I don’t know what it is about gnomes during the holidays but I just love them. Santa Gnome cookies are starting to pop up here and there so I decided to make my own version using cookie cups and fresh strawberries.
These cookies were incredibly simple to make and taste so amazing. They look like mini cupcakes but they are actually delicious little Christmas gnomes that everyone will love.
In fact, they would look great next to these Christmas tree brownie bites if you ask me.
Making cute food during the holidays is so much fun. And the best part about this little treat is you only need 4 ingredients!
What to Buy
Skip the gnome cookie cutter for these because all you need are a few ingredients and a mini muffin tin.
The best part about these though, is the strawberry hats. We love strawberries! And we love hats! Check out our Buddy the elf cookie cups next!
Gnome Cookie Cups
- Refrigerated sugar cookie dough (I like the break and bake kind)
- White Icing (grab one that comes in a tube and save the step of using a pastry bag)
- Fresh Strawberries
- Pink candies (I used Skittles “smoothie” flavors for these)
Bake the Sugar Cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a mini muffin pan with cooking oil spray. It’s important to be sure the pan is well coated as these cookies like to stick. You can also use mini cupcake liners if you have them.
Place one cookie into each muffin cup. You don’t need to flatten or roll them. Just drop them in, easy peasy!
Bake cookies 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. Then cool completely before removing from the pan.
Our happy gnome cookies have hats made from fresh strawberries and the flavor combination is so good!
Wash your strawberries and cut out the crowns in a v shape. This creates a hat shape in the strawberry when turned upside down.
Decorate your Gnome Cookie Cups
Now comes the fun part!
Take a fully cooled cookie cup and pipe frosting into the cup. You want to be a little generous here.
Then push a strawberry on top of the icing and add a pink candy nose just under the strawberry.
Take a toothpick to spread some of the icing to create the white beard. And you’re done!
How stinkin cute are these little guys??
Print the Recipe
These adorable gnome cookies can be enjoyed year round though I am partial to enjoying them alongside my other favorite Christmas cookies.
Want to change it up? Use orange frosting and dip the strawberries in green candy melts for a St. Patrick’s Day treat.
Frosted cookies are simply delicious and when they can be cute too? It’s a total win. If you make them, I would love to see your finished product!
Feel free to share it on our Facebook page after you dig in!
Want more gnomes? Check out our Valentine’s Day Gnomes and Leprechaun Gnome cookies. Enjoy!
Gnome Cookie Cups
Be sure to check out my tips and tricks in the post. Scroll up to read!
Ingredients
- 1 pkg Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough I used the break apart kind
- 24 oz White Frosting about 2-3 tubes of prepared frosting
- 24 Strawberries
- 24 Skittles I used the pink ones from the Skittles Smoothie mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a mini muffin pan with cooking oil spray. You can also use mini cupcake liners if you have them.
- Place one cookie 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.
- Wash strawberries and cut out the crowns in a v shape.
- Take a fully cooled cookie cup and pipe frosting into the cup. You want to be a little generous here.
- Then push a strawberry on top of the icing and add a pink candy nose just under the strawberry.
- Take a toothpick to spread some of the icing to create the white beard.
- Enjoy!
Barb g
Saturday 15th of January 2022
I made these without a mini cupcake pan. I just used a cookie sheet and doubled the mini muffin papers. To my surprise they turned out great. PRE made cookie square doe. Grandkids had so much fun! Thank you!
Andrea Updyke
Tuesday 18th of January 2022
Wow that's great to know! So glad you had fun together!
Shannon A
Monday 27th of December 2021
This was a great idea! I made them for Christmas Eve and used pre made mini muffins instead. They turned out really cute. I added sniped pieces of marshmallow on top of the strawberries to make it into a Santa hat. The mini muffins were a little small but I found smaller strawberries that worked well. Thanks again for the fun idea!
Nick Nelson
Friday 24th of December 2021
20 minutes was much too long. Totally torched the cookies
GW Davis
Thursday 23rd of December 2021
So found this posted on FailBook, thought they looked awesome. Didn't have a mini muffin tin, but was able to find a 24 one. The first batch out of 24, only 4 came out whole. So ran out and bought of mini muffin papers, the second batch, came right out no issue and just peeled the papers off. This is the way to go, going to finish putting these together tomorrow for a Christmas Eve party.
Thanx sooo much for the idea, simple and easy and your right the premade sugar cookie dough is just the right amount.
Michelle
Tuesday 21st of December 2021
I made these today and could not get them to not sick to the pan! I sprayed the pan pretty well and after three attempts threw in the towel. Going to attempt again tomorrow. Any tricks for me?
Christy
Tuesday 21st of December 2021
@Michelle, I did not have luck last night either. Today I did two things different and they finally turned out! I went and bought a non stick baking spray that has flour in it and they came out perfect. I also seem to have a smaller mini muffin pan than the one in the picture so i took off some of the dough from each square so that once they baked, they did not create a muffin top over the edges. Hope this helps!