Description
Hocus Pocus Binx Cookies are adorable, Halloween-themed chocolate cookies inspired by the black cat Binx from the movie Hocus Pocus. These cookies are rich with black cocoa powder, decorated with almonds and colorful M&Ms to create a fun and spooky look perfect for holiday parties or festive treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (20 g) black cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (105 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Decorations
- Sanding sugar, for rolling
- 48 sliced raw almonds
- 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 48 mini green M&M’s
- 24 mini brown M&M’s
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, black cocoa powder, baking soda, and kosher salt to evenly combine the dry components of the cookie dough.
- Cream Sugars and Butter: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat the granulated sugar, softened butter, and light brown sugar until the mixture is creamy and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg until fully incorporated, then blend in the pure vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Chill Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days to firm up the dough for easier handling.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Form Cookie Bases: Using a medium 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out 24 balls of dough. Roll each into a 1-inch ball, then coat them in sanding sugar. Arrange the balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets and flatten each ball into a 2-inch circle.
- Form Ears: Use the remaining dough to scoop smaller 1/4-teaspoon portions, roll into 1/2-inch balls, and coat them with sanding sugar. Place two smaller balls on the outer top edge of each flattened cookie circle to form the cat ears. Pinch the tops slightly to shape the ears into small triangles.
- Add Almond Eyes: Position two sliced almonds on each flattened cookie as eyes, placing them so the skinnier points face toward the center of each cookie face.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers remain slightly soft. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
- Melt Chocolate and Decorate: In a small heatproof bowl, microwave the semisweet chocolate chips in 10-second increments, stirring between each, until smooth and fully melted. Transfer the chocolate to a piping bag with a very small round tip or a zip-top bag with a small corner cut off.
- Apply Chocolate Details: Pipe a small dot of chocolate in the center of each almond eye and immediately place a green mini M&M on top. Pipe another chocolate dot below the eyes and place a brown mini M&M for the cat’s nose. Finally, pipe two whiskers on each side of the face using the melted chocolate. Let the chocolate decorations set before serving.
- Storage: Cookies can be made up to three days in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential for shaping the cookies properly and helps prevent spreading during baking.
- Use black cocoa powder rather than regular cocoa for the rich, dark color reminiscent of Binx the black cat.
- Make sure the butter is softened, not melted, to achieve the right cookie texture.
- For best results with the chocolate melting and piping, use a microwave-safe bowl and stir frequently to avoid burning the chocolate.
- If you don’t have mini M&M’s, you can substitute with small candies or colored chocolate chips.
- Cookies keep well at room temperature for up to three days; for longer storage, freeze the baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
