Patriotic Gnome Cookie Cups
on May 25, 2022, Updated May 11, 2023
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Summer patriotic holidays are made for cute food and these Patriotic gnome cookies could not be any cuter or more delicious! Sugar cookie cups are baked and topped with vanilla frosting and strawberries for an adorable crowd pleasing snack.
Red, white and blue sprinkles and melted chocolate top off these cute little gnome cookies.
Another holiday means more cookie gnomes and I’m not mad about it. We love patriotic cookies so it made sense to give our gnomes a little makeover. They would be so fun served with some 4th of July cake balls!
We have loved to make them for all the holidays since our very first Santa gnome cookie recipe.
Patriotic Gnome Cookie Shopping List
Quick and easy cookie cups are as fun to make as they are to eat. Let your kids help you with these and make a day of it!
The best part about our little gnome cookies is that you can make them however you want!
Here’s what to Buy
- Refrigerated sugar cookie dough (Pillsbury break apart cookies are my favorite)
- White frosting
- Fresh strawberries
- Red, white and blue candies (use whatever you like – I chose M&Ms)
- Mini cupcake liners
- Red, white and blue melting chocolate and sprinkles (optional)
Use a Mini Muffin Pan to Bake Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line mini muffin cups with cupcake liners. The liners will be removed later so it’s fine if they aren’t holiday themed.
If you would rather coat the pan with cooking oil spray you can, but some people have had trouble with that method. It’s important to be sure the pan is very very well coated because these cookies like to stick.
Place one cookie into each muffin cup. They can just be placed in the pan. No need to roll or flatten them out.
Bake cookies and place pan on a wire rack to cool.
While cookies are still warm, take a small scoop to gently press the tops into a cup shape. Then cool completely before removing from the pan.
Drizzle Melted Chocolate over Strawberries
While the cookies are in the oven, wash and dry strawberries and slice the crowns of the strawberries off in a v-shape.
This helps them from sliding off the frosting once they are on top of the cookies.
Add the first color of your melting chocolate to a bowl and microwave with a little bit of Crisco. You will melt in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval until smooth.
Then, using a spoon or syringe, drizzle the chocolate over the strawberries. Once dry, repeat with the other colors.
Add the sprinkles the front of each drizzled strawberry before the last layer of chocolate hardens completely.
Add Frosting to Cookie Cups
If you used cupcake liners, you can peel them off after removing the cookies from the pan.
Then take your tube or piping bag of white frosting and add a generous amount of frosting onto each cookie cup.
Gently push a strawberry on top of the icing and add a colorful candy nose or blueberry just in front of the strawberry.
I used a variety of colors just for fun and blueberries too!
Take a toothpick and spread some of the icing downward to create the gnome’s beard and you’re ready to enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
The sugar in the icing loves to bring out the juices in the strawberries and they can discolor the white icing so I recommend eating these pretty quickly after you make them or refrigerate immediately.
Refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy for up to 3 days. I just put them on a plate on the top shelf because they don’t last long in my house. Feel free to cover them if you like.
Print the Recipe
Make these adorable red, white and blue gnome cookies for the sweetest patriotic treat! For more holiday fun, check out our Valentine’s Day Gnome Cookies and our Leprechaun Gnomes!
Patriotic Gnome Cookie Cups
Ingredients
- 1/2 pkg Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough, I used Pillsbury break apart
- 16 oz Vanilla Frosting, About one can or tube
- 12 Strawberries
- 12 red and blue candies , or blueberries
- 1 cup Red, white and blue candy melts, optional
Instructions
Cookie Cups
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a mini muffin pan generously with cooking oil spray. You can also use mini cupcake liners if you have them (preferred method).
- Place one cookie piece into each muffin cup. You don't need to flatten or roll them.
- Bake cookies for 20 minutes and place pan on a wire rack to cool.
- While the cookies are still warm, take a small scoop to gently press the cookies into a cup shape.
- Cool completely before removing from the pan.
Decorate the Gnomes
- Wash and dry strawberries and slice the crown off the tops of strawberries in a v-shape.
- Add one color of melting chocolate to a bowl and microwave with a little bit of Crisco until smooth. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval until smooth.
- Drizzle melted chocolate over the strawberries and let dry before adding another color.
- Before the chocolate sets completely, add patriotic sprinkles if using.
- Pipe the white frosting onto cooled cookie cups.
- Then push a strawberry on top of the icing and add a candy nose just under the strawberry. I used a combination of M&Ms and blueberries.
- Take a toothpick to spread some of the icing down to create the gnome beard.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I highly recommend the paper liners. I decided not to use them and the cookies stuck so bad once I got them out they didn’t sit flat, so my gnomes were not sitting upright leaning. Over all good flavor combination but I was not happy with overall appearance. I did decide to make my own buttercream and I did the whole batch of sugar cookies to make 24 and had more than enough icing.