If you love buttery, tender cookies with a playful twist, you're going to adore this Chocolate Football Shortbread Cookies Recipe. These festive treats combine a crumbly shortbread base coated in colorful sprinkles with adorable chocolate football decorations—perfect for game day or holiday celebrations!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make Chocolate Football Shortbread Cookies Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve Chocolate Football Shortbread Cookies Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- Chocolate Football Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I remember the first time I made these cookies—they instantly became a crowd favorite at my family’s holiday party! The combination of the delicate shortbread and rich chocolate football detail truly brings a smile, and the sprinkles add such a fun pop of color.
- Delightfully Simple: The recipe uses everyday ingredients that come together with ease, making it beginner-friendly.
- Fun & Festive: The chocolate football accents make these cookies extra special for sports fans and festive occasions.
- Perfect Texture: Tender, buttery shortbread with a subtle sugar crunch from the nonpareil sprinkles.
- Long-lasting: These cookies keep well and taste great for up to two weeks stored airtight.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Before you dive in, here’s a quick look at the key ingredients that make these cookies so irresistible. I’ve found that choosing quality butter and good melting chocolate really elevates the flavor, plus the little touch of vanilla ties it all together beautifully.
- Unsalted butter: Room temperature butter ensures a creamy dough and helps create that tender shortbread crumb.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with texture without overpowering the buttery flavor.
- Vanilla extract: A warm, aromatic note that complements the subtle richness of the cookie.
- All-purpose flour: The backbone of the dough, holding everything together with just the right softness.
- Nonpareil sprinkles: These colorful, crunchy gems add a festive coating and a bit of fun texture.
- Dark or milk melting chocolate: Forms the smooth, shiny chocolate footballs—choose your preferred chocolate for flavor balance.
- White melting chocolate: For decorating the characteristic football laces, making the cookies look adorable and authentic.
Make It Your Way
One of the best parts about the Chocolate Football Shortbread Cookies Recipe is how easy it is to make it your own. Whether you're tweaking flavors, swapping decorations, or accommodating dietary needs, these cookies are a fantastic canvas for creativity and personalization.
- Variation: I love swapping out the nonpareil sprinkles for finely chopped nuts like pistachios or toasted pecans for a subtle crunch and a more sophisticated look. It’s amazing how such a small change can elevate the treat and personalize it for holidays or game days.
- Dietary tweak: For a gluten-free version, try using a gluten-free flour blend that works well for baking. Just keep an eye on the dough texture—it might need a smidge more flour or a shorter mixing time to keep it tender.
- Seasonal twist: Instead of footballs, try shaping the chocolate accents into pumpkins for fall or snowflakes for winter to suit the occasion effortlessly.
- Speed tip: No football candy mold? No worries! Using little chocolate Easter eggs works wonderfully — just remove the foil and press them right onto the cookies. It's a fun shortcut that still yields impressive results.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Chocolate Football Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Crafting the Chocolate Footballs
Start by melting 1 ½ cups of dark or milk melting chocolate gently in a double boiler or microwave on 50% power. The key here is patience—you want it smooth and shiny, not burned or grainy. Transfer the melted chocolate to a disposable piping bag and carefully fill each cavity of your football candy mold. I like to tap the mold gently on the counter to pop any pesky air bubbles for a flawless finish. Pop the mold in the fridge for 5-10 minutes until firm, then flip and tap it out to reveal perfectly shaped chocolate footballs.
Step 2: Piping the White Chocolate Laces
Next, melt ½ cup of white melting chocolate just as carefully. Transfer this to a piping bag fitted with a tiny round tip (or simply snip a tiny corner off the bag if you don’t have one). Pipe the iconic white laces right onto your molded footballs. I like to take this step slowly—it’s the detail that brings the cookies to life! Chill again for about 5 minutes so the white chocolate sets beautifully.
Step 3: Prepping Your Oven and Baking Sheet
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the ½ cup of nonpareil sprinkles into a shallow bowl. Having everything set up beforehand makes the cookie assembly smooth and fun.
Step 4: Mixing the Cookie Dough
In your mixer bowl, beat 1 cup of room temperature unsalted butter, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until the mixture becomes creamy and luxuriously smooth. Then, add 2 cups of all-purpose flour and mix just until the dough comes together. It will feel soft and slightly sticky — that's perfect for the tender crumb we're chasing!
Step 5: Rolling and Coating the Dough Balls
Using a 1-tablespoon scoop, portion the dough and roll it into smooth balls. Don’t skip this step—rolling ensures uniform cookies that bake evenly. Then, roll each dough ball generously in nonpareil sprinkles until completely coated, adding a fun, colorful crunch. Place them about two inches apart on your prepared baking sheet to give them room to bake.
Step 6: Chill Before Baking
Pop your tray of dough balls into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. This crucial chill time keeps the cookies from spreading too much, so you end up with those perfectly round, thumbprint-ready shapes.
Step 7: Baking and Freezing
Slide the chilled dough into the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes. Watch for the bottoms to turn a light golden hue while the tops stay pale and tender. Meanwhile, place your chocolate footballs in the freezer—this nifty trick helps them hold their shape without melting once they meet your warm cookies.
Step 8: Merging Cookies and Footballs
After baking, let the cookies cool on the sheet for just 2 minutes—warm enough for a little softness but cool enough to handle. Gently press one chilled chocolate football onto the center of each cookie, creating that iconic thumbprint look with a delicious twist.
Step 9: Final Chill to Set
Transfer your assembled cookies onto a cutting board or platter and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. This final chill helps the chocolate footballs set firm, preventing any melted mess and making them perfectly presentable and ready for sharing or gifting.
Top Tip
These Chocolate Football Shortbread Cookies are a real crowd-pleaser, and a few handy tips can make your baking experience smoother and your cookies absolutely perfect every time.
- Chill Dough Balls Before Baking: From my experience, chilling the dough balls for about 10 minutes before baking prevents them from spreading too much, keeping their round shape nice and perfect for the thumbprint design.
- Freeze the Chocolate Footballs: I learned the hard way that placing the chocolate footballs in the freezer while the cookies bake is a game changer—it stops the chocolates from melting when they meet those warm cookies.
- Refrigerate Assembled Cookies: Popping the cookies into the fridge for 20-30 minutes after pressing on the chocolates really helps the chocolate set quickly and keeps everything looking pristine without any melty mess.
- Use Ethically Sourced Chocolates: I avoid commonly used candies like Kisses because they aren’t always ethically sourced. Instead, I recommend looking for fair-trade chocolate bars or even peanut butter cups for a mindful twist.
How to Serve Chocolate Football Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
These festive cookies already have a fun look with their colorful nonpareil sprinkles and detailed chocolate footballs, but feel free to amp them up with extra garnishes! A light dusting of powdered sugar adds a soft snow-kissed effect during the holidays. You could also scatter small edible gold stars or drizzle a little white chocolate around the edges for an extra touch of elegance and whimsy.
Side Dishes
Serve these cookies alongside a warm cup of hot chocolate, coffee, or spiced cider to complement their buttery richness. For game day, pair them with a platter of salty snacks like pretzels or nuts for a sweet-and-salty vibe everyone will love. They’re also fantastic next to a bowl of fresh fruit or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delightful dessert spread.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Once your Chocolate Football Shortbread Cookies have cooled completely and the chocolate is firm, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh and delicious for up to two weeks—perfect for making ahead for holiday parties or football get-togethers.
Freezing
If you want to keep them fresh longer, these cookies freeze beautifully. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze first, then transfer to a sealed freezer-safe container with wax paper between layers. They can be frozen for up to two months. When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Reheating
These cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature, especially to keep the chocolate footballs nicely firmed up. If you prefer a slightly warm cookie, heat one gently in the microwave for about 10 seconds, but be careful not to overheat as that could melt the chocolate decoration.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! If you don’t have a football candy mold, you can use small chocolate Easter eggs or shape the melted chocolate by hand on parchment paper. It’s a great quick alternative and still looks adorable.
Chilling the dough balls helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking, maintaining their perfect round shape that's ideal for the thumbprint style.
Stored properly in an airtight container at room temperature, these cookies stay fresh and tasty for up to two weeks.
Melting chocolate works best because it melts smoothly and hardens with a nice shine. However, you can use regular chocolate chopped into pieces and melted carefully, just be mindful to temper it or handle gently to avoid bloom or dull finish.
Final Thoughts
There’s something truly special about making Chocolate Football Shortbread Cookies—combining the buttery richness of shortbread with playful, festive chocolates brings smiles whether it’s a holiday gathering or a big game day party. I hope this recipe and tips inspire you to bake a batch that’s not just delicious but full of fun and heart. Happy baking and enjoy every sweet touchdown moment!
Print
Chocolate Football Shortbread Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Chill Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 36 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These delightful Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate Footballs combine buttery, tender cookies coated in colorful nonpareil sprinkles with charming chocolate football decorations. Perfect for holidays or game days, these easy-to-make cookies feature a tender crumb and rich chocolate detail, adding a festive and fun touch to any celebration.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup nonpareil sprinkles
Chocolate Footballs
- 1 ½ cups dark or milk melting chocolate
- ½ cup white melting chocolate
Instructions
- Prepare chocolate footballs: Melt the dark or milk melting chocolate in a double boiler or microwave at 50% power until smooth. Transfer to a disposable piping bag and pipe chocolate into each cavity of the football candy mold. Tap the mold gently on the counter to release air bubbles. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes until firm, then unmold the chocolate footballs by turning over and tapping the mold.
- Pipe white chocolate laces: Melt white melting chocolate similarly. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a #2 small round tip (or snip a tiny corner of a plastic bag). Pipe the characteristic football laces onto the molded chocolate footballs. Refrigerate again for about 5 minutes until the white chocolate sets.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Set oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour nonpareil sprinkles into a shallow bowl for coating the cookie dough balls.
- Cream cookie dough: Using an electric mixer, beat together unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy and well combined. Add the all-purpose flour and mix just until incorporated to form a soft dough.
- Form and coat dough balls: Scoop approximately 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into balls. Roll each ball thoroughly in the nonpareil sprinkles until evenly coated. Place coated dough balls about two inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Chill dough balls: Refrigerate the tray of dough balls for about 10 minutes to help cookies maintain their shape during baking.
- Bake cookies: Remove dough from the refrigerator and bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until the bottoms start to turn a light golden color and the tops remain pale.
- Freeze chocolate footballs: While cookies bake, place the prepared chocolate footballs in the freezer to prevent melting when placed on warm cookies.
- Attach chocolate footballs: Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool for about 2 minutes. Press one frozen chocolate football gently onto the center of each cookie.
- Set completed cookies: Transfer cookies to a cutting board or platter and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to allow the chocolate to firm up completely and prevent melting.
- Storage: Once cooled and chocolate is firm, store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Notes
- Chilling the dough balls before baking prevents excessive spreading, ensuring perfectly rounded cookies ideal for thumbprints.
- Freezing the chocolate footballs while the cookies bake minimizes melting upon contact with warm cookies.
- Refrigerating the assembled cookies helps the chocolate firm up faster; leaving at room temperature will slow solidification.
- Special tip: If no football mold or short on time, you can skip molding and use chocolate Easter eggs instead for the decoration.
- Consider ethically sourced alternatives to common chocolates like Kisses, such as fair-trade chocolate bars or peanut butter cups.
- For shipping, layer cookies with wax paper between layers and crinkled tissue or wax paper between the top layer and lid to avoid movement.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 108 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
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