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    Home » Recipes » Father's Day

    Basketball Piñata Cookies filled with Skittles

    Modified: Apr 20, '21 · Published: Mar 1, '20 · By: Beth Klosterboer · Commission earned on paid or sponsored links.

    Jump to Recipe

    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.

    Basketball pinata cookies filled with Skittles are decorated with orange candy melts.

    Basketball season is upon us and I know all you die-hard fans out there are looking for fun food to serve while watching the big game. These piñata style candy-filled basketball cookies couldn’t be more fun to serve to your party guests.

    When they crack open a cookie to find Skittles hiding inside they just might cheer.

    Each basketball consists of three cookies stacked on top of each other. The cookies are filled with candy then decorated with orange candy melts.

    basketball cookies decorated with orange candy melts have candy hiding inside

    I love creating piñata cookies.

    Up to this point, I’ve made apples decorated with royal icing, ears of corn wrapped in modeling chocolate husks, dreidels frosted with Hebrew symbols, Christmas presents decorated festively with ribbons, 3-D graduation caps, and sombreros.

    It seems as though each time I make a version of a candy-filled cookie, I try something new. With these basketball cookies, I decided to coat them in orange candy melts which added a wonderful vanilla flavor, an added crunch, and a nice smooth surface on which to draw with a food coloring marker.

    Each cookie is big, so there is plenty of room for lots of Skittles to hide inside.

    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.

     

    How to make basketball pinata cookies

    Ingredients: (makes 6 cookies)

    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
    4 ounces orange confectionery coating (Candy Melts)

    Supplies:

    rolling pin
    3 ¼ inch round cookie cutter
    2 ¾ inch round cookie cutter
    parchment paper
    cookie sheets

    Instructions:

    orange cookie dough in a KitchenAid mixer
    • Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Set aside.
    • Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
    • Stir in egg, vanilla, almond extract, and some orange food coloring.
    • Add more coloring until you get a really bright shade of orange and mix until well combined.
    • The color will get lighter when you add the dry ingredients.
    • Add dry ingredients and stir just until combined. If the dough is sticky, add a small amount of flour.

    cutting out circles from orange cookie dough to make basketball pinata cookies

    • 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.

    cutting out circles from orange cookie dough to make basketball cookies

    • 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.

    cutting out circles from orange cookie dough to make basketball cookies

    • 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.

    frost round orange cookies with orange candy melts to create basketball cookies

    • 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.

    fill round cookies with skittles to create basketball pinata cookies

    • 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.
    fill the basketball cookies 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 color marker to draw lines onto basketball cookies

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

    candy filled basketball cookies with Skittles on the table next to the cookies

     

    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.

    Ateco Plain Edge Round Cutt...Shop on Amazon EBIGIC Parchment Paper Shee...Shop on AmazonNordic Ware Naturals Half S...Shop on Amazon Americolor Soft Gel Paste F...Shop on Amazon Wilton Melting Chocolate Or...Shop on Amazon
     

    Recipe

    Basketball pinata cookies filled with Skittles are decorated with orange candy melts.
    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.

    This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias
    More March Madness Basketball Themed Food
    from Hungry Happenings

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    Basketball Bean Dip with Basketball Tortilla Chips
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    Basketball Sliders
    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Beth Klosterboer
    Beth Klosterboer
    Hi, I'm Beth Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com
    Beth Klosterboer
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    1. Cathy McInnes says

      December 12, 2014 at 2:42 pm

      These are so so cute! Really nice! My kids would love these! 🙂 All month long I am featuring different holiday cookie creations for my cookie countdown to Christmas! I would love it if you stopped by to check it out! 🙂

      Cathy@threekidsandafish.com

      Reply
    2. In Good Flavor /Food for the Finicky says

      December 08, 2014 at 7:52 pm

      This is so cute!! What a great, creative idea!

      Reply
      • beth says

        December 09, 2014 at 5:30 pm

        Thanks so much.

        Reply
    3. The Bearfoot Baker says

      December 06, 2014 at 12:41 am

      Love these basketball cookies! You are so creative!

      Reply
      • beth says

        December 06, 2014 at 1:12 am

        I'm so glad you like them:)

        Reply
    4. Melanie @ bear rabbit bear says

      December 05, 2014 at 6:13 pm

      What cute themed cookies!

      Reply
      • beth says

        December 06, 2014 at 1:08 am

        Thanks, Melanie:)

        Reply
    5. Sugartown Sweets says

      December 05, 2014 at 3:31 pm

      Awesome basketball cookies. What a fun party surprise!

      Reply
      • beth says

        December 06, 2014 at 1:08 am

        Thanks. I think they would be so fun to serve at a party.

        Reply
    Beth Jackson Klosterboer

    Welcome to Hungry Happenings!

    I'm Beth. I've been a professional chocolatier & baker for over 30 years, have written 5 cookbooks, and love creating fun food for holidays and special occasions.

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