Description
Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate Footballs are buttery, festive treats perfect for holidays or special events. The cookie dough is rolled in colorful nonpareil sprinkles and topped with handcrafted chocolate footballs, making them visually appealing and delicious. The combination of tender shortbread and rich chocolate creates a delightful flavor and texture contrast.
Ingredients
Scale
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 dark or milk chocolate in a double boiler or microwave at 50% power. Transfer melted chocolate into a disposable piping bag and fill the football candy mold cavities. Tap the mold gently on the counter to release air bubbles. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes until firm. Remove from fridge, invert mold, and tap to release chocolate footballs.
- Decorate Footballs: Melt white chocolate using the same method. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (#2) or snip a tiny corner from a plastic bag. Pipe laces details onto the chocolate footballs. Refrigerate for 5 minutes until firm.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour nonpareil sprinkles into a shallow bowl for coating the dough balls.
- Mix Cookie Dough: Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Add all-purpose flour and mix just until combined, avoiding overmixing.
- Shape and Coat Dough Balls: Scoop dough using a 1 tablespoon measure, roll into balls. Roll each ball in nonpareil sprinkles to coat evenly. Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Chill Dough Balls: Refrigerate the baking sheet with coated dough balls for 10 minutes to prevent spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Remove dough balls from refrigerator and bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. Cookies should be lightly colored on top with golden bottoms.
- Freeze Chocolate Footballs: While cookies bake, place the decorated chocolate footballs in the freezer to keep firm for assembly.
- Assemble Cookies: Remove baked cookies and let cool for 2 minutes. Immediately press a frozen chocolate football gently onto the center of each cookie.
- Chill Assembled Cookies: Transfer cookies to a cutting board or platter and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to set the chocolate firmly onto the cookie.
- Storage: Once cooled and chocolate is firm, store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Notes
- Chilling dough before baking prevents spreading and helps maintain rounded cookie shape ideal for thumbprints.
- Freezing the chocolate footballs while cookies bake minimizes melting upon contact with warm cookies.
- Refrigerating filled cookies speeds up chocolate setting; at room temperature, chocolate will take longer to solidify.
- If you don’t have a football mold or are short on time, use unwrapped chocolate Easter eggs as a substitute.
- For ethical considerations, avoid store-bought Kisses and consider homemade or fair trade options for chocolate toppings.
- When packing for shipping, layer cookies with wax paper and use crinkled tissue paper or wax paper under the lid to prevent movement.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 108 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
