Description
These Cauldron Cookie Cups are a spooky and festive Halloween treat featuring moist, chocolatey mini cookie cups filled with vibrant green buttercream frosting. Decorated with candy eyeballs, sprinkles, and pretzel stir sticks, they’re perfect for parties or trick-or-treat celebrations. Easy to prepare and irresistibly fun, these bite-sized delights combine the rich flavor of Devil’s Food cake mix with creamy, colorful buttercream piped inside each cookie cup.
Ingredients
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 (broken in half)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease three 12-count mini muffin pans to ensure the cookie cups don’t stick.
- Mix Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, combine the Devil’s Food cake mix, eggs, canola oil, and black food coloring (if using). Stir until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- Portion Dough into Muffin Pans: Using about 1/2 tablespoon of dough per cup, place portions evenly into the prepared mini muffin pans. Flatten each dough ball gently with your fingers to form cookie bases.
- Bake Cookie Cups: Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set but centers remain soft. Remove from oven and immediately press an indentation into the center of each warm cookie cup using the back of a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon. This will create a cavity for the filling. Allow cookie cups to cool completely in the pans.
- Make Buttercream Filling: While cookies cool, beat the softened butter in a medium bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, continuing to beat until smooth. Add milk gradually (1 to 3 tablespoons) to reach a smooth, pipeable consistency. Stir in green food coloring until the desired shade is achieved.
- Fill Cookie Cups: Using a piping bag or spoon, fill each cooled cookie cup with the green buttercream, mounding it to resemble a bubbling potion inside each cauldron.
- Decorate: Garnish each cup with round green sprinkles, candy eyeballs, and Halloween-themed sprinkles. Break pretzel sticks in half and insert one into each cookie cup to simulate a stirring stick for added spooky effect.
Notes
- Using black food coloring in the cookie dough is optional but enhances the cauldron effect.
- Ensure cookie cups are completely cool before filling to prevent melting the buttercream.
- You can adjust the thickness of the buttercream by adding more or less milk as needed.
- For a gluten-free option, use a gluten-free cake mix.
- Store the filled cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
