Need a fun treat? These hedgehog cookies have the double benefit of being both easy and adorable.
When we decided we needed some hedgehog cookies in our life, we started searching for various recipes. We saw some variations on Pinterest. But many of those cookies flattened out when they baked. We thought our hedgehogs deserved better. Then we read through some of the recipes and some called for things that we definitely didn’t have on hand. Butter flavored shortening? Nope.
So we switched it up and decided to make our own, with our classic Spritz butter cookie recipe. And amazingly, it was a perfect fit. The hedgehogs stayed nice and round. Plus, the cookies were perfectly buttery (real butter) and delicious.
Hedgehog Cookies
Easy and adorable hedgehog cookies, made with a spritz cookie (butter cookie) base.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Base
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
For the Decorations
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup pecans, coarsely ground
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, then add the sugar and mix until well combined. Blend in the egg, vanilla, and salt. Then carefully add in the flour, mixing until a pliable dough forms. (It should be the texture of Play-Doh.) Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least one hour.
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Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Using a teaspoon, scoop out approximately one rounded teaspoonfull of dough at a time. Roll it between your hands to shape it into an oval, then roll one end into a rounded tip. (That tip will be the "nose.") Place the dough balls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. You should have approximately 20 to 25 cookies.
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Bake the cookies at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, or until very light golden brown on top and golden brown on the bottom. Let cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes, then move the cookies onto a cooling rack.
Cookie Decorating
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Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. Then take a spatula and gently spread melted chocolate over the bottom half of each cookie (the back end of the hedgehog). Gently roll the chocolate end of the cookie into the ground pecans, shaking off the excess as needed. Repeat with remaining cookies.
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Take a toothpick and dip it in the remaining melted chocolate. Gently use the tip of the toothpick to tap two eyes and a nose at the narrow end of each hedgehog. Keep the cookies at room temperature until the melted chocolate hardens.
OK, aren’t these cookies the cutest thing ever for Christmas? They fit right in with the holly, the pine tree, and the pine cones.
So here’s an extra note about the recipe. At one of the celebrations we attend, we have several guests who don’t like or can’t eat nuts. If that’s the case – no problem! You can substitute crushed cookies or graham crackers for the pecans. In fact, for our latest round of these cookies we used crushed ginger snaps. It’s a fun and ginger-y spin on these super-cute cookies.
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P.S. Looking for another Christmas cookie? Try these Letter to Santa Cookies. Alternatively, if you’re just looking for another winter-y cookie recipe, try these Gluten-Free “Snow Day” Cookies.
Hi! I'm Jeanne Fratello - a writer, reporter, and food enthusiast who is on a mission to write great stories about food and where your food comes from.
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