Nutter Butter Referees
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Nutter Butter Referees are perfect for the big game! These no-bake cookies are dipped in white candy melts, decorated with candy eyes and black candy melts to look like a referee. So fun to make and enjoy while watching the football game!

I love a no-fail, no-bake cookie! Being able to quickly make a treat that has a super cute final product with minimal mess is so helpful. These Nutter Butter Referees fit the bill!
These fun football themed cookies are great for superbowl parties, or even a cute themed treat after your kid’s little league game! Nutter Butter cookies are just the perfect shape to make little characters out of. For Christmas, I like to make these Snowman Cookies that are just as adorable as nutter butter referees! And during the fall I use mini nutter butters to make nutter butter acorns.
Why You’ll Love Nutter Butter Referees
- This cute cookie recipe is super simple and kid friendly! They’ll have a blast making these with you.
- There won’t be much of a mess since nutter butter referees are a fun, no-bake cookie!
- These football themed cookies are so cute and the perfect way to spruce up a simple dessert on game day!
Ingredients for Nutter Butter Referees
- Nutter Butter Cookies – I personally love to grab the family sized pack of Nutter Butters so I have plenty in case any break. Plus, I can hide any leftovers and keep them for myself!
- Black Candy Melts – You can’t have a referee with without their classic black striped uniform. The black candy will be used to create the stripes!
- White Candy Melts – Be sure to melt more white candy than you do black candy. You’ll dip each nutter butter in the white candy as the base of their uniform.
- Candy Eye Balls – You can find these in the baking aisle of your grocery store or at your local craft store.
Helpful Tools
How to make these Football Themed Cookies
Pour the white candy melts into a medium sized mixing bowl and microwave on 50% power for one minute. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir.
Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each time, until the candy is full melted.
Dip each nutter butter in the melted white candy, letting it cover one half of the cookie.
Place each cookie onto a parchment paper covered baking sheet and allow to set.
Add a small dot of white candy to the back of the candy eyeballs and gently press them onto the top half of the cookie. Be sure to leave enough space for a smile!
In a separate mixing bowl, melt the black candy. Microwave for one minute and stir, then microwave in 30 second increments, just like you did with white candy.
Once your black candy is fully melted, spoon some into a piping bag.
Starting at the top of the white candy section of the cookie, pipe four vertical lines going across. Add one horizontal line at the top.
Add a smile, hair, and anything else you want to your nutter butter referees!
Place all the cookies back on the baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the candy.
My black candy is hard to pipe. What do I do?
If you have a hard time piping the black stripes onto the cookies, remove the candy from the bag and add one teaspoon of crisco shortening to it. Mix it up well, microwaving a bit if needed, and add it back to the bag. The crisco will help thin out the candy.
Storage Tips for Nutter Butter Referees
I find these decorated nutter butter cookies store best in the refrigerator so the candy stays set and doesn’t get mushy. Store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. You could also store them at room temperature for 2-3 days.
I do not recommend freezing them.
Can I use chocolate wafers instead of candy melts?
Yes! If you can’t find black and white candy melts, or just prefer chocolate, you can use white chocolate and dark chocolate melting wafters. Just keep in mind that chocolate can burn easier in the microwave than candy melts!
Do I have to use a piping bag?
If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a zip-lock bag and cut a small hole in one of the corners in order to pipe the black details.
Pro Tips for the Best Nutter Butter Referees
- To reduce the risk of burning your candy/chocolate, melt it in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. Essentially you are creating a double boiler and it will slowly melt the chocolate and won’t scorch it.
- If you can’t find candy eye balls, use a dot of white candy and let it set. Then add a smaller dot of black candy on top!
- Give your nutter butter referees some added flair by dusting them with edible glitter!
Aren’t these little guys just the cutest?! Makes it kinda hard to eat them…but not really.
More Game Day Recipes You’ll Love
- This Football BBQ Bacon Ranch Cheeseball is perfectly themed and wonderfully tasty!
- I love making this Football Pepperoni Pizza Dip for game day!
- If your a fan of a spicy snack, these Oven Baked Jalepeño Poppers are a must-try!
- Game day isn’t complete without cheese dip, right? Try this Rotel Dip!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Nutter Butter Referees
Ingredients
- 20 Nutter Butter cookies
- 1 ½ cups white candy melts
- 1 cup black candy melts
- 40 candy eye balls
Instructions
- Add the white candy melts to a medium sized microwave safe bowl and microwave on 50% power, or defrost mode, for one minute. Stir afterwards and return to the microwave for 30 second intervals until the candy is silky smooth.
- Dip each Nutter Butter cookie into the white candy melt, moving the cookie back and forth to cover it completely about half way down.
- Repeat this for each cookie, placing them 1 by 1 on a large baking sheet prepared with parchment paper after they are dipped.
- Add a small dollop of the white candy melt to the back of the eyeball candies, one at a time, and place the eyes on the cookies.
- Once the white pants and eye balls have been added to all of the cookies, place the baking sheet inside the refrigerator to chill for one hour.
- When the chill time is complete, begin melting the black wafers repeating step 1.
- When the black candy melts are silky smooth, add the mixture to a piping bag with a small, round tip attachment.
- Moving up and down, add the black stripes to the referee’s white pants creating 4 lines down and one line across for a waistband. Add a smile and a fun hairstyle. Feel free to create different smiles and/or hair styles on each of your referees if desired.
- Place the baking sheet back inside the refrigerator to chill for an additional 30 minutes before serving.
Tips
- These decorated nutter butter cookies store best in the refrigerator so the candy stays set and doesn’t get mushy. Store them in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. You could also store them at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- To reduce the risk of burning your candy/chocolate, melt it in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. Essentially you are creating a double boiler and it will slowly melt the chocolate and won’t scorch it.
- If you can’t find candy eye balls, use a dot of white candy and let it set. Then add a smaller dot of black candy on top!
- Give your nutter butter referees some added flair by dusting them with edible glitter!
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