Description
These Witch Hat Cookies are a fun and festive Halloween treat, featuring a soft peanut butter base dyed purple and topped with Halloween sprinkles and a Hershey’s Hug or Kiss to resemble a witch’s hat. Crispy on the outside and tender inside, they’re perfect for parties or seasonal celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- â…› tsp fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Additional
- Purple gel food coloring (or any color of choice)
- Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar
- 33 Hershey’s Hugs or Kisses, unwrapped
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Use an electric mixer to cream them together for about 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, creamy peanut butter, and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix until everything is well combined and smooth.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt to the wet mixture. Stir carefully until all ingredients are just combined and form a dough.
- Add Color: Add the purple gel food coloring to the dough. Mix thoroughly to evenly distribute the color throughout the dough.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or overnight for easier handling and better texture.
- Decorate Dough Balls: Once chilled, roll the dough into balls. Then roll each ball in Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar to coat the surface.
- Arrange and Bake: Place the coated dough balls 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 9-11 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and just starting to crack on top.
- Freeze to Set: Immediately after baking, place the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes. This step helps prevent the chocolate kisses or hugs from melting when placed on the warm cookies.
- Finish and Serve: After chilling, press one Hershey’s Hug or Kiss onto each cookie center to create the witch hat look. Allow to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- For best results, chill dough overnight to improve texture and prevent spreading during baking.
- You can substitute peanut butter with any nut or seed butter if allergies are a concern, but this will alter flavor and texture.
- Freezing the cookies immediately after baking helps the chocolate candy keep its shape and prevents melting.
- Decorate the dough balls with any Halloween themed sprinkles or colors to customize the look.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
