Candy Corn Cookies

Ingredients:

1 batch sugar cookie dough

1 cup real butter (no substitutions!) at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg (make sure to use a large or extra large egg)

1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (or other flavor of your choice, like vanilla)

3 C flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled (don’t scoop it!)

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

-yellow and orange food coloring

 Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy- about 2 minutes. Add in egg and extract and mix to incorporate.

2. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  A very important note: It’s important to correctly measure your flour or you will end up with a dry, crumbly dough. Never, ever use your measuring cup to scoop up the flour.  Use a regular sized spoon and spoon the flour into the cup and then level it off with a knife.

3.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined.

4. Divide prepared sugar cookie dough into three equal portions.  Leave one as is and color one other portion yellow and another portion orange.

5. Line a standard loaf pan with plastic wrap.  Gently press layer of uncolored dough into bottom of pan and smooth flat, keeping it at least 1/2-3/4 inches high (you don’t have to use the whole pan if you have a small batch of dough) or larger if desired.  Layer orange dough on top of previous layer and smooth.  Finally layer yellow dough and smooth on top.  Wrap plastic over dough and chill until firm, 30-60 minutes in freezer or 1-2 hours in fridge.  Or you can store the dough in fridge for 2-3 days before baking.

6. Remove plastic and slice loaf into 1/4 inch slices. Trim top of slice to make straight line.  Cut each slice into triangle shape and dip top side in sugar if desired.  Bake according to sugar cookie directions.  Cool completely and then if desired, dip ends in almond bark or white chocolate and decorate with sprinkles.

Freaky Frankenstein Cupcakes

Ingredients:

11/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

11/8 cups all-purpose flour

11/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 large egg

1/2 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

5/8 cup whole milk

1/2 cup  butter

-Large Marshmallows

-Green Tic Tacs

-Chocolate Frosting

-Vanilla Frosting

-Green Food Coloring

-Edible Candy Eyes

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 cupcake molds with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray. To make the cupcakes, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Mix in the chocolate chips. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, and white sugar. Whisk in the milk and melted butter. Mix in the dry ingredients. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake molds, filling them about three-quarters full.

2. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan. Continue to cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

3.  To decorate, put one or two drops of green food coloring in vanilla frosting, mix together and cover the Marshmallow with the green frosting. Frost the cupcakes with chocolate or vanilla frosting. Stick Marshmallow on top of cupcake, add eyes, and Tic Tacs on the side of marshmallow.

4.  Add preferred details and enjoy!

Super Scary Spider Cupcakes

Ingredients:

-Chocolate Cupcake Mix

-Vanilla Frosting

1 package of Oreo Cookies

-Pull-apart Twizzlers

-Several M & M’s

Decorating:

1. Once cupcakes have cooled, frost them and stick on the frosting three (1-2 inch) Twizzler strips to each side of the cupcake as the spider’s legs. (6 legs all together) They should slightly hang over the side of the cupcake wrapper.
2. Place a cookie on top for the body, adding more frosting to the bottom if it will not stick.
3. Dip two M and M’s in frosting as the glue to stick the eyes onto the spider’s body.

Approximate Prep Time: 30 cupcakes=20 minutes