I only have (peanut butter chocolate chip googly) eyes for you.

YOU still have time to make some fun Halloween cookies. Yes, YOU! These cookies are so easy and so cute! A hit with little kids, teenagers, and adults alike.


As for inspiration...I've been seeing the most adorable Halloween treats with candy eyes all over Pinterest lately. I'm pretty sure these cookies are in my feed every day. And I love them. I also love these chocolate spiders with candy eyeballs from She Wears Many Hats. So cute.

Here's pretty much all you need:

Peanut butter, chocolate chips, candy eyes. My grocery store carries candy eyes in TWO sizes (yay, HEB)! If your grocery store doesn't carry such necessities, run on over to your local craft store.


First, make the cookies. This recipe makes soft and crumbly peanut butter cookies. They're tall and puffy and fabulous. Add in chocolate chips...all the better.


As soon as they come out of the oven, press in the eyeballs. The cookies will lose their shape a bit, but that's ok. Misshapen with eyeballs just seems to fit.


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Googly Eyes Cookies
{makes about 22 cookies}

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup salted butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter (not all-natural)
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 (10-11 ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
candy eyeballs

Preheat oven to 325. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and baking soda.  Set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the peanut butter until combined.

Add the egg, vanilla, and corn syrup, beating until mixed well, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.

In two additions, beat in the flour mixture on low speed.  Mix just until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to dollop the dough onto the prepared sheets.

Bake for 11 minutes.  (The cookies will not spread.)  As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press the candy eyes into the cookies. Cool on the cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


*this post contains amazon affiliate links. thank you! 

If you're looking for decorated cookie inspiration for Halloween right through Thanksgiving, go check out my latest post on PW Food & Friends...Spiced Pumpkin Cut-Out Cookies. Not "pumpkin spice," these cookies have actual pumpkin right in the dough, plus the post includes a simple decorating tutorial. :) 

Boo!

BOOtiful Baked Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal ... with Greek Yogurt Ghosts!

During the last two weeks before Halloween, I try to get in as many Halloween-themed treats and snacks as possible. Halloween just seems to lend itself to fun food...and that's not even counting the candy aisle!


*This post is sponsored by Wholesome!™


Breakfast is no exception to the Halloween-themed meals around here. I'm pretty sure I could eat this baked pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal every morning for the rest of my life and be a happy camper.


Made with pumpkin, fall spices, and toasty coconut sugar, the oatmeal bakes up soft, thick, and full of melting chocolate. Top each individual serving off with a Greek yogurt ghost and they're just the cutest, spookiest breakfast EVER!


If you're a little wary of topping hot oatmeal with Greek yogurt, don't be! The cool, creamy, tangy yogurt is the perfect foil to the spicy warm oatmeal. One bite and you'll be hooked.


Want to make these the night before and reheat in the morning? Please do! They reheat beautifully. Just bake, cool, cover, and refrigerate. The next morning, heat in the microwave for 45 seconds or so.



Baked Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal with Greek Yogurt Ghosts
{serves 4}

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup Wholesome!™ Organic Coconut Palm Sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (mini or regular)
plain Greek yogurt
8 mini chocolate chips

 Preheat oven to 350. Grease or butter 4 large ramekins.


Stir together the oats, coconut sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices.


In another bowl, whisk the milk, pumpkin, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour the liquid mix into the oat mixture and stir.

Stir in the 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Divide the batter into the 4 prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center bounces back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

[note: if making the day before, let the oatmeal cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. To reheat, uncover and microwave for 45 seconds, or until warmed through. No need to wait the 15 minutes when rewarmed.]


Fit a piping bag with a large round tip, or cut simply cut the tip. Fill with Greek yogurt and pipe a ghost shape in the center of each warm baked oatmeal. Add the mini chocolate chip eyes.


Here's wishing you a BOOtiful breakfast!

Spooky Swirled Meringues

A. Why don't I make meringue cookies all the time?
B. Same question.

*this post is sponsored by Imperial Sugar

Spooky and sweet. I am obsessed with these swirled meringues...and they are SO easy to make!
(I almost had Spike pose with one since they match his black and white, but I thought it might be a little much.)

These Halloween meringues are crispy on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside, flavored with almond, and oh-so-sweet.

Don't they look like something that would be sold in the Nightmare Before Christmas Bake Shoppe?


You might have come across meringue recipes that call for superfine sugar. Don't go out and buy a bag of it. I use my regular Imperial Extra Fine Granulated Sugar and a little secret that you'll see in the recipe.


Here's all of the equipment you'll need:

• piping bags
• large round icing tip
• food-only paintbrush
• black gel paste food coloring

Once the meringue is made, simply paint the food coloring in 3 stripes up the piping bag. Fill it with the meringue and you're good to go. 

The meringues look super shiny before they're baked. They do dry in the oven and lose some of their intense shine, but still have a pretty sheen. 

Can you just imagine switching out the food coloring for different seasons...or sports?  I see lots of meringues in my future. 

Want the recipe? I'm sharing it over at Imperial Sugar today.
Make sure to hop over to get it! 

*this post contains affiliate links