The Cutest Gnome Cookies
on Nov 04, 2021, Updated Feb 09, 2024
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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. Looking for a chocolate version? Try these no-bake brownie bite gnomes.
In fact, they would look great next to these Christmas tree brownie bites or alongside a Santa Gnome dessert board.
Making cute food during the holidays is so much fun. And the best part about this little treat is you only need 4 ingredients!
Table of Contents
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??
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 or decorate patriotic gnome cookies for July 4th!
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
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!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So cute! They already come out of the oven with a dip in the center so I didn’t see the need to press down on the tops simply to fill with even more icing. The natural dip is enough. I used the squirt can of cake decorating icing that comes with tips to make it come out squiggly which is perfect for the beard. If you don’t press down, one can should be enough.
Thank you for sharing! I hope you enjoyed them.
Awesome idea. We do a holoday cookie exchange. I plan to take these. Thanks!
Very cute idea. I will be making these for our company Christmas luncheon, along with your Christmas tree brownie cups. Thanks you so much for the adorable ideas!
This is a ridiculously long post for a recipe. So many darn ads I gave up screen-shotting the post. I mean come on….. how much monetizing do you NEED for one post/one recipe?
@Kristen, I’ve actually learned to just scroll down to the bottom of the post so to find the actual recipe because they’re all like that which is so annoying.
I provide instructions visually as well as the recipe card. I do always have a jump to recipe button at the top of each post so feel free to click that and it will take you down to the recipe.
@Kristen, I agree with you that’s why I always just click on jump to recipe, I believe all of them have it.
I used instant vanilla pudding, frosting and whipped topping from a spray can for a variety of fillings. Of the three I liked the vanilla pudding best. The frosting was a little too much frosting and sweetness and the whipped cream was good but did not stay firm for long. Otherwise it was a great treat and my grandkids loved it.
@SYLVIA TIDQUIST,
@SYLVIA TIDQUIST, I was scrolling for an alternative to all icing. Great idea to use pudding in the ‘cups because with icing, they appear to be too sweet for my sweet tooth.
@Alanna, GREAT idea
@Alanna, or maybe that dip that people use for dipping fruit? It’s Cool Whip, and one other ingredient maybe yogurt I can’t remember, but I think you can even buy it in a store. I agree about the icing, too sweet for me and not my favorite for strawberries.
Yes you could mix equal parts marshmallow creme with cream cheese. It’s delicious!
@SYLVIA TIDQUIST,
How far in advance do you think I can do it with the pudding?
I will be traveling an hour with them
@SYLVIA TIDQUIST, Thank you so much for the great idea. I’m going to try to mix pudding and a little bit of whipped cream and put it in the freezer for a little bit so it gets firmed up and then pipe it on there right before dessert. I’m going to try it at home first at least to see and if it messes up. Hey I don’t care what things look like as long as it tastes good!
If anybody has any other ideas besides the cookie icing, please post cuz I am all ears lol. I can’t wait to make these! I’m super excited and I love anything Christmas and gnomes so it’s a double whammy for me ❤️
@Stephanie Miller, if you mix a small tub of marscapone cheese in equal parts with homemade whipped cream it makes it a lot more stable. Google the instructions. Its super easy and will stay for longer. Good luck!
Can this cookie dough be avail in UK or what would be the best alternative
I can’t wait to try these recipes this holiday season. Looking forward to more recipes as well. Thanks for sharing.
It’s my pleasure! I hope you enjoy them.
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!
Wow that’s great to know! So glad you had fun together!
@Barb g, thx for the great tip about the mini muffin papers! I was wondering if that would work!
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!
20 minutes was much too long. Totally torched the cookies