Spooky Cookies for #Halloween + book + tote bag #giveaway from author @DarylWoodGerber

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Spooky Giveaway below!

From Daryl:

I found this recipe online on a delicious blog called Love to be in the Kitchen. I made them gluten-free for my Halloween share.  The author of the original recipe said she based them off one of her favorite cookie recipes, Dark Chocolate M and M Cookies. Go to her blog to get that recipe.

Now, I’d never heard of black food coloring. Honestly, I rarely use food coloring after the whole issue with red food coloring years ago. But black?  I had to try it. Before doing so, I asked my Facebook fans if they’d ever used it. I got lots of warnings. Use too much, bleh. Use too little, won’t be dark enough.  And the dye will make your tongue black. Well, so will red or blue dye. Believe me, I’ve seen enough blue tongues after eating birthday cake with blue icing, thanks to all the little boys in my life.

But I have to tell you, a little black food coloring went a long way, and I’m glad I used it.

These cookies are so delicious! They’re great decorated with candy eyeballs - and really spooky - but making some of them plain for grownups is also a super idea.  They are a new go-to cookie for me. 

Tip: in the recipe online, she added the candy eyeballs before baking. My first batch didn’t turn out well having done so. So I added some right away after baking. That worked out beautifully.  I’ll show you both versions below.

Happy Halloween!

Spooky Cookies

(yields: 30-36 cookies)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

optional: black food coloring  (I used only 2 drops!)

1 large egg,  room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup gluten-free flour  (I used half sweet rice flour; half tapioca starch)

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

Candy Eyeballs for topping the cookies

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THESE USING REGULAR FLOUR, just substitute out the gluten-free flour and omit the xanthan gum.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. *Optional add black food coloring to get a deeper shade of black in the cookies. I used 2 drops. That’s all!  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the egg and vanilla, scrape down the bowl if needed.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated. Add in the milk and then fold in the chocolate chips.

Next, cover this mixture and put in refrigerator for 2 hours.

When ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and place on the baking sheet. Flatten slightly.

Bake at 350˚ F for 10-11 minutes. Remove from oven and then add the candy eyeballs.

Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Keep in a tightly sealed container. May be frozen if wrapped in saran and sealed well.

 PUT MIXTURE IN REFRIGERATOR FOR 2 HOURS.

I PUT THE EYES ON FIRST AND...yuck.  NOT MY FAVORITE.

SO FOR THE NEXT BATCH, I DIDN'T DECORATE UNTIL AFTER THEY WERE BAKED.

SPOOKY GIVEAWAY

 

Because it's Halloween, I'm giving away a copy of 

winner's choice of COOKBOOK NOOK MYSTERY. 
Stirring the Plot is the

the Halloween-themed Cookbook Nook Mystery
-- plus a Savor the Mystery tote bag
to 1 commenter.  

What is your favorite Halloween treat? 

Leave your email so I can contact you if you win.

Order DESOLATE SHORES, my latest suspense, HERE, trade paperback and e-book

Order SIFTING THROUGH CLUES, the 8th Cookbook Nook Mystery HERE, trade paperback and e-book

SAVOR THE MYSTERY!

 

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