Easy Cauldron Cookie Cups

These Cauldron Cookies are a fun and festive treat perfect for Halloween. They mix the ease of a cake mix cookie cup with a rich buttercream filling and playful spooky decorations. The mini muffin pan baking creates just the right size for these cute, potionfilled cookie cups. Whether you are hosting a Halloween party or baking with kids, these cookies offer a creative and simple way to bring some magic to your dessert table.

I first made these cookies one chilly October evening, and the kids loved piping the green frosting and adding eyeballs almost as much as eating the cookies. It quickly became a yearly tradition in our house.

Ingredients

• Devil’s Food cake mix: Provides a deep chocolate flavor and moist texture
• Eggs: Bind ingredients giving structure and softness to the cookie cups
• Canola or vegetable oil: Adds moisture for a tender and chewy bite
• Black food coloring (optional): Enhances the darkness to resemble a witch’s cauldron
• Butter: Is the rich base of the creamy buttercream filling
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting and gives it a smooth velvety texture
• Vanilla: Balances the sweetness of the buttercream with mild warmth
• Salt: Tones down the sugar helping the flavors shine through
• Milk: Thins the buttercream to the right consistency for piping
• Green food coloring: Creates the perfect potion like color for the buttercream
• Round green sprinkles: Add a bubbling effect that enhances the cauldron look
• Halloween sprinkles such as skulls and bones: Bring spooky fun to the decoration
• Candy eyeballs: Create playful eerie accents that kids love
• Pretzel sticks: Mimic stir sticks adding to the magical cauldron vibe

Instructions

Sauté the Aromatics:

This step does not apply in this recipe as the preparation focuses on baking and assembling, focusing on the cookie cups and the buttercream filling.

Prep the Oven and Prepare Pans:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease three 12count mini muffin pans. This ensures the cookie cups will release easily after baking.

Mix the Dough:

Combine the devil’s food cake mix, eggs, oil, and optional black food coloring in a large bowl. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is uniform and evenly colored, forming cookie dough that is easy to scoop.

Shape and Bake the Cookie Cups:

Using a ½ tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop dough into the miniature muffin cups. Press the dough down gently with your fingers to flatten it and prevent the cookies from doming while baking. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, watching for edges to set but centers to stay tender.

Create Indentations and Cool:

Immediately after removing the cookie cups from the oven, press a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon firmly into the center of each warm cookie cup to create a well for the filling. Let the cookie cups cool completely in the pans before removing, so they keep their shape.

Make the Buttercream:

While the cookies cool, beat softened butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue beating until fully incorporated. Add milk one tablespoon at a time to reach a pipeable consistency. Stir in green food coloring until the shade matches your desired potion color.

Assemble the Cauldron Cookies:

Once cooled, pipe the green buttercream into each cookie cup, filling to achieve a bubbling potion effect. Sprinkle round green sprinkles over the top to emphasize the bubbling look.

Decorate Final Touches:

Finish with candy eyeballs and Halloween themed sprinkles for fun spooky details. Break pretzel sticks in half and insert one into each filled cookie cup to resemble a stirring stick.

Serve and Store:

These cookies are ready to serve at your Halloween gathering. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days or refrigerate for longer freshness.

These cauldron cookies remind me of trick or treat nights with the kids gathered around creating their own spooky concoctions. The green buttercream is my favorite element because it is simple but fun to tint and decorate and brings the little cookie cauldrons to life.

Storage Tips

Store your cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature to keep the texture soft and fresh for up to four days. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to a week. If you want to keep undecorated cookie cups, freeze them in a single layer on a tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer safe container. Thaw completely at room temperature before frosting and decorating for best results. Avoid freezing decorated cookies as the sprinkles can bleed or become mushy.

Ingredient Substitutions

For a different flavor base, try using a spice or pumpkin cake mix instead of devil’s food to add a seasonal twist. Instead of homemade buttercream, store bought vanilla frosting works well and saves time just add green food coloring. To mix it up further, try cream cheese frosting for a tangier filling or white chocolate ganache tinted green for a smooth, rich option.

Serving Suggestions

These cookie cauldrons make a perfect centerpiece for any Halloween party dessert table. Serve them alongside other festive treats such as caramel apples or candy corn. Pair with a hot apple cider or a creamy pumpkin spice latte for a cozy autumn vibe. They also make great grab and go treats for class parties or neighborhood trick or treaters.

Enjoy these spooky cauldron cookies with family and friends. They are easy, fun, and perfect for Halloween.

Your Recipe Questions Answered

→ What cake mix is best for the cookie cups?

Devil’s Food cake mix works best for a rich and chocolatey base that holds its shape well.

→ How do I create the indentation for filling?

Press a tablespoon measuring spoon into each warm cookie immediately after baking to form a well for the buttercream.

→ Can I use other fillings instead of buttercream?

Yes, cream cheese frosting or white chocolate ganache provide delicious alternatives with different flavor profiles.

→ How to achieve the green 'potion' color in frosting?

Add green food coloring gradually to the buttercream until the desired vibrant shade is reached.

→ What is the best way to store these cookie cups?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to a week to maintain freshness.

→ Can these cookie cups be frozen?

Yes, freeze undecorated cookie cups for up to three months. Thaw completely before decorating to prevent sprinkles from bleeding.