Description
Witch Hat Cookies are soft and chewy peanut butter cookies topped with a chocolate wafer, colorful buttercream frosting, and a chocolate kiss to create a festive witch hat. They are an easy, fun Halloween dessert that’s perfect for parties, family baking, and seasonal celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 3/4 cups (218 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) salt
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (128 g) creamy no-stir peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 30 chocolate melting wafers
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, for frosting
- 1 1/4 cups (150 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract, for frosting
- 1 pinch salt, for frosting
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk, room temperature
- Orange, purple, and green gel food coloring
- 30 chocolate kisses, unwrapped
- Halloween sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, and peanut butter together until combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix just until a cookie dough forms.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a 1-inch ball. Roll the ball in additional granulated sugar and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart. Press each ball down slightly.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden.
- Immediately place one chocolate melting wafer in the center of each warm cookie. Allow the wafer to soften, then gently spread the chocolate with the back of a spoon until the brim is slightly wider than a chocolate kiss.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely. Allow the chocolate to harden before decorating.
- Make the frosting by beating the remaining 1/2 cup butter until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar.
- Add the vanilla, 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk, and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth. Add the remaining cream if necessary to reach a pipeable consistency.
- Divide the frosting among separate bowls and tint with orange, purple, and green gel food coloring.
- Transfer each frosting color to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip or a zip-top bag with a small corner cut off.
- Pipe frosting around the bottom of each chocolate kiss and press it onto the hardened chocolate wafer. Allow some frosting to remain visible around the base to create the witch hat band.
- Add Halloween sprinkles if desired and serve once the decorations have set.
Notes
- Use creamy no-stir peanut butter for the most consistent cookie texture and to help prevent excessive spreading.
- For accurate flour measurement, weigh the flour or spoon it into the measuring cup and level it without packing.
- Use room-temperature butter and egg for a smooth, evenly mixed cookie dough.
- If the dough becomes too warm or soft, refrigerate the shaped dough balls for about 20 minutes before baking.
- Let the cookies and chocolate cool completely before attaching the chocolate kisses so the frosting does not melt.
- Gel food coloring works better than liquid coloring because it adds vibrant color without significantly thinning the frosting.
- If chocolate melting wafers are unavailable, spoon melted chocolate onto the cooled cookies to create the hat brims.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator before baking.
- Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 202 kcal
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 87 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg