Description
Easy Christmas Gnome Cookies are adorable and simple treats made using store-bought sugar cookie dough. These mini cookie cups are topped with a homemade creamy buttercream 'beard', an upside-down strawberry hat, and a small candy nose, making them perfect festive snacks for the holiday season.
Ingredients
Cookie Cups
- 1 package refrigerated sugar cookie dough (e.g., Pillsbury pull-apart dough, enough for 24 cookies)
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar (16 ounces)
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings
- 24 strawberries, leaves removed
- 24 small candy balls (such as Fancy Sprinkles or Skittles)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Shape and Bake Cookie Cups: Place balls of the refrigerated sugar cookie dough into each cup of the mini muffin pan to form cookie cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the cookie cups are lightly golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- Make Buttercream Frosting: Using an electric or stand mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes until it becomes smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract while running the mixer on low speed. Once combined, increase mixer speed to high and beat for another 3 minutes until the frosting is fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add additional heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition to reach desired consistency.
- Decorate the Gnome Cookies: Frost the cooled cookie cups heavily on top and down the sides with the buttercream to resemble a beard. Place a strawberry upside down on top of each cookie as the gnome's hat. Finish by placing a small candy ball at the front of each cookie as the nose.
Notes
- For a fluffier and more realistic beard, pipe the buttercream using a star-shaped piping tip instead of spreading it.
- Pat strawberries dry before placing them on the frosting to prevent sliding and to avoid juice from bleeding into the buttercream.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, British
