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Basketball Sugar Cookies

These Basketball Sugar Cookies are soft, buttery, and decorated with orange icing and black piping to resemble basketballs, perfect for game day celebrations or sports-themed parties.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons orange food coloring gel
  • Black icing or black edible marker for detailing

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
  4. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using.
  5. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients until the dough forms.
  6. Divide dough into two parts. Add orange food coloring gel to one part and mix until evenly colored.
  7. Roll the orange dough into golf-ball-sized balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
  8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are just starting to brown.
  9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
  10. Once cooled, use black icing or an edible marker to draw basketball lines: one center vertical line, one horizontal line, and curved lines on each side.
  11. Allow icing to set before serving or packaging.

Notes

For a fun twist, use royal icing instead of marker for drawing the basketball lines, and add a little sparkle with edible glitter spray.