happy halloween!

candy cornbattermixing the dry ingredientsred hot tamales

several halloweens ago, a thoughtful friend (i think it was capnscurvy) clipped a recipe from the mercury news for black cat cookies. i made them for the halloween party we threw that year, and loved them. but as halloweens are a full year apart, i have to admit that i almost completely forgot about the recipe after the first go with it.

pressing the cookies

i also have to admit that when i first read through the recipe, and saw that it said to “pinch top of cookie to form ears,” i was convinced that this would never create a realistic enough kitty cat face, and sent mike on a fruitless expedition across the greater santa cruz area to try to find a cat cookie cutter while i prepped the dough. the recipe only takes minutes to create, though, so i had to wait patiently for his return, and also learned to trust the directions – it really does make a realistic (and cute!) looking kitty face.

pinching into cat shapespushing in whiskerspressing in the nosespressing in the eyes

this year, when a good friend decided to throw a party on hallow’s eve, i faintly recalled these whimsical and tasty treats and offered to whip up a batch. i was truly shocked when i pulled out the recipe to see that it was cut out from an article published in 2005. how does time fly like that?

i was also shocked when the recipe took even less time than i remembered from all those years ago. there is no need to be afraid of making these black cats – and if they cross your path, just eat them! happy halloween everyone!

finished product

black cat cookies

adapted from an article published in the mercury news on 10/26/05, which featured the recipe on allrecipes.com by kathy stock
yields 2 dozen cookies
  • 1c butter, softened
  • 2c sugar (i used 1c white, 1c brown)
  • 2 eggs
  • 3t vanilla extract
  • 3c all-purpose flour
  • 1c cocoa (i love ghirardelli’s)
  • 1/2t baking powder
  • 1/2t baking soda
  • 1/2t salt
  • 48 pieces of candy corn (or more, in case you nibble as you go!)
  • 24 red-hot candies (i used half of hot tamales)
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  1. cream butter and sugar, then beat in eggs and vanilla
  2. combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and gradually add to the creamed mixture
  3. roll dough into 24 1.5″ balls (i made around 27), and place on lightly greased baking sheets
  4. flatten each cookie ball with a glass dipped in sugar
  5. pinch top of cookie to form ears
  6. press a fork twice into each cookie to create whiskers
  7. bake for 10-12 minutes in a 350º oven
  8. immediately press in red hots for nose and candy corns for eyes, then transfer to cookie racks to cool, then consume at will

4 thoughts on “happy halloween!”

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