Jolly Elf Hats Holiday Treats Recipe: Magical Sweets for Everyone

Magical tiny elf hats sparkle with festive charm on your holiday dessert table.

Sweet pockets of delight catch everyone’s attention with their whimsical shape.

These cute confections bring playful spirit to seasonal gatherings.

Crafted from simple ingredients, these treats require minimal kitchen skills.

Delicate pastry transforms into charming miniature headgear that delights both children and adults.

Chocolate and peppermint dance together in a merry celebration of winter magic.

You’ll want to share these adorable morsels at every celebration this season.

Why Everyone Loves Elf Hats Holiday Treats

• Create adorable elf hat cookies that instantly spark holiday cheer and bring smiles to everyone's faces.
• Super simple decorating process that allows children to join in the fun and make their own delicious seasonal treats.
• Requires minimal preparation time (under 30 minutes) and uses store-bought cookies, making it perfect for busy holiday gatherings.
• Easily adapt decorations with different candies, sprinkles, and icing techniques to match personal style and preferences.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Festive Elf Hats Treats

• Sugar Cookies, Shortbread Cookies: Foundational sweet base for creating elf hats, providing a crisp and delicious platform for decorations.

• Green Icing: Creates the iconic cone shape of the elf hat, providing a festive color and structural design.
• White Frosting, Royal Icing: Adds a fluffy trim around the hat base, giving a wintery and cozy appearance.

• Red Candy, Gumdrop: Serves as the playful pom-pom at the top of the elf hat, adding a pop of color and whimsical touch.
• Edible Glitter, Colorful Sprinkles: Provides extra sparkle and festive flair to the holiday treat, making it more visually appealing.

How to Make Elf Hats Treats the Way

Step 1: Create Cookie Foundation

Grab your favorite sugar or shortbread cookies and place them on a clean surface. A thin layer of frosting helps decorations stick perfectly.

Step 2: Craft Green Hat Shape

Grab green icing and transform your cookie into a festive elf hat. Using a piping bag or spatula, cover the cookie’s top with a smooth cone-like design. Aim for a pointy peak that screams holiday cheer.

Step 3: Add Playful Pom-Pom

Select a vibrant red candy or gumdrop and perch it right on the hat’s tip. This little splash of color brings instant whimsy to your treat.

Step 4: Design Fluffy White Trim

Take white frosting and outline the green hat’s base with a soft, wavy border. This creates a cozy winter wonderland feel that makes each cookie pop.

Step 5: Sprinkle Some Magic

Dust your elf hats with edible glitter or festive sprinkles. These tiny sparkles transform simple cookies into extraordinary holiday delights.

Step 6: Let Treats Set and Celebrate

Allow your magical elf hats to rest for 15-20 minutes. The icing will harden, creating picture-perfect holiday treats ready to delight family and friends.

Fun Tips for Assembling Elf Hats Like a Pro

• Customize Cookie Base: Choose soft sugar cookies or crisp shortbread for different textures and flavor preferences.
• Perfect Piping Technique: Use a steady hand and consistent pressure when applying green icing to create smooth, uniform elf hat shapes.
• Get Creative with Decorations: Swap red candies with mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, or colored fondant for unique pom-pom variations.
• Make Ahead and Store: Prepare Elf Hats up to 2 days in advance, storing in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness and design.
• Dietary Adaptations: Replace traditional cookies with gluten-free or vegan alternatives to accommodate different dietary needs without compromising the festive look.

How to Store and Serve Elf Hats for Maximum Cheer

• Store elf hats in an airtight container lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days to maintain freshness and prevent icing from melting.
• If serving within 24 hours, leave treats at room temperature in a sealed container away from direct sunlight or heat sources.
• Carefully place elf hats in a single layer inside a freezer-safe container with wax paper between each layer. Freeze for up to 2 weeks. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
• Gently warm in the oven at 200°F for 2-3 minutes to restore slight crispness. Avoid microwave as it can soften cookies and melt decorative icing.

What to Pair With Your Elf Hats Sweets

• Warm, rich hot chocolate with marshmallows complements the sweet sugar cookies perfectly, creating a cozy holiday flavor experience.
• Creamy coffee drink with cool peppermint notes enhances the sweetness of the Elf Hat treats, adding delightful seasonal complexity.
• Additional sugar cookies with minimal decoration provide a balanced texture contrast and extend the festive dessert spread.
• Smooth, creamy vanilla milk offers a gentle, sweet backdrop that highlights the colorful and playful Elf Hat design.

Cute Variations for Your Elf Hat Dessert Bites

• Gluten-Free Holiday Hats: Replace traditional cookies with gluten-free shortbread or sugar cookies made from almond or rice flour. Use certified gluten-free icing and decorations to ensure safe consumption for those with gluten sensitivities.
• Vegan Winter Wonderland: Swap dairy-based cookies for vegan sugar cookies using plant-based butter and egg substitutes. Create icing using powdered sugar and plant milk, and use vegan-friendly candies or fruit gems for the pom-pom decoration.
• Low-Sugar Festive Treat: Utilize sugar-free cookies or create a base using almond flour and stevia. Replace traditional icing with a sugar-free cream cheese frosting and use sugar-free candies or small berries as decorative elements.
• Chocolate Lovers' Version: Transform the classic recipe by using chocolate sugar cookies as the base. Use dark green chocolate ganache for the hat shape and white chocolate drizzle for the trim, with a red chocolate candy on top for the pom-pom.

Elf Hats Holiday Treats Recipe

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4.6 from 20 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Festive “elf hats” holiday treats sparkle with whimsical charm, bringing Christmas magic to dessert tables. Crisp cookies topped with colorful frosting and playful details ensure cheerful smiles will melt hearts faster than sweet seasonal memories.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 1 can (20 ounces / 567 grams) crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 tub (8 ounces / 227 grams) whipped topping, thawed
• 1 box (3.4 ounces / 96 grams) instant pistachio pudding mix

Texture Enhancers:

• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Garnish (Optional):

• Maraschino cherries
• Extra chopped nuts

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Instructions

1. Position sugar cookies or shortbread on a clean, flat workspace, creating a stable foundation for the elf hat design.
2. Apply a thin layer of frosting or icing across the cookie surface to enhance decoration adhesion and provide a smooth base.
3. Carefully pipe green icing in a conical shape, covering the entire cookie top and extending downward to create a pointed hat silhouette.
4. Utilize a spatula or piping tool to smooth the green icing, ensuring a clean and uniform appearance with crisp edges.
5. Select a vibrant red candy or gumdrop and strategically place it at the hat’s peak, mimicking a traditional elf hat’s playful pom-pom.
6. Craft a delicate white frosting trim around the green icing’s base, creating either a wavy or smooth border that adds winter-inspired dimension.
7. Enhance the festive aesthetic by gently sprinkling edible glitter or colorful decorative elements across the elf hat’s surface.
8. Allow the decorated treats to rest for approximately 15-20 minutes, permitting the icing to solidify and maintain the intricate design.
9. Serve immediately or store in a cool, dry environment to preserve the whimsical holiday treat’s appearance and texture.

Notes

• Customize cookie base with homemade shortbread or gluten-free sugar cookies for dietary restrictions.
• Use gel food coloring for vibrant green icing that maintains thick, smooth consistency without running.
• Stabilize decorations by chilling cookies briefly after each icing layer to prevent sliding or melting.
• Create kid-friendly decorating station with pre-piped icing and candies for interactive holiday baking experience.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 150
• Sugar: 18 g
• Sodium: 80 mg
• Fat: 5 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 24 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg