World Cup Cookies
These world cup cookies are buttery, soft, and so tender they practically melt in your mouth, and they just happen to look like little soccer balls. If you’ve been looking for a fun baking project that also doubles as the most crowd-pleasing thing you can show up to a watch party with, this is it!
Why You’ll Love These
- Buttery and soft with the most tender crumb
- The soccer ball design is easier than it looks. It comes together just by pressing vanilla and chocolate dough balls together, so no decorating required.
- Fun to make!
How to make
01. Make the Dough
Cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix until combined. Then, add the flour, baking powder, salt. Mix until combined.
02. Divide and Add Cocoa Powder
Set aside 1/3 of the dough. Mix the cocoa powder into the 1/3 portion until fully incorporated and no streaks remain. Chill both doughs for 10 minutes.
03. Create the Soccer Ball Design
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Roll small, even balls from each dough, 3 grams each. Arrange the balls as pictured to create a soccer ball pattern. Use your hands to gently press the balls together, tightening the circle.
04. Flatten and Cut
Lay a small piece of parchment on top of each cookie and use the bottom of a flat plate to press everything down to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the cookies with a 3 inch round cookie cutter or the rim of a cup. Gather the excess dough, re-roll, and repeat to make more cookies.
05. Chill and Bake
Chill the cookies for 10 minutes, then bake at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes.
Recipe Tips
Room temperature butter is key: This allows the butter to cream with the sugar and egg more easily. To soften butter quickly, cut it into cubes and microwave in 10-second intervals, until it’s soft, not melted.
Don’t skip chilling: The dough needs time in the fridge before baking. This is what keeps the cookies from spreading and gives you that clean, round shape.
Weigh your balls for even cookies: You don’t have to do this step, but we highly recommend it. When both the vanilla and chocolate portions are the same weight, every cookie comes out the same size and the two-tone pattern looks much more uniform.
Don’t overbake: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. They’ll continue to firm up on the hot pan, and that’s exactly what gives you that soft, buttery bite instead of a tough, dry cookie.
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Watch how we made them:
World Cup Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1-1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt. Mix until combined.
- Set aside 1/3 of the dough. Mix the cocoa powder into the 1/3 portion until fully incorporated and no streaks remain. Chill both doughs for 10 minutes.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Roll small, even balls from each dough, 3 grams each. Arrange the balls as pictured to create a soccer ball pattern. Use your hands to gently press the balls together, tightening the circle.
- Lay a small piece of parchment on top of each cookie and use the bottom of a flat plate to press everything down to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the cookies with a 3 inch round cookie cutter or the rim of a cup. Gather the excess dough, re-roll, and repeat to make more cookies.
- Chill the cookies for 10 minutes, then bake at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes.
Hello , can’t wait to try these for my nephew’s themed party !
Is it possible to shape the cookies ahead and freeze them, then thaw and bake ? Thanks !
Absolutely! We recommend doing everything up until the last step, then freezing the shaped cookie dough. When you’re ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature while the oven preheats, then bake as directed. Hope you enjoy them!