Introduction

Celebrate Halloween with these fun and festive Witch Hat Cookies! Crunchy, peanut buttery cookies topped with chocolate kisses and decorated with purple sprinkles make them perfect for parties or a spooky treat.

The image shows a purple cookie with a cracked texture, topped with small colorful round sprinkles in orange, green, black, and purple. In the center of the cookie sits a white chocolate kiss with brown stripes. The cookie is placed on a purple cloth, creating a soft, cozy setting. In the background, there is a glass filled with a purple drink, all set on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
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
Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar
33 chocolate kisses or unwrapped hugs candies

Instructions

Step 1: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined.
Step 2: In another large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and sugar for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until combined. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Step 3: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Add purple gel food coloring a bit at a time until the desired shade is reached. Stir by hand to evenly distribute the color.
Step 4: Using a tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon, place scoops of dough on the prepared sheet tray, spacing them close but not touching. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 6: Roll each chilled dough scoop into a ball, then roll it in Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared trays. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until cookies puff up and begin to crack.
Step 7: Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Press a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie until it sticks. Immediately place the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes to set the chocolate and prevent melting.

Tips & Variations

For a nut-free version, swap peanut butter for sunflower seed butter or a seed butter of your choice.
If purple gel food coloring is not available, use natural alternatives like beet juice powder for color.
Try different colored sanding sugar or sprinkles to match your party theme.

Storage

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep the chocolate kisses firm, refrigerate the cookies for longer storage up to one week. Reheat gently at room temperature before serving, avoiding microwave to prevent chocolate melting.

How to Serve

A close-up shot of a single vibrant purple cookie with a cracked, rough texture, topped with a swirl-shaped white chocolate piece with brown stripes in the middle. Around the chocolate, there are small round sprinkles in bright orange, green, black, and purple colors spread unevenly on the cookie surface. The cookie rests on a soft, loosely folded purple cloth with a textured weave, set on a white marbled surface. Another cookie with similar features is blurred in the background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I prepare the dough ahead of time?

Yes, chilling the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight helps the cookies hold their shape and enhances flavor.

What if I don’t have a cookie scoop?

You can use a tablespoon measure or simply scoop dough by hand to form evenly sized balls.

Witch Hat Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 84 reviews

Witch Hat Cookies are festive Halloween treats featuring a peanut butter-infused cookie base, tinted purple for a spooky effect, and topped with chocolate kisses to resemble witch hats. With a crunchy sprinkle coating and rich peanut butter flavor, these cookies are perfect for holiday parties and trick-or-treat celebrations.

Author: Stella
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes (including chilling time)
Yield: 33 cookies 1x
Category: Dessert, Cookie
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ Cup 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

Additional Ingredients

Purple gel food coloring
Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar
33 Chocolate kisses (or Hugs candies, unwrapped)

Instructions

Prepare Dry Mixture: 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 fully combined, then set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the large egg and mix until fully incorporated.
Add Peanut Butter and Flavoring: Mix in the creamy peanut butter and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure all ingredients are fully combined.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients and Color: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until the dough comes together evenly. Add purple gel food coloring to the dough, mixing by hand thoroughly to achieve an even violet hue throughout.
Chill the Dough: Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop or by eye, portion out scoops of dough onto the prepared sheet tray, spacing them close but not touching. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to firm up.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Tray: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line sheet trays with parchment paper and set aside.
Shape and Coat Cookies: Place Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar into a small bowl. Roll the chilled cookie dough balls in the sprinkles or sanding sugar until evenly coated. Arrange the coated dough balls on the baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart.
Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the cookies puff up and begin to crack on the surface.
Cool and Add Chocolate Topping: Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Press an unwrapped chocolate kiss or hug candy firmly into the center of each cookie to resemble a witch’s hat.
Set the Chocolate: Place the tray of cookies directly into the freezer for 10 minutes so the chocolate topping hardens and will not melt.

Notes

For best flavor and texture, chill the dough overnight before baking.
Use purple gel food coloring sparingly to avoid altering the dough consistency.
Ensure cookies are spaced well apart on the baking sheet to allow for spreading.
Substitute chocolate kisses with any similarly shaped chocolate candies if preferred.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

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