Easy Cauldron Cookie Cups

These Cauldron Cookies are perfect for adding a little spooky fun to your Halloween dessert table. The combination of a chocolatey cookie cup made from devil’s food cake mix and a creamy green buttercream filling creates an impressive yet easy treat. With festive decorations and a bite sized shape, they make a delightful project for both experienced bakers and kids eager to create their own bubbling potions.

I first made these during a family Halloween party and instantly loved how versatile and fun they were. Kids especially enjoyed choosing their own potion colors and decorating the cauldrons just the way they liked.

Ingredients

• Devil’s Food cake mix: provides a deep chocolate flavor and soft texture pick a quality mix for the best taste
• Eggs: bind ingredients and add structure to the cookie cups farm fresh is always a plus
• Canola or vegetable oil: adds moisture for tender, chewy cookies avoid olive oil to keep flavors neutral
• Black food coloring: helps get that authentic dark cauldron color optional but effective for the look
• Butter: forms the rich, creamy base of the buttercream filling use unsalted so you can control seasoning
• Powdered sugar: sweetens and smooths the buttercream sifted sugar prevents lumps in frosting
• Vanilla: adds warmth and balances sweetness in the buttercream pure vanilla extract tastes best
• Salt: enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness use fine salt for even mixing
• Milk: adjusts the consistency of the buttercream for easy piping start with whole milk but any milk will work
• Green food coloring: creates the classic bubbling potion look gel colors are vibrant and easy to control
• Round green sprinkles: add texture and mimic bubbles in the potion
• Halloweenthemed sprinkles: bring a spooky festive touch skull and bones shapes add character
• Candy eyeballs: deliver a playful eerie element perfect for Halloween
• Pretzel sticks: mimic stir sticks and add a fun, crunchy decoration

Instructions

Scoop and Prepare the Dough:

In a large bowl, combine the devil’s food cake mix, eggs, canola or vegetable oil, and black food coloring if using. Stir until everything is fully mixed and you have a smooth dough. Use a half tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop the dough to ensure even sized cookies.

Shape and Bake:

Scoop each portion of dough into lightly greased mini muffin pans. Flatten the tops with your fingers to prevent them from doming too much during baking. Bake the cookie cups at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges have set but the centers remain slightly soft.

Indent the Cookie Cups:

Right after removing the cookie cups from the oven, gently press into the center of each one with a one tablespoon measuring spoon. This step creates the perfect well to hold the buttercream filling once the cookies cool.

Cool Completely:

Allow the cookie cups to cool fully in the pans then transfer them carefully to a wire rack. Cooling fully prevents the buttercream from melting when filled.

Make the Buttercream:

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, beating between additions until smooth and fluffy. Then add milk one tablespoon at a time to reach the desired piping consistency. Mix in green food coloring until you achieve your preferred shade of green.

Fill and Decorate:

Once the cookie cups are fully cooled, pipe the green buttercream into each cavity. Top with round green sprinkles to mimic bubbling potion bubbles. Add candy eyeballs and Halloweenthemed sprinkles for a spooky effect. Insert half pretzel sticks into each cup to look like stir sticks.

Serve or Store:

These are best served the day they are decorated but can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days or refrigerated up to a week.

I really enjoy the buttery richness of the frosting paired with the chocolate cookie cups. It reminds me of how my kids’ faces lit up the first time we made these together, proudly creating their own spooky cauldrons. The combination of simplicity and fun really makes this recipe stand out during Halloween.

Storage Tips

Store finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. Refrigerate if you want them to last a bit longer, but let them come to room temperature before serving to soften the buttercream. You can freeze undecorated cookie cups for up to three months just make sure they are fully cooled and stored in a freezer safe container. Thaw them before decorating to avoid sprinkles bleeding.

Ingredient Substitutions

You can swap the devil’s food cake mix for a boxed brownie mix to create mini brownie cauldron bases instead. Cream cheese frosting makes a delightful tangy alternative to buttercream. For convenience storebought vanilla frosting works well just tint it with food coloring. If you want a more indulgent filling, try a white chocolate ganache colored green for a smooth rich potion effect.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these cauldron cookies as part of a Halloween party spread alongside other festive treats like pumpkin cupcakes or spooky fruit trays. They also make a terrific take home favor for guests or a fun classroom party snack. Pair with a cold glass of milk or a warm cup of spiced apple cider for a cozy Halloween celebration.

These cauldron cookies are a fun hands on Halloween treat that looks impressive and is easy to customize. Invite kids to help for extra festive memories.

Common Questions About Recipes

→ What cake mix works best for the cookie cups?

Devil’s Food cake mix is ideal as it provides a rich chocolate flavor that complements the green buttercream perfectly.

→ How do I create the indentation in the cookie cups?

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

→ Can I use different fillings instead of buttercream?

Yes, options like cream cheese frosting or white chocolate ganache can be used to add different tastes and textures.

→ How do I achieve the green “potion” color?

Add green food coloring to the buttercream until you reach the desired shade for a bubbling cauldron effect.

→ What decorations complement the cauldron theme?

Use round green sprinkles, Halloween-themed sprinkles like skulls, candy eyeballs, and pretzel sticks as stirrers for spooky fun.