Halloween Cookies and Desserts - Easy, Fun Family Recipes

Makes 3 dozen cookies, 100 calories each.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted light butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
• 48 chocolate kisses
• 1 small tube orange decorating icing

Instructions

Melt chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Set aside while combining other ingredients as follows: In large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add egg whites and vanilla and beat until well mixed. Gradually stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Finally, fold in melted (slightly cooled) chocolate just until blended. Divide dough in half, wrap in non-stick plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies just begin to crack. Remove from oven and immediately press one chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Cool one minute, then remove from cookie sheets to cool completely. Draw rim around edge of each cookie with orange icing, as well as around each chocolate candy.

Makes 48 bars, 80 calories each

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted light butter or margarine
• 20 oz regular-size marshmallows
• 4 drops orange food coloring (or 2 drops each red and yellow)
• 10 cups crispy rice cereal
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Grease 9 x 13 baking pan, or spray with non-stick zero-calorie cooking spray. Melt butter over low heat in saucepan. Add marshmallows and orange food coloring, stir until melted (2 to 3 minutes). Add cereal and stir just until coated, pat into baking dish. Melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring until melted and smooth. Drizzle over bars and cool. Best if eaten same day.

Makes 20 cookies, 100 calories each.

Ingredients

• 5 Tbsp butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 8 butterscotch hard candies
• 8 cinnamon hard candies

Instructions

Beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Add egg and vanilla, whisking well. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin spice. Gradually add to sugar mixture. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for two hours or until firm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using cookie cutter or sharp knife, cute out large pumpkin shapes (about 4 inches across) and set aside. Gather remaining dough and roll out until all that can be used has been. Next, cut eye holes, nose, and mouth, jack-o-lantern style. Place on cookie sheets lined with wax paper.

Crush hard candies by placing inside ziploc bag, wrapping with a towel, and smashing with rolling pin. Place 1/4 to ½ a teaspoon crushed mixed crushed candies in each cut-out hole, making sure they are spread evenly, and touching the cookie on all sides of the hole. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until candies are melted and cookies turn golden brown. Cool 2 to 5 minutes on sheets or until candies harden, then remove and cool completely.