Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 0.5 teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes.1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- Beat in the large eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently form it into a disc. Wrap the disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to roll. This chilling step is crucial for easy handling and prevents the cookies from spreading excessively during baking.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a football-shaped cookie cutter to cut out your cookies. Alternatively, you can freehand cut football shapes or use a knife to cut rectangles and then shape them.2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- Carefully transfer the cut-out cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. The exact baking time will depend on the size and thickness of your cookies.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure they are entirely cool before decorating.
- While the cookies are cooling, prepare your royal icing. In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar with a small amount of water or meringue powder, adding liquid gradually until you achieve a thick but pipeable consistency. Divide the icing into separate bowls for coloring.as needed royal icing
- Add gel food coloring to each bowl to achieve your desired team colors. Stir until the color is uniform. For practicing piping lines on a football, consider a base color like tan or light brown for the "field" and white for the laces.as needed food coloring
- Transfer the colored icing into piping bags fitted with various tips. Begin by outlining the cookies with a base color. Next, use a flooding consistency icing (thinner than piping consistency) to fill in the outlined areas. For footballs, pipe on white lines or laces once the base color has dried. Be creative and have fun!as needed royal icing
- Let the decorated cookies dry completely, which can take several hours or even overnight, depending on the thickness of the icing.
Notes
Once completely dry, store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 weeks. Avoid refrigerating. Undecorated dough or baked cookies can be frozen for longer storage.