Description
Delight in these spooky Ghost Cookies featuring rich black cocoa dough rolled in sugar and topped with creamy white chocolate ghosts. Perfect for Halloween or any festive occasion, these cookies combine a fudgy texture with a sweet, smooth white chocolate topping and fun ghostly decorations created with black writing gel and optional white food dye.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup black cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed, light or dark)
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
Decoration
- 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup white chocolate chips (use a good quality)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- Black writing gel (available in baking section of stores like Walmart)
- White food dye (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and black cocoa powder until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, mix the melted and cooled unsalted butter with brown sugar and white granulated sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla extract, whole egg, and egg yolk, beating until the mixture is fully incorporated and creamy.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula until a thick, uniform cookie dough forms.
- Shape Cookie Dough: Pour the 1/3 cup white granulated sugar into a small bowl. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll each into a ball, then roll the ball in the sugar to coat thoroughly. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the sugar-coated dough balls in the preheated oven for 8 minutes or until the edges are set but the centers remain soft. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before decorating.
- Prepare White Chocolate Ganache: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Heat in short 15-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Create Ghost Topping: Spoon or pipe the white chocolate ganache onto each cooled cookie in a ghost shape. If desired, add a few drops of white food dye to lighten the ganache for more contrast.
- Decorate Ghost Faces: Use black writing gel to draw eyes and a mouth on each white chocolate ghost topping. Allow the ganache to set at room temperature or refrigerate briefly to firm up the decoration.
Notes
- For best results, use black cocoa powder to achieve the rich dark color and intense chocolate flavor distinctive of these ghost cookies.
- You can substitute white food dye with additional white chocolate ganache if you prefer a purely natural approach.
- Make sure the cookies are completely cool before applying the white chocolate topping to prevent melting and spreading.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerated if your home is warm, to preserve the texture and decorations.
- These cookies make a fun and festive treat for Halloween parties or themed events.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 211 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
