Description
These Witch Hat Cookies are a festive Halloween treat combining a soft peanut butter cookie base with a melted chocolate wafer brim and a chocolate kiss topper decorated with colorful frosting and sprinkles. Perfectly spiced and easy to make, they offer a delightful mix of textures and flavors that bring fun and whimsy to your dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 1 ¾ cup (218 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, plus more for rolling cookies in
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (128 g) no-stir creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 30 chocolate melting wafers
Frosting
- ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (150 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk, room temperature
- Gel food coloring (orange, purple, green)
Decoration
- 30 chocolate kisses, unwrapped
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Sugars and Fats: In a stand mixer bowl or large bowl with a hand mixer, combine granulated sugar, light brown sugar, room temperature butter, and no-stir creamy peanut butter. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- Combine Dough: With mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture and beat just until combined; avoid overmixing.
- Shape Cookies: Using a tablespoon, scoop dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in extra granulated sugar and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them 1 ½ inches apart. Press balls down slightly.
- Bake Cookies: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake cookies for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Immediately remove from oven and press one chocolate melting wafer on top of each cookie to melt from residual heat. Use the back of a spoon to spread melted chocolate slightly wider than the base of a chocolate kiss.
- Cool Cookies: Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely and allow the chocolate wafers to harden.
- Make Frosting: Beat butter in a mixing bowl until creamy (about 2 minutes). Gradually add sifted confectioners’ sugar on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Add Flavor and Texture: Increase mixer speed to medium, add vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more cream for thinner or sugar for thicker frosting.
- Color Frosting: Divide the frosting into three bowls and tint each with gel food coloring (orange, purple, green) to desired color intensity.
- Assemble Hats: Transfer colored frosting to piping bags fitted with round tips. Frost the bottom of each chocolate kiss and press it on top of the hardened chocolate wafer on each cookie, allowing some frosting to peek out.
- Decorate: Add sprinkles on the frosting around the kisses for a festive touch.
- Serve and Store: Serve the cookies once assembled. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Notes
- Use no-stir creamy peanut butter for best texture and flavor. Skippy Natural is recommended.
- Chocolate wafers create the perfect brim size; if unavailable, melt chocolate and spoon onto cooled cookies.
- There may be leftover frosting; it’s excellent for decorating Halloween cupcakes.
- Freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator before scooping and baking.
- Baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Store finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 202
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 87mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
