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Witch Hat Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 106 reviews

Witch Hat Cookies are a fun and festive Halloween treat featuring soft, peanut butter-flavored cookies coated in purple sanding sugar or sprinkles and topped with melty chocolate kisses. These adorable hat-shaped cookies are perfect for parties or holiday celebrations with their vibrant color and rich flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Wet Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • purple gel food coloring, amount as desired

Toppings

  • Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar, for rolling
  • 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, stir together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter with the granulated sugar for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. This step ensures the cookies will have a tender texture.
  3. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Add the egg to the creamed mixture and mix until fully combined. Then add the peanut butter and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
  4. Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Add purple gel food coloring little by little, mixing by hand to ensure an even distribution of color, until you achieve your desired shade of violet.
  5. Chill the Dough: Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop or by eyeballing, portion scoops of dough onto the prepared sheet tray, spacing them close but not touching. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight, to firm up the dough for easier handling.
  6. Preheat Oven and Prepare for Baking: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line one or two sheet trays with parchment paper.
  7. Shape and Coat Cookies: Place the sprinkles or purple sanding sugar into a small bowl. Roll each chilled dough scoop into a ball, then roll it in the sprinkles or sanding sugar to fully coat. Arrange the coated cookie balls on the prepared sheet trays about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
  8. Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, or until they have puffed up and show small cracks on the surface. The edges should be set but the center still soft.
  9. Cool and Top Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, press an unwrapped chocolate kiss gently into the center of each warm cookie. To prevent the chocolates from melting, place the tray directly into the freezer for 10 minutes.
  10. Finish and Serve: Transfer the cooled and topped cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the baking and topping process with any remaining dough. Serve as festive Halloween treats or store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough overnight helps intensify flavors and makes the dough easier to handle and shape.
  • Adjust the amount of purple food coloring to achieve your preferred intensity of color.
  • If you prefer a nut-free version, substitute the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter.
  • Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days or frozen for longer storage.
  • Press the chocolate kiss gently into the cookie to avoid cracking the cookie surface.

Keywords: Halloween cookies, witch hat cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate kiss cookies, festive cookies, Halloween treats

Find it online: https://zarameals.com/witch-hat-cookies-recipe/