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Hat Halloween Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 139 reviews

These Hat Halloween Cookies are festive, soft peanut butter cookies tinted with purple gel food coloring and topped with chocolate kisses or Hugs candies for a perfect spooky treat. With a buttery texture and subtle peanut flavor, these cookies are decorated with Halloween sprinkles or sanding sugar to add a fun seasonal touch, making them ideal for Halloween celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale

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, amount as needed

Decorating

  • Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar
  • 33 chocolate kisses or Hugs candies, unwrapped

Instructions

  1. Prepare Dry Ingredients: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and white sugar using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Mix in the large egg until fully incorporated.
  3. Add Peanut Butter and Flavor: Add smooth peanut butter and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture, mixing well and scraping down the bowl sides as needed.
  4. Combine Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until a uniform dough forms. Incorporate the purple gel food coloring by adding a little at a time, mixing well to reach desired shade. Finish mixing by hand for an even color without streaks.
  5. Chill Dough: Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion dough into mounds and place them close but not touching on the prepared parchment-lined sheet tray. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight for best texture to ensure thick cookies that don’t spread.
  6. Preheat Oven and Prepare for Baking: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line new sheet trays with parchment paper. Place Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar in a small bowl.
  7. Shape and Coat Cookies: Roll each chilled dough mound into a smooth ball, then roll it in the sprinkles or sanding sugar to coat completely. Arrange coated balls on the prepared trays, spacing about 2 inches apart.
  8. Bake Cookies: Bake for 9–11 minutes until cookies are puffed and beginning to crack. Slight underbaking is preferred to keep a soft interior, as cookies set while cooling.
  9. Add Chocolate Topping: Let cookies cool on the sheet tray for 5 minutes. While still warm, gently press a chocolate kiss or Hug candy into the center of each cookie until it sticks.
  10. Chill to Set: Immediately transfer the tray to the freezer for 10 minutes to prevent the chocolate from melting due to residual heat.
  11. Finish Cooling: After chilling, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling completely while you bake remaining dough batches.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and to achieve thick, soft cookies.
  • Slight underbaking ensures a soft interior as cookies continue to set when cooling.
  • Use purple gel food coloring gradually to control the intensity of the color.
  • Press the chocolate candies into cookies while warm, then chill immediately to maintain shape and prevent melting.
  • Enjoy cookies the same day for best freshness, or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Keywords: Halloween cookies, peanut butter cookies, purple cookies, holiday cookies, chocolate topped cookies, festive cookies

Find it online: https://ellaeatsdaily.com/hat-halloween-cookies-recipe/