American Football-Shaped Cookies
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Nothing says game day like American Football-Shaped Cookies piled high on a platter. The chocolate dough bakes up soft and chewy with a rich cocoa flavor that’s not overly sweet. The edges stay firm enough to handle icing details, and edges that hold icing details perfectly. They disappear fast at every football party.
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I make them for Super Bowl parties, tailgates, and kids’ sports fests throughout football season. They’re kid-friendly and fun to decorate, making them perfect for interactive party activities or celebrating game days. They travel well and keep their shape beautifully. They stay fresh at room temp for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make American Football-Shaped Cookies with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
These football-shaped cookies come together quickly, and the dough is easy to work with when you’re cutting out shapes.
Preheat and Prepare
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line your rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar
Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with your hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed until you get a smooth and well-combined consistency.
Mix Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder with a wire whisk. Make sure all dry ingredients are evenly distributed before moving on.
Combine Wet and Dry
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing with your electric mixer on low speed until a soft dough forms.
Don’t overmix once the flour is incorporated, or you’ll develop too much gluten and end up with tough, dense cookies instead of the soft, chewy texture you want. You’re only aiming to get the mixture well combined and color brown all over.
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
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∙ Lemon Pound Cake
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∙ Chocolate Mousse
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Roll and Cut
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin. For chewier cookies, keep the dough slightly thick. If the dough is too sticky, wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it chilled for about 30 minutes to make it a bit easier to work with.
Cut into football shapes using a football-shaped cookie cutter and place them on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving space between cookies so they bake evenly.
Bake and Cool
Bake for 10–14 minutes, or until the edges are set and firm. The centers might look slightly soft, but they’ll firm up as they cool.
Carefully slide the parchment paper onto a flat surface and allow cookies to cool completely before transferring. This step helps them firm up properly so they don’t break when you move them.
Decorate and Enjoy
Decorate as desired. Royal icing in a piping bag works great for piping details, but regular white icing or melted white chocolate is also an excellent alternative. Let the icing harden fully before stacking, storing, packing, or serving.
Enjoy!
These cute, delicious game day treats travel beautifully to tailgates, parties, and potlucks when you pack them properly. Pack them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer to prevent the icing from sticking or smudging.
If you’re traveling in warm weather, keep the container in an insulated carrier or a cooler with ice packs to prevent the icing from melting. Transport them flat rather than on their sides so the decorations stay intact.
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Video
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed until smooth and well combined.1 cup butter, 1 ½ cups sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder.⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. For chewier cookies, keep the dough slightly thick. Cut into football shapes using a cookie cutter and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between cookies.
- Bake for 10–14 minutes, or until the edges are set and firm.
- Carefully slide the parchment paper onto a flat surface and allow cookies to cool completely before transferring—this helps them firm up properly.
- Decorate as desired. Royal icing in a zip-top bag works great for details, but regular icing or melted white chocolate are excellent alternatives. Let the icing harden fully before stacking or storing.
Notes
Nutrition
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
Dessert First is a collection of 61 RECIPES to show you that you can make beautiful, impressive desserts right in your own kitchen, no matter your skill level.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
∙ Lemon Pound Cake
∙ Starbucks Cake Pops
∙ Boston Cream Pie
∙ Chocolate Mousse
∙ Matcha Tiramisu
...and much more!
Includes ad-free recipes like:
How to Store Leftovers
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temp for about 5 days. Stack them with parchment paper between layers if they’re decorated so the icing doesn’t stick together.
For longer storage, flash-freeze them in a single layer on a freezer-safe sheet pan for about 1 hour until frozen solid, before freezing them in a freezer container for up to 3 months. Let them thaw and reach room-temp before serving.
The texture stays soft and chewy after thawing, and the chocolate flavor is just as rich as when you first baked them.
What to Serve With American Football-Shaped Cookies
Serve them on a platter at game day parties alongside other finger foods like buffalo chicken dip, pretzel bites, or mini sliders. They pair well with cold milk, hot chocolate, or coffee for an afternoon snack.
For a full dessert spread, add brownies, blondies, chocolate chip cookies, or peanut butter cookies to give guests variety. If you’re serving them at a kids’ party, set out bowls of different colored icings and sprinkles so everyone can decorate their own football cookie.
More Easy Recipes for You to Try at Home
Check out these other easy cookie recipes perfect for parties and gatherings.
