Easy Purple Witch Hat Cookies

Witch Hat Cookies

Thick, softly crackled purple cookies form the brims of these witch hats. Each cooled cookie gets an upright milk chocolate kiss, a raised purple frosting band, and small Halloween sprinkles. White cake mix makes a pale dough that takes purple coloring well. Bake the cookies just until set so they stay soft, then cool them completely before decorating; warmth can soften the frosting and make the chocolate peaks lean.

Ingredients for Witch Hat Cookies

Makes about 24 cookies; the yield depends on scoop size.

• 1 box (15.25 ounces) white cake mix (about 430g)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon purple gel food coloring, for the dough
• 1 container (16 ounces) prepared vanilla frosting (about 455g)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon purple gel food coloring, for the frosting
• 24 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped
• 1/4 cup small round Halloween sprinkles in orange, green, purple, and black (about 45g)

Gel coloring gives the dough and frosting a strong purple color without adding much liquid. Yellow cake mix can replace white, though it will give the cookies a warmer purple shade.

How to Make Witch Hat Cookies

1. Prepare the oven and pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line light-colored baking sheets with parchment. For dark or nonstick sheets, use 325°F (165°C) to limit browning.
2. Mix the dough: Stir the cake mix, eggs, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon purple gel coloring until no dry streaks remain. Add more coloring as needed for an even lavender-purple dough. Stop mixing once the dough is uniform.
3. Shape the brims: Scoop roughly 1 1/2-tablespoon portions of dough onto the sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Gently press down any very tall mounds to encourage wide, thick cookies with room for the decorations.
4. Bake: Bake uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes per sheet, starting to check at 8 minutes. The edges should look set and the centers should no longer look wet or glossy, though they may still be soft and slightly puffy. Remove the cookies before they brown much. Bake one sheet at a time when possible.
5. Cool and tint the frosting: Leave the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 to 40 minutes. Stir 1/4 teaspoon purple gel coloring into the frosting, adding more as needed for a deeper purple than the cookies.
6. Pipe the hatbands: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with a medium round or star tip, or use a resealable bag with a corner snipped off. On four to six cookies at a time, pipe a thick ring about 1 1/2 inches across in the center of each, leaving the outer cookie edge visible as the brim. The ring should be raised enough to form a visible band and hold the candy upright.
7. Add the peaks and sprinkles: Immediately press one chocolate kiss upright into the center of each ring and scatter sprinkles over the exposed frosting. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Let the frosting set lightly before serving or storing.

Serving and Storage

Arrange the cookies in a single layer on a platter to protect the raised hats. For another Halloween dessert, serve them alongside Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats with Pretzel Stems.

Once the frosting has set, store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container in a cool, dry place at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. Stacking can crush the chocolate peaks and smear the frosting bands.

To make them ahead, bake the undecorated cookies up to 2 days in advance and store them airtight. Undecorated baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw them at room temperature before frosting. Avoid freezing fully decorated hats when appearance matters, as condensation and handling can damage the decorations.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per cookie, based on 24 cookies: 235 calories, 2g protein, 12g fat, and 35g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g: 460 calories, 3g protein, 23g fat, and 69g carbohydrates. Values vary with the cake mix, frosting, candy, and cookie size.