The Best Buddy the Elf Cookie Recipe
Bring Buddy’s sugar-fueled spirit to life with these Buddy the Elf cookies — a colorful, festive treat that’ll make Santa proud and your kids giggle!
These Elf-inspired cookies are the perfect festive treat for the holidays. They are totally easy to make and a great snack for a Christmas movie night!
We adore Buddy the Elf so much at our house that I’ve also created an entire Buddy-themed Christmas tree, decorated with Elf quotes and ornaments, and put together an Elf gift basket.
And then there’s the snacks, like these Buddy the Elf chocolates and haystack cookies. So if your holiday playlist includes “Santa! I know him!” on repeat, then you’re in the right place.
These Buddy the Elf cookies are equal parts adorable and delicious — bright green and yellow sugar cookies shaped like Buddy’s iconic hat and finished with a jaunty red “feather” of frosting.
Honestly, it’s like Christmas cheer you can eat. And when my teenage boys help, these cookies somehow taste even better.
Too busy to make this right away? Pin it for later! Pin this post to your favorite board on Pinterest and it will be there when you’re ready!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These Elf cookies are a total win for the whole family — cute, colorful, and bursting with holiday spirit. You only need a handful of ingredients, and the bright layers of green and yellow dough with that pop of red icing are pure magic.
These cookies are perfect for gifting or nibbling with a mug of hot cocoa topped with mini marshmallows. It’s one of those fun recipes that’s impossible not to smile through, whether you’re baking for a cookie exchange, a movie night, or your annual Elf holiday party.
Inspired by the movie, Elf, these delicious sugar cookies are sure to delight!
We love this Christmas movie, as clearly demonstrated by these Elf party ideas, Elf punch board advent, and Elf activity printables. Be sure to poke around the blog a bit for even more fun holiday crafting ideas.
Why Use Sugar Cookie Dough?
Pre-made sugar cookie dough can be found at the grocery store and is incredibly versatile. It can easily be rolled into fun shapes and holiday sprinkles can be added for a fun pop of color.
As a busy mom, I like to take short cuts like this during the busy holiday season. You could also use cake batter mix as a cookie base for a quick alternative when making these delicious cookies.
This holiday cookie recipe is so much fun for kids of all ages to make and take to holiday parties or events.
I love, love, love how these adorable Elf cookies turned out! They would be fun to pack up individually, wrap with a bit of baker’s twine, and gift to friends and family.
How to Make This Elf Cookie Recipe
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Ingredients
- Sugar cookie mix – The perfect shortcut for busy elves; it bakes up buttery, sweet, and golden every time.
- Butter, softened – Everything good starts with butter. It’s the backbone of every great cookie.
- Egg – This little guy keeps your cookies soft and chewy.
- Green food coloring – The official color of Buddy’s hat and, apparently, Christmas magic.
- Yellow food coloring – Adds that cheerful pop of color for the hat’s band.
- Red icing – The finishing touch for Buddy’s feather.
Tip: Homemade sugar cookie dough works just as well as store-bought. Check out my grandma’s classic sugar cookie recipe for our favorite homemade dough.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, mix your sugar cookie dough, butter, and egg until combined.
4. Divide your dough into three equal parts.
5. Mix 12 drops of yellow food coloring into 1/3 of the dough. Mix 24 drops of green food coloring into the other 2/3 of the dough.
6. Cover dough balls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out two green dough logs of equal size and one yellow dough log.
8. Place the dough logs together in a green–yellow–green pattern.
9. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the cookie dough into a rectangle shape that is about 1/4″ thick.
10. Cut triangle shapes from the dough using a knife. Be sure to have a stripe of green at the top and bottom of the triangle, with yellow dough in the center.
11. Place dough triangles on the prepared cookie sheet.
12. Bake until cookies are lightly brown around the edges, about 8-10 minutes.
13. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
14. Use red frosting to add a feather to the front of each hat.
How to Store These Elf Treats
Store these sweet treats in a large freezer bag or airtight container for a week or in the freezer for up to three months. They make a fun addition to a holiday cookie exchange!
Tips and Tricks
- Homemade dough works just as well as store-bought dough. Just chill it before shaping.
- For one of Buddy’s favorite flavors, add a splash of maple extract to your cookie dough.
- For smooth, even colors, use gel food coloring instead of liquid.
- If freezing, store cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft and avoid freezer burn.
- Flash freeze cookies in a single layer before storing in a container or Ziploc bag.
- To make cleanup easy, roll dough between two pieces of parchment paper.
- Instead of red icing, use melted white chocolate mixed with food dye to make the feathers.
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Some of My Kitchen Essentials
- I love using this non-stick bakeware for all of my baking.
- These silicone mitts are perfect for grasping hot pans and baking dishes.
- This Henckel knife is my favorite for slicing and dicing in the kitchen.
- These parchment paper bags are perfect for packaging and these large Rubbermaid food storage containers are great for storing baking in the freezer.
How darling are these Elf hat cookies?! I absolutely love how they turned out and can’t wait to share them with all our family and friends!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I store Buddy the Elf Cookies?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Layer with waxed paper to prevent sticking.
Can I use homemade dough instead of a mix?
Absolutely! Your favorite sugar cookie dough recipe will work just fine. Just remember to chill it before rolling.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! You can flash freeze shaped dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then transfer to a Ziploc bag until ready to bake cookies fresh.
Do I need to use food coloring?
Nope — skip it if you prefer plain cookies, but the bright green and yellow layers really sell the Buddy look.
What if I want to add more toppings?
Try adding holiday sprinkles, drizzling on melted chocolate, or even pressing in marshmallow bits before baking for extra fun.
These Buddy the Elf cookies are a sweet little nod to everyone’s favorite Christmas movie. They’re colorful, festive, and will have everyone smiling and quoting Buddy in no time.
If you love this Buddy the Elf cookie recipe, please give it a five-star review and help me share it on Facebook or Pinterest so that others can enjoy it too!
Elf Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 – 17.5 oz package sugar cookie mix
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 egg
- Green food coloring
- Yellow food coloring
- 1 tsp red icing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix your sugar cookie dough, butter, and egg until combined.
- Split the dough into thirds.
- Mix 12 drops of yellow food coloring into 1/3 of the dough. Mix 24 drops of food coloring into the other 2/3 of the dough.
- Refrigerate the dough balls for 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll two green dough logs of equal size and one yellow dough log.
- Place the dough logs together in a green, yellow, green pattern.
- Use a floured rolling pin to roll the cookie dough flat into a rectangle shape that is about 1/4" thick.
- Cut triangle shapes from the dough using a knife. Be sure to have a stripe of green at the top and bottom of the triangle with yellow dough in the center.
- Place dough triangles on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until cookies are lightly brown around the edges, about 8-10 minutes.
- Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
- Use red frosting to add a feather to the front of the cookie hat.
Video
Notes
- Homemade dough works just as well as store-bought dough. Just chill it before shaping.
- For one of Buddy’s favorite flavors, add a splash of maple extract to your cookie dough.
- For smooth, even colors, use gel food coloring instead of liquid.
- If freezing, store cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft and avoid freezer burn.
- Flash freeze cookies in a single layer before storing in a container or Ziploc bag.
- To make cleanup easy, roll dough between two pieces of parchment paper.
- Instead of red icing, use melted white chocolate mixed with food dye to make the feathers.
Nutrition
