Description
Create spooky and delicious Cauldron Cookie Cups perfect for Halloween parties. These chocolate cookie cups are filled with vibrant green buttercream frosting and decorated with festive candy eyes, sprinkles, and pretzel stick stirrers to resemble bubbling potion cauldrons.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Cups
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box Devil’s Food cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- Black food coloring (optional)
Buttercream Filling
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1–3 tablespoons milk
- Green food coloring
Decorations
- Round green sprinkles
- Halloween sprinkles
- Candy eyeballs
- Pretzel sticks
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease three 12-count mini muffin pans to prevent sticking.
- Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl, combine the Devil’s Food cake mix, eggs, canola oil, and black food coloring (if using). Mix well until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the dough is uniform in color.
- Shape the cookie cups: Scoop about 1/2 tablespoon of the dough and place it into the prepared mini muffin pans. Use your fingers to flatten the dough slightly, shaping it evenly in each cup.
- Bake and form indentations: Bake the dough for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are set but the centers remain soft. As soon as they come out of the oven, gently press an indentation into each warm cookie using the back of a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon. Set aside to cool completely in the pans.
- Prepare the buttercream: While the cookie cups cool, beat softened butter in a medium bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, beating thoroughly after each addition until smooth. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until the frosting is pipeable. Mix in green food coloring until you reach the desired shade of green.
- Fill the cookie cups: Once the cookie cups are completely cooled, pipe the green buttercream into each indentation to resemble a bubbling potion inside the cauldrons.
- Decorate: Sprinkle the tops with round green sprinkles, Halloween-themed sprinkles, and candy eyeballs to create a spooky effect. Break pretzel sticks in half and insert one into each cookie cup to act as a stir stick.
- Serve and enjoy: Present your cauldron cookie cups at your party and enjoy these festive, gooey treats with friends and family!
Notes
- You can omit the black food coloring if you prefer a traditional chocolate cookie color.
- If the buttercream is too thick, add a little more milk to achieve a smooth, pipeable consistency.
- Use mini pretzel sticks to keep the scale appropriate for the cookie cups.
- Store leftover cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute vegan butter and powdered sugar alternatives.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cookie cup
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
Keywords: Halloween cookies, cookie cups, buttercream filled cookies, spooky treats, Halloween dessert, cauldron cookies
