Basketball Piñata Cookies filled with Skittles

Crack open a basketball piñata cookie to find Skittles candy hiding inside. These treats are perfect for a basketball-themed party or March Madness event.
This recipe was originally published on December 5, 2014. This post is sponsored by Collective Bias and Skittles.

• Roll some dough out to ⅜ inch thickness.
• Cut 6 rounds using the 3 ¼ inch cutter. Remove excess dough, set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
• Put the large cutter around one cookie, then cut a smaller hole using the 2 ¾ inch cutter.
• Remove the center dough round, then remove the small cookie cutter, then the large cookie cutter. This will help keep your cookies in a nice round shape.
• Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

• Roll the remaining dough out to 3/16th inch thickness, and cut 12 circles using the 3 ¼ inch cutter, re-rolling as needed.
• Set 6 cookies on each parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake one tray of cookies at a time for 10-12 minutes until dry around the edges.
• Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking pan.

• Heat the orange confectionery coating on high in the microwave for 20-second increments, stirring after each, until melted.
• Spread a thin layer over 6 of the whole round cookies. To smooth out the candy coating, shake the cookie to remove any grooves or air bubbles.
• Place candy-coated cookies in the freezer for about 4 minutes, just until the coating hardens.

• Pour the remaining orange coating into a small zip-top bag. Snip off one tip of the bag.
• Pipe a thin band around the bottom of each holey cookie then set on top of one of the plain whole cookies.
• Fill the holes with Skittles.

• Pipe a thin band of orange coating around the top edge of each cookie with a hole cut out then place a candy-coated cookie on top.
• Gently press the two cookies together to seal them well.

• Use a black food coloring marker to draw on the seam lines.
• Store cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.

Supplies need to make these basketball cookies can be found on Amazon.
I earn a small commission for sales at no extra cost to you.

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Recipe

Print

basketball piñata cookies

Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

12 mins

 

Candy filled basketball cookies decorated with orange candy melts.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: basketball cookies, candy, cookies, cut-out cookies

Servings: 6

Calories: 497 kcal

Author: Beth Klosterboer

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more if needed
• ¼  teaspoon salt
• ¼  teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup butter, softened slightly
• ¾ cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• orange gel or paste food coloring

Decorations

• 4 ounces orange confectionery coating (Candy Melts)
• black food coloring marker

Instructions

Cookie Dough

1. Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Stir in the egg, vanilla, almond extract, and enough orange food coloring to make the mixture really bright.
4. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. If the dough is sticky, add a small amount of flour.

Cut out cookies

1. Roll some dough out to ⅜ inch thickness.
2. Cut 6 rounds using the 3 ¼ inch cutter. Remove excess dough, set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
3. Put the large cutter around one cookie, then cut a smaller hole using the 2 ¾ inch cutter.
4. Remove the center dough round, then remove the small cookie cutter, then the large cookie cutter. This will help keep your cookies in a nice round shape.
5. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
6. Roll the remaining dough out to 3/16th inch thickness, and cut 12 circles using the 3 ¼ inch cutter, re-rolling as needed.
7. Set cookies on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
8. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges look set and the center of the cookie no longer looks wet.
2. Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking pan.
3. Decorate and Assemble Cookies
4. Heat orange candy melts on high in the microwave for 20-second increments, stirring after each, until melted.
5. Spread a thin layer over 6 of the whole round cookies.
6. Place those 6 cookies in the freezer for about 4 minutes, just until the candy coating hardens.
7. Pour the remaining orange candy melts into a small zip-top bag and snip off the tip.
8. Pipe candy melts around the bottom edge of a cookie with a hole in it.
9. Set that cookie on top of a solid round cookie.
10. Fill the holes with Skittles.
11. Pipe a thin band of orange coating around the top edge of the cookies with holes in them then set a candy-coated cookie on top.
12. Press down gently to seal the two cookies together.
13. Use a black food coloring marker to draw on the seam lines.

Recipe Notes

Store cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.

Now, go cheer on your team to victory and enjoy a sweet snack.