Best Witch Hat Halloween Cookies Recipe

Introduction

These Best Witch Hat Halloween Cookies are festive, fun, and perfect for spooky celebrations. Vibrantly purple and topped with a chocolate kiss, they bring a playful twist to classic peanut butter cookies. Easy to make and irresistibly delicious, they’re sure to be a hit at any Halloween party.

Ingredients

• 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
• Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar (for decorating)
• 33 chocolate kisses or Hugs candies, unwrapped

Instructions

1. Step 1: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set aside.
2. Step 2: In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until incorporated. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract, scraping the sides as needed.
3. Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a uniform dough forms. Gradually add purple gel food coloring until the dough reaches your desired shade, mixing by hand at the end to avoid streaks.
4. Step 4: Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into mounds on the prepared sheet tray, spacing them close but not touching. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
5. Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line new trays with parchment paper. Place sprinkles or purple sanding sugar in a small bowl. Roll each chilled mound into a smooth ball, then coat completely in the sprinkles or sugar. Arrange on trays 2 inches apart.
6. Step 6: Bake for 9–11 minutes until the cookies are puffed and beginning to crack, keeping them slightly underbaked for a soft center. Let cool on the tray for 5 minutes.
7. Step 7: While cookies are warm, gently press an unwrapped chocolate kiss or Hug candy into the center of each cookie. Transfer the tray to the freezer for 10 minutes to set the chocolate. Then move cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Tips & Variations

• For a nut-free version, substitute the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter and ensure the sprinkles are nut-free.
• Use different colors of gel food coloring to create a variety of witch hat cookie shades.
• Chilling the dough overnight enhances the texture and helps prevent spreading while baking.
• Try festive Halloween sprinkles such as tiny bats or pumpkins for extra sparkle.

Storage

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep the chocolate kisses intact, avoid storing in warm or humid conditions. These cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use natural peanut butter instead of smooth peanut butter?

Yes, but natural peanut butter may change the texture of the dough slightly. It’s best to stir it well before measuring and consider chilling the dough longer to help with spreading.

What can I use instead of chocolate kisses?

You can substitute with mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, chocolate chips pressed into the center, or any small round candy that will hold its shape when pressed into the warm cookies.

Best Witch Hat Halloween Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 93 reviews

These Best Witch Hat Halloween Cookies are a fun and festive treat perfect for the spooky season. With a soft, peanut butter-infused cookie dough dyed purple and topped with Halloween sprinkles and candy chocolate kisses, they are sure to delight kids and adults alike. The recipe includes chilling the dough for thick, chewy cookies and a simple decorating technique that results in charming witch hat shapes perfect for Halloween parties and trick-or-treat celebrations.

• Author: Marco
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 33 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

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

1. Prepare the Baking Equipment and Dry Ingredients: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt until combined. Set aside for later use.
2. Make the Wet Cookie Dough Base: In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter and white sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Mix in the large egg until fully incorporated. Then, add the smooth peanut butter and vanilla extract, mixing well and scraping down the bowl as needed.
3. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients and Add Coloring: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until a uniform dough forms. Gradually add purple gel food coloring, mixing well to achieve an even purple color with no streaks.
4. Portion, Chill, and Prepare for Baking: Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into mounds and arrange on the prepared parchment-lined sheet tray, spacing them close but not touching. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight for best texture to prevent spreading during baking.
5. Coat, Bake, and Decorate the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar in a small bowl. Roll each chilled dough mound into a smooth ball, then roll in sprinkles or sugar until fully coated. Arrange coated balls on new parchment-lined trays spaced 2 inches apart. Bake for 9–11 minutes until puffed and beginning to crack but slightly underbaked for a soft interior.
6. Add Chocolate Kisses and Cool: Let cookies cool on the sheet tray for 5 minutes. While still warm, gently press a chocolate kiss or Hugs candy into the center of each cookie until it sticks. Immediately transfer the tray to the freezer for 10 minutes to set the chocolate without melting. After chilling, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely while baking remaining dough.

Notes

• Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and to achieve thick, chewy cookies.
• Underbaking slightly keeps the cookies soft inside as they firm up while cooling.
• Use purple gel food coloring gradually to reach the desired shade without altering dough consistency.
• Freezing the cookies after adding the chocolate kiss helps preserve the candy shape and prevents melting.
• Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Keywords: Halloween cookies, witch hat cookies, peanut butter cookies, festive cookies, purple cookies, chocolate kiss cookies, holiday baking