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, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. The dough will be soft.1 cup unsalted butter, 1.5 cups granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gather the dough into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to roll.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a football-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Carefully transfer the cut cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1-2 inches between them. Reroll scraps as needed, but try to handle the dough as little as possible.2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. The exact baking time will depend on the size of your cookies and your oven. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure the cookies are completely cool before decorating.
- While the cookies cool, prepare the royal icing. In a medium bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla extract. Add milk or water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until you reach a thick but pourable consistency. You want it to be smooth and spreadable, but not too runny. If it's too thick, add a tiny bit more liquid; if it's too thin, add more powdered sugar.3 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, 2-3 tablespoons milk or water, 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Divide the royal icing into three bowls. Leave one bowl white. In the second bowl, add brown food coloring and mix until you achieve a football color. In the third bowl, add a small amount of black food coloring (if using) for very subtle shading or to adjust the brown, or leave it white for the laces. For the laces, you can also reserve a small portion of the white icing and thin it slightly for piping.1 color brown food coloring, 1 color white food coloring, 1 color black food coloring
- Once the cookies are completely cool, it's time to decorate!
- Base Coat: Using a spatula or offset spatula, spread a thin, even layer of the brown royal icing over each football-shaped cookie, covering the entire surface. This will be your football's base. Let this base coat dry completely to prevent smudging. This can take a few hours depending on humidity.1 color brown food coloring
- Adding Laces: Fit a piping bag with a small round tip (or use a ziplock bag with a tiny corner snipped off). Fill it with the white royal icing. Pipe two parallel lines down the center of each cookie to resemble football laces. You can also add a curved stitch near the ends for added detail.1 color white food coloring
- Optional Accents: If you opted for black food coloring, you can use a tiny amount to add subtle shading or texture to the brown icing if desired.1 color black food coloring
Notes
Once the royal icing is completely dry, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Properly stored, these cookies will stay fresh for up to 1-2 weeks. These cookies do not require reheating and are best enjoyed at room temperature.
