Description
These Best Witch Hat Halloween Cookies combine a soft, peanut butter-flavored sugar cookie base with a festive purple hue and a chocolate kiss centerpiece, perfect for spooky celebrations. Coated in Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar, these cookies are fun to make and delightfully festive for Halloween parties.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Purple gel food coloring
For Decorating:
- Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar
- 33 chocolate kisses or Hugs candies, unwrapped
Instructions
- Prepare the Baking Equipment and Dry Ingredients: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Make the Wet Cookie Dough Base: In a separate large bowl, cream softened butter and white sugar together with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Then, mix in the smooth peanut butter and vanilla extract, scraping the bowl as needed to combine.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients and Add Coloring: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir until a uniform dough forms. Add purple gel food coloring gradually, mixing until the dough is evenly colored with no streaks, finishing by hand mixing.
- Portion, Chill, and Prepare for Baking: Using a 1-tablespoon scoop, portion dough into mounds on parchment-lined tray, spacing close but not touching. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight to help cookies bake thick and prevent spreading.
- Coat, Bake, and Decorate the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line fresh parchment paper on new trays. Roll chilled dough mounds into balls and coat in Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar. Arrange 2 inches apart on trays. Bake for 9–11 minutes until puffed and slightly cracking, slightly underbaked for soft centers.
- Add Chocolate Kisses and Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the tray for 5 minutes after baking. While still warm, press an unwrapped chocolate kiss or Hug candy into the center of each cookie. Immediately place the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes to set the chocolate and prevent melting. Then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to keep the cookies thick and prevent spreading during baking.
- Slightly underbaking helps achieve a soft interior as cookies continue to set while cooling.
- Use purple gel food coloring sparingly and mix thoroughly for even coloring.
- Press the chocolate kisses into warm cookies to ensure they stick firmly.
- Freezing the cookies briefly after adding chocolate prevents melting and keeps the kiss intact.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Halloween cookies, witch hat cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate kiss cookies, festive Halloween treats, purple cookies, holiday baking
