Name: Football Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 2 h 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 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; Sugar cookie icing; Green sprinkles (optional)

If you’re looking for a fun and delicious way to celebrate game day or any football-themed party, you’re going to adore this Football Cookies Recipe. These chocolatey, perfectly shaped football cookies come with a buttery base and just the right touch of cocoa, topped off with crisp, white icing laces that make them look just like the real thing. I absolutely love how they taste and how much joy they bring when decorating with family or friends—trust me, these will be the highlight of your dessert table!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect Game Day Treat: Chocolate-rich and adorable, these cookies instantly amp up any football party vibe.
Easy to Customize: You can tweak the icing or shapes to fit your team colors or creativity.
Family-Friendly Activity: Decorating the cookies together makes for some seriously fun memories.
Reliable and Foolproof: The dough chills perfectly for easy cutting and keeps its shape while baking every single time.

Six dark brown football-shaped cookies lie on light brown parchment paper inside a light-colored baking tray. Each cookie has white icing details: two curved lines near the short ends and five short straight lines crossing a central horizontal line in the middle, resembling football stitches. The tray sits on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Football Cookies Chocolate Cookies Football-themed Cookies Easy Football Cookies Football Party Dessert

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredients for this Football Cookies Recipe are straightforward but work wonderfully together to create a tender, chocolate cookie base that holds up well to decorating. When shopping, pick good-quality cocoa powder for that rich, deep flavor and use room temperature butter and eggs so your dough mixes smoothly.

Flat lay of rich unsweetened cocoa powder in a small heap, smooth unsalted butter blocks, two large brown eggs, a mound of white granulated sugar, a vanilla bean pod alongside a small glass vial of vanilla extract, a neat pile of all-purpose flour, and a small bowl of glossy white cookie icing with green sprinkles scattered around, all beautifully arranged on a white marble surface, photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Football Cookies Chocolate Cookies Football-themed Cookies Easy Football Cookies Football Party Dessert

All-purpose flour: Provides structure; make sure to spoon and level for accuracy.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Gives the cookies their chocolate goodness; Dutch-processed works great if you want a smoother flavor.
Baking powder: Helps the cookies rise slightly and stay tender.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances flavor.
Unsalted butter: Use at room temp for easy creaming and best texture.
Sugar: Sweetens the cookie and helps develop a slight crisp edge.
Large eggs: Bind the dough and add moisture; room temp eggs blend better.
Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth to flavor.
Sugar cookie icing: For decorating those signature football laces.
Green sprinkles (optional): Perfect for adding a little “field” flair if you want to get creative.

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Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

One of the best parts about this Football Cookies Recipe is how easy it is to customize. Over time, I’ve tried a few different variations that add a personal touch or address dietary needs without sacrificing that classic chocolate flavor.

Gluten-Free Version: I swapped all-purpose flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend once, and the texture was still tender and perfect for cutting football shapes.
Flavored Icing: Adding a hint of peppermint or almond extract to the icing is a fun twist that my family loved around the holidays.
Colored Footballs: Using brown or tan food coloring in the cookie dough before baking creates a more realistic football look.
Vegan Adaptation: I’ve experimented with vegan butter and flax eggs for a dairy- and egg-free version; just keep an eye on chilling times as the dough can get softer.

How to Make Football Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Combine Your Dry Ingredients

Start by sifting the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl. This step helps avoid lumps and ensures everything is evenly distributed. When I first tried skipping the sifting, the cocoa sometimes clumped up and led to uneven color and texture in the cookies. So take those extra moments—it’s worth it!

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy—about 3 minutes. This step is essential because it traps air in the dough, making the cookies delightfully tender. If your butter is too cold, you’ll struggle, so I always make sure to leave it out about 30 minutes before starting.

Step 3: Add Eggs and Vanilla

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. This slow addition prevents the dough from breaking or curdling. Then pour in the vanilla extract and continue mixing until everything is combined, scraping down the bowl sides as needed. I learned this trick after a few sticky batches where the eggs weren’t fully incorporated!

Step 4: Incorporate the Flour Mixture

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on low until the dough is smooth but not overworked. Overmixing can make your cookies tough, so keep it gentle and stop as soon as it’s combined. Then, divide the dough in half and roll each piece out between sheets of parchment paper until about 1/4 inch thick. This keeps cleanup easier and dough from sticking to your surface.

Step 5: Chill the Dough

Transfer the dough with the parchment onto baking sheets and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. This chilling step is crucial because it prevents spreading when baked, so don’t skip it. I once tried to rush this part, and my cookies completely lost their football shape!

Step 6: Cut and Bake Football Shaped Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the chilled dough and use a football-shaped cookie cutter to cut out each cookie. If you don’t have a cutter, you can carefully use a sharp knife to trace football shapes. Re-roll any scraps and keep cutting until you use all the dough. Bake the cookies about 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are firm but the center feels set. Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 7: Decorate Like a Pro

Once cooled, you get to add the fun laces! Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (#2) or a sealed plastic bag with a tiny snip at the corner with sugar cookie icing. Pipe the laces/stitching carefully on each cookie. The icing dries to a semi-firm finish within 10 minutes, but if you want hardened laces, give it up to 24 hours. I like to add green sprinkles around to mimic the field—it always surprises guests and looks fantastic.

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Pro Tips for Making Football Cookies Recipe

Chill Thoroughly: Never rush the refrigeration—chill for at least 2 hours for clean cuts and perfect shapes.
Use Quality Cocoa: I found that natural cocoa powder gives a great chocolate punch, but Dutch-process adds richness; pick based on your flavor preference.
Roll Evenly: Rolling the dough between parchment helps keep it at an even thickness, so your cookies bake uniformly and avoid uneven browning.
Cool Before Decorating: Make sure the cookies are completely cool before piping icing to avoid melting and messy designs.

How to Serve Football Cookies Recipe

The image shows a white oval plate filled with bright green sprinkles as the base layer, creating a textured and vibrant background. On top of the sprinkles, there are six football-shaped chocolate cookies arranged evenly across the plate. Each cookie is dark brown with a smooth surface and decorated with white icing lines that mimic the stitching of a football, including three vertical laces in the center and curved side lines. The overall look is playful and festive, with clear contrast between the dark cookies and the bright green sprinkles, set against a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Football Cookies Chocolate Cookies Football-themed Cookies Easy Football Cookies Football Party Dessert

Garnishes

I usually keep it simple with white icing for the laces and add green sprinkles around the edges to give a “field” feel—it’s subtle but so charming. If you want to get creative, adding a touch of edible gold dust or metallic food coloring on the edges can make these cookies look premium for special events.

Side Dishes

These cookies go perfectly alongside classic game day snacks like buffalo wings, veggie trays with ranch dip, or even a sweet fruit platter. My family enjoys these cookies with cold lemonade or iced tea—it’s a winning combo.

Creative Ways to Present

For my last Super Bowl party, I arranged these football cookies standing upright in a shallow tray lined with green-tinted coconut flakes to mimic grass. It was a big hit! You can also package them in small cellophane bags with team-colored ribbons for gifting or party favors.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover decorated football cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, layering sheets of parchment between cookies to prevent smudging. They usually stay fresh and tasty for up to a week, which is perfect for savoring over several days.

Freezing

When I want to prepare ahead, I freeze the unbaked dough after rolling it out between parchment paper, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil. When ready, just thaw in the fridge overnight before cutting and baking. If you freeze fully baked and decorated cookies, place them in a single layer on a tray first, freeze until firm, then stack with parchment layers and transfer to a freezer-safe container. They’ll keep their shape and flavor beautifully.

Reheating

These cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature, but if you like them slightly warm, pop them in a 300°F oven for 3-4 minutes. Avoid microwaving as it can soften the icing and make the cookies chewy instead of tender and crisp.

FAQs

Can I make the Football Cookies Recipe without a cookie cutter?

Absolutely! If you don’t have a football-shaped cookie cutter, you can use a sharp knife to carefully cut out football shapes using a template or freehand. Rolling the dough evenly and chilling it well helps keep the shapes clean and easy to cut.
How do I prevent my football cookies from spreading too much when baking?

Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours before cutting and baking is the key! This solidifies the butter and helps the cookies hold their shape, so don’t skip the refrigeration step.
Can I prepare the dough ahead of time?

Yes! You can prepare the dough, roll it out, and refrigerate it overnight before baking or even freeze it for longer storage. Just thaw in the fridge before cutting and baking.
What type of icing works best for decorating football cookies?

Sugar cookie icing that dries to a semi-firm finish is perfect. It hoses well through a piping bag or plastic bag and hardens in about 24 hours if you want the laces to hold firm.

Final Thoughts

I still remember the first time I made this Football Cookies Recipe — the excitement of shaping and decorating those little footballs made the game day extra special, and my family went crazy for them. They’re not just cookies; they’re a celebration in every bite, easy enough for a fun weekend project but impressive enough to wow your guests. Whether you’re hosting a Super Bowl party or just want a sweet treat that screams team spirit, give these a try. Trust me, you’ll keep coming back to this recipe season after season!