Introduction

Remember those crisp autumn evenings, the scent of pumpkin spice in the air, and the thrill of Halloween? I’ve got a recipe that will transport you right back to those magical moments, and it’s so incredibly simple, you’ll wonder why you haven’t made them every year! These Witch Hat Halloween Cookies are not just adorable; they’re a little piece of edible enchantment that’s perfect for your next spooky gathering or just for making an ordinary afternoon feel extra special.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Whip these up in no time, perfect for last-minute party prep!
Easy: Seriously, even the busiest witches can make these.
Giftable: Package them up for a truly delightful Halloween surprise.
Crowd-pleasing: Kids and adults alike will be cackling with delight over these.

Ingredients

Let’s gather our magical ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour: The foundation of our delicious hats.
2 teaspoons cornstarch: For that perfectly tender cookie texture.
¼ teaspoon baking powder: A little lift to make our cookies just right.
½ teaspoon baking soda: To help them spread just a tad.
¼ teaspoon salt: Balances all that sweetness beautifully.
½ cup unsalted butter, softened: Make sure it’s nice and creamy!
1 cup granulated sugar: For that classic sweet cookie flavor.
1 egg, room temperature: Helps bind everything together.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract: The secret ingredient for cozy flavor.
¾ cup creamy peanut butter: Adds a delightful nutty richness.
Purple gel food coloring: To give our witch hats that perfect spooky hue.
30 Hugs or chocolate kisses, carefully unwrapped: These are our magical potion toppers!
Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar: For that extra sparkle and festive flair.

How to Make It

Ready to conjure up some cookie magic? Let’s get started!

First things first, let’s get our oven ready for action. Preheat it to 350°F (175°C). While it’s warming up, line your baking sheets with parchment paper. This little trick makes cleanup a breeze and ensures your cookies don’t stick.
In a medium bowl, give your dry ingredients a good whisk: the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures everything is evenly distributed. Set this bowl aside for a moment.
Now, grab a large bowl and let’s cream the butter and sugar together until they’re light and fluffy. It should look like a pale, airy cloud!
Next, beat in the egg and vanilla extract until everything is beautifully combined.
Time for the star of the show: add your peanut butter and mix it in until it’s fully incorporated into the wet ingredients.
Now, it’s time to unite the dry and wet ingredients. Gradually add your dry mixture to the wet, mixing until it’s just combined. Don’t overmix – we want tender cookies!
Divide your dough into two equal portions. To one portion, add your purple gel food coloring. Squish and mix it until that dough is a perfectly spooky shade of purple.
For the witch hat brims, roll small portions of the purple dough into balls and then flatten them slightly. Think of a little disc shape.
Now, grab the uncolored dough and roll small portions into cone shapes. These will be the pointy tips of our witch hats.
Time to assemble! Gently place a cone shape onto the flattened brim. Give it a little press to make sure it sticks.
This is where the real magic happens! Carefully place one unwrapped Hug or chocolate kiss onto the very tip of each witch hat cookie.
Now for the sparkle! Gently coat your assembled cookies with Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar. Give them a light press so the sprinkles stick like they’re enchanted.
Arrange your beautiful witch hat cookies onto your prepared baking sheets. Make sure they have a little space between them.
Pop them into the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the edges are just starting to turn a light golden brown.
Once they’re out of the oven, let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes. This helps them firm up. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Patience is a virtue, especially when delicious cookies are involved!

Substitutions & Additions

Feeling inspired to get a little creative? Here are some ideas!

No Hugs? No problem! Any small, foil-wrapped chocolate candy that has a cone-like shape (like a Hershey’s Kiss, of course!) will work perfectly for the tip of the hat.
Color Variations: Don’t have purple? Green or black food coloring would make fantastic witch hats too! Or, for a more whimsical witch, try a vibrant pink or blue.
Extra Sparkle: If you want even more shimmer, dust your cooled cookies with edible glitter or a dusting of powdered sugar for a frosty look.
Nut-Free Kitchen? If you need to avoid peanut butter, you can substitute it with a nut-free butter like sunflower seed butter or tahini. Just be aware it might alter the flavor slightly.

Tips for Success

Let’s make sure your cookie-making journey is smooth sailing:

Softened Butter is Key: Make sure your butter is truly softened, not melted. This is crucial for achieving that light and fluffy texture when creaming with sugar.
Don’t Overmix the Dough: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies.
Chilling (Optional but Recommended): If your dough feels a little too soft to handle, pop it in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes. This makes it easier to roll and shape.
Prep Ahead: You can make the cookie dough a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Just let it sit at room temperature for a bit before shaping. The unwrapped chocolate kisses can also be prepped and waiting in a small container.

How to Store It

Once your magical witch hats have cooled completely, you’ll want to keep them fresh and ready to eat. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay delightfully delicious for about 3-5 days. If you find yourself with an abundance of cookies (which is a good problem to have!), you can also freeze them! Place them in a freezer-safe container or bag, and they’ll be good for up to 2-3 months. Just let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

FAQs

Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?

A: Absolutely! You can prepare the cookie dough a day in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Let it soften slightly at room temperature before you start shaping your hats.

Q: What if I don’t have purple food coloring?

A: No worries! Green, black, or even a vibrant orange would make fantastic witch hats for Halloween. Get creative with your spooky colors!

Q: How do I prevent the chocolate kisses from melting too much while baking?

A: The key is a short baking time. Bake just until the edges of the cookie are lightly golden. The kisses will soften and adhere without completely melting into a puddle.

Magical Witch Hat Cookies

Adorable and easy Witch Hat Halloween Cookies perfect for any spooky gathering or a special afternoon treat.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Servings 30 cookies

Equipment

Oven Preheat to 350°F (175°C)
Baking sheets Line with parchment paper
Medium bowl
Large bowl
Wire rack
Airtight container
Freezer-safe container or bag

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

1.5 cups all-purpose flour The foundation of our delicious hats.
2 teaspoons cornstarch For that perfectly tender cookie texture.
0.25 teaspoon baking powder A little lift to make our cookies just right.
0.5 teaspoon baking soda To help them spread just a tad.
0.25 teaspoon salt Balances all that sweetness beautifully.

Wet Ingredients

0.5 cup unsalted butter Softened, nice and creamy!
1 cup granulated sugar For that classic sweet cookie flavor.
1 egg Room temperature, helps bind everything together.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract The secret ingredient for cozy flavor.
0.75 cup creamy peanut butter Adds a delightful nutty richness.

Decorations & Coloring

purple gel food coloring To give our witch hats that perfect spooky hue.
30 Hugs or chocolate kisses Carefully unwrapped. These are our magical potion toppers!
Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar For that extra sparkle and festive flair.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.
Add peanut butter and mix until fully incorporated.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
Divide dough into two equal portions. Color one portion purple.
Roll small portions of purple dough into balls and flatten slightly for brims.
Roll small portions of uncolored dough into cone shapes for the hat tips.
Assemble the hats by placing a cone shape onto a flattened brim and pressing gently.
Place an unwrapped Hug or chocolate kiss onto the tip of each witch hat cookie.
Coat the assembled cookies with Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar.
Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden brown.
Let cool on baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. Can be frozen for 2-3 months.