Hanukkah Piñata Cookies: Holiday Recipe + Easy Decorating Tips

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These made-from-scratch Hanukkah Piñata Cookies not only taste great, but are filled with an extra sweet treat in the middle. It’s a Hanukkah cookie recipe the whole family will love!

Every year I like to make a special Hanukkah cookie recipe for the holiday. And this year I knew exactly what I wanted to bake: Hanukkah Piñata Cookies!

Everybody loves cookies and everybody loves a surprise – and these Hanukkah Piñata Cookies are the best of both! Yep, these colorful cookies are actually filled with candy, and I promise they’re not nearly as hard to make as they look.

While the cookies themselves taste delicious, what really makes them special is the candy surprise inside. Each cookie comes with a hollow center that you can fill with a secret stash of your favorite candies. Break open or bite into these festive Hanukkah treats, and be greeted with a sugary surprise inside.

Although I made my Hanukkah cookies in the shape of a Star of David, you can make them in pretty much any shape you’d like! Ready to see how to make them?

How to make Hanukkah Piñata Cookies with a Candy Surprise Inside

Just a few things to keep in mind before you start. First of all, be sure to use a no-spread sugar cookie dough recipe. You want the cookies to be as close in size as possible.

Secondly, for these Hanukkah Piñata Cookies you will need three individual cookies: one for the top, one for the middle —-which will have a cut-out center for the candy —- and one for the bottom. Remember to keep this in mind as you make your dough so you will have enough.

Ingredients You Will Need to Make Hanukkah Cookies

• cups all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• sugar
• butter at room temp.
• large eggs, at room temp.
• vanilla extract
• almond extract

Instructions to Make Hanukkah Piñata Cookies

Begin by making your cookie dough. Once the Hanukkah cookie dough is made, roll it out. To make this easier – and less messy – I like to lay a piece of wax or parchment paper down, put a ball of dough on it, place another sheet on top of the dough, then press it out into a circle shape with my fingers. I then roll it out to about 1/4″ thickness. Using parchment paper also prevents that extra flour from getting in the dough!

As you finish rolling out each dough ball, place it along with the paper, on a plate or baking sheet and pop it in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. By the time you are finished rolling out all of the dough, the first sheet you put in will be ready to be cut. Remember, you’ll need 3 cookies for each Hanukkah Piñata Cookie.

Using a small square cookie cutter or a knife, cut a small circle out of the centers of 1/3 of the cookies. Make sure you leave at least 1/4″ all the way around. Then refrigerate the cookies for another 30 minutes – this helps keep the dough from spreading too much.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°. Once the Hanukkah cookies are chilled, bake them one tray at a time for 11-14 minutes until the edges just begin to brown. Remove from the oven, and then allow the cookies to cool completely.

Set the cookies in the order you are going to assemble them on your baking sheet or cooling rack. One at a time, pipe a thin line of frosting along the outside edge of all of the cookies without the cutout.

Next press one of the cookies with the center cut out on top of the cookie you just frosted.

Now fill the opening with small candies like this…

… and then pipe a thin line of frosting around the outside edge.

Top it with another plain cookie, and allow them to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This will give the frosting time to harden so the cookie layers will stay together.

Once the thirty minutes has passed, spread a thin layer of frosting over the very top of the cookies…

…then decorate any way you’d like using sprinkles and candies. After that, all that’s left is to enjoy your Hanukkah Piñata Cookies!

Aren’t they cute?

Here’s the handy, dandy printable Hanukkah Piñata Cookies baked in the shape of Star of David’s with a candy surprise inside! 

Hanukkah Piñata Cookies Printable Recipe

This shop featuring some fun and delicious Hanukkah Piñata Cookies and two cute DIY decor ideas for holiday tables, has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BIGSeason #BigLots #CollectiveBias

Hanukkah Decorating Ideas with Big Lots

The holiday season is not only one of the busiest times of the year, it can also be one of the most expensive. Between holiday shopping, decorating the home, school programs, class parties, office parties and all the other seasonal activities, there’s hardly any time left to prepare to for your own holiday gathering! And if you are anything like me, you want your holiday party to be something special. One that creates special memories for your children and everyone else you love.

Growing up we would celebrate many of the major Jewish holidays at several different relative’s homes. One in particular is the source of some of my fondest holiday memories. While we weren’t really related to this family, we were so close that I’d always thought of them as my aunt, uncle and cousins. There were many years where we’d gather to celebrate Hanukkah together. We’d bundle up in our jackets, hurry to the car, and race to beat the sunset so we could all light the candles together.

I can still remember the rush of warm air filled with delectable aromas that would greet us as they opened the door. The house would be decked out in twinkling blue lights, with silver and blue Star of David ornaments, colorful dreidels and other symbols of the holiday on display throughout the rooms. The table would be set with her best china and crystal. But most of all I remember the laughter, the joy and the happiness of being with those we love and of the season.

These memories are so special to me, that I want to recreate the same for my family. And since we celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, I get two chances to do so!

When my husband and I first got married, I didn’t have a lot of what I needed to decorate and cook, so we headed to Big Lots to get what we lacked.

I was able to stock up on decorations, table linens, glassware, bakeware, and all the other items needed to set a gorgeous table and prepare a delicious meal.

That’s also the year I realized that Big Lots carries a large variety of food items, too, including a full selection of baking ingredients such as flour, sugar, nuts, and decorating candies. 

Hanukkah Table Setting Idea

This year since Hanukkah fell a few weeks ahead of Christmas, I went back to Big Lots and was able to find a few things to create a lovely Hanukkah table setting, as well as everything I needed to make the Hanukkah Piñata Cookies.

Of course, the styles and assortment will vary from store to store, but you’re sure to find something that you’ll love!

I found some great blue placemats, and a new white tablecloth, both of which look amazing with my china!

And when I came across this cool glass vase, I knew that with a few blue and silver ornaments and some flowers, it’d make a great centerpiece.

Since I was on a DIY decor kick, I also picked up some candles and ribbon. Once home, with the help of a little hot glue, I was able to make my own pair of decorative candles to go on either side of the vase.

Do you have any special holiday family traditions? I’d love to know! Share with us below!

Happy holiday planning!

Alaina