Hocus Pocus Cookies

Hocus Pocus Cookies are an eerie-sistible treat for spooky season parties. Swirled with spellbinding colors and baked to perfection, you’ll have a frighteningly good time eating these Halloween cookies.

Halloween without the Hocus Pocus movie is like a witch without a broomstick – it just doesn’t fly. At least not in my house. No lie, this cinematic masterpice plays on repeat until November 1st when I switch to National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. But the Griswold’s can wait their turn because this month is all about Sanderson’s: three bumbling witches who’ve been dead for centuries but are suddenly resurrected when a virgin blows out a candle. It’s a brilliant setup, if I do say so myself.

Set on the charmingly haunted streets of Salem, the flick follows this inept trio of witches on their mission to wreak havoc. Trying to stop the coven in their tracks are a teenager who detests trick-or-treating and a talking cat with an inexplicable ability to carry on complex conversations. Basically it’s a campy movie that defies logic –and gravity, with one sister flying around on a Hoover vacuum in lieu of a broomstick. Yes, this romp is ridiculous, but the mix of spooky and silly is a magical recipe that keeps me coming back for more every single Halloween.

Speaking of recipes, I wanted to add a dash of Sanderson magic to my own Halloween party so I conjured up these Hocus Pocus Cookies. Combining soft, chewy sugar cookies and colorful Halloween swirls, these bewitching cookies are made for spooky season. Literally. So, grab your broomstick (or vacuum cleaner) and fly to the store for ingredients. No eye of newt needed, just pantry staples, food coloring and black cocoa powder. But beware! This recipe is so enchanting that you’ll swear Bette Midler herself put a spell on you.

*Shoutout to Sarah Keiffer whose famous Neapolitan Cookies were my inspiration for these Hocus Pocus Cookies.

Before sharing this Hocos Pocus Cookies recipe, here are a few tips to help you out:

Ingredient Tips

Gel food coloring is highly recommended because it’s more vibrant and less batter diluting than standard food coloring.

This recipe uses black cocoa powder, but if you do not have any on hand feel free to substitue Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder (aka Dutch process cocoa) and add a few drops of black gel food coloring.

The eggs needs to be at room temperature before beginning. If you’ve forgotten to take yours out of the refrigerator ahead of time then speed up the process by placing them in a bowl of warm water. Don’t use hot water; we want to warm the egg, not hatch it.

Butter needs to be softened to room temperature so let it sit out for an hour or so before starting the recipe. Resist the temptation to nuke butter in the microwave because it will get melty in spots and will be too wet for the batter.

Preparation Tips

Always use the spoon and level method to measure flour. Scooping flour is a no-no. That technique overpacks flour into the measuring cup which will result in dry, dense cookies

How to Store Hocus Pocus Cookies

These sugar cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days. Cover with plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container.

Baked sugar cookies can be frozen in an airtight container up to 3 months.

I hope you enjoy these colorful Hallloween Sugar Cookies! Please leave a rating and review below when you try them yourself. And, while you’re at it, sign up for my weekly Recipe Newsletter so you never miss a tempting recipe.

Finally, if you’re looking for more Halloween cookie ideas, check out these Chocolate Halloween Cookies. Frighteningly fun, these monster-size Chocolate Halloween Cookies are all treat and no trick. Rich and chewy, the Dutch chocolate cookies are chockful of M&M’s and Halloween sprinkles for a scary good party snack.

Hocus Pocus Cookies

Heather Wolf

Hocus Pocus Cookies are an eerie-sistible treat for spooky season parties. Swirled with spellbinding colors and baked to perfection, you'll have a frighteningly good time eating these Halloween cookies.

5 from 14 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 38 minutes mins

Course Cookies and Bars

Cuisine American

Servings 40

Ingredients

  

Hocus Pocus Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour unbleached
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt fine
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 egg yolk room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract pure
• orange gel food coloring
• purple gel food coloring
• 2 tbsp black cocoa powder

Instructions

 

Hocus Pocus Cookies

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and creamy, approximately 3 minutes.
• Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla then beat on medium-high speed until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
• Add dry ingredients to wet and mix on low speed until just combined. (Avoid overmixing.)
• Divide dough into 3 equal sections. Keep 1 section of the dough in the mixing bowl and remove the remaining 2 sections.
• Add a few drops of orange food coloring to the batter in the mixing bowl then beat on low speed until evenly combined and desired shade is achieved. Remove orange dough from bowl and set aside.
• Wipe the mixer bowl and beaters clean.
• Place the next section of sugar cookie dough into the mixing bowl. Add a few drops of purple food coloring then mix on low speed until evenly combined and desired shade is achieved. Remove purple dough from bowl and set aside.
• Wipe the mixer bowl and beaters clean again.
• Place the final section of sugar cookie dough into the mixing bowl. Add black cocoa powder then mix on low speed until just combined.

  *Note: if you do not have black cocoa powder you can substitute Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder (Dutch processed cocoa) and add a few drops of black food coloring.
• Scoop each color of dough into teaspoon-sized balls.
• Next, form tri-colored cookie balls by pressing together one orange dough ball, one purple dough ball and one black dough ball.
• To swirl, place a dough ball in the palm of your hand. Place your other hand on top of the dough ball (palm side down) then vigorously swirl dough with your top hand until the colors begin spiraling together.
• Repeat the palm swirling process for remaining dough balls.
• Finally, roll each dough ball in granulated sugar.
• Place dough balls on cookie sheets spaced 2 inches apart then bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers are still soft.
• Remove cookies from oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Keyword cookies, halloween, sugar