape for any occasion. The thicker the dough, the softer it will be. Also be careful not to overwork the dough as I find it gets tougher.

Chocolate Football Cookies at a Party
Find friends who can potluck – those are worth keeping around 😉

“Women of New York, Frost Yourself!”

I like that these cookies aren’t too sweet because that means you can decorate them with icing however you’d like! I used simple royal icing which sets nicely but you can use frosting, chocolate, etc. The chocolate flavor of the cookie isn’t too strong, more of a spiced, almost molasses like taste, making it very adaptable to flavored icings!

Get creative!

Chocolate Football Cookies

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks butter softened, cubed
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. Cream the butter and sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer, until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides periodically. 

  3. Add in the cocoa powder, vanilla, and eggs, mixing until smooth. Set aside.

  4. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add these dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture, mixing until smooth. Use hands to knead the dough until soft and pliable.

  5. Sprinkle flour over the counter, roll out the dough to desired thickness, and cut into desired shapes. If you don’t have a football shaped cookie cutter, you can cut out a football shape with a piece of paper and trace it with a knife on the dough!

  6. Place the cookies onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet at least half an inch apart from each other.

  7. Bake for 10-15 minutes until edges are firm. The center can still be a bit soft. Take them out and let them rest on the cookie sheet until cooled.

  8. Frost and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from Easybaked.net

 

OMC oh em cee

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