Hocus Pocus Cookies
These colorful Hocus Pocus Cookies are a fun treat perfect for Halloween, made with simple ingredients and decorated with candy eyes and sprinkles.
Ingredients
Cookie Base
- 0.5 cup 1 stick (½ cup, 113g) unsalted butter (softened) Make sure the butter is softened for easy mixing.
- 1.25 cups 1 ¼ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup ½ cup sour cream Can substitute with plain yogurt.
- 2 large 2 large eggs (at room temp)
- 1.5 teaspoons 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 0.25 teaspoon ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3.25 cups 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour Add flour gradually to avoid lumps in the dough.
Decorations
- 3 colors Wilton gel food coloring in purple, orange, and green Experiment with different colors for unique designs.
- 2 cups 2 cups sprinkles
- 0.75 cup ¾ cup candy eyes Add as decoration before baking.
Instructions
Preparation
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on high until fluffy and smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract and sour cream, mixing on low speed.
- Next, add the eggs and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Add the baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and just one cup of flour. Mix on low.
- Gradually add the rest of the flour one cup at a time until there are no streaks of flour in the dough.
- Divide the dough into three equal bowls and add a few drops of gel food coloring to each. Mix until desired shade is achieved.
- Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop about half a tablespoon of each color of dough and roll them into balls (about 1 inch in diameter).
- Combine one ball of each color into a larger ball and place them 4 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Lightly flatten each ball with your fingers.
- Decorate each cookie with candy eyes and sprinkles.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, checking for doneness after 8 minutes. They should be soft when removed from the oven.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a plate.
Notes
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Freeze for up to three months with parchment paper between layers if stacking. Don’t skip chilling the dough for better texture.