Pillsbury's Halloween Sugar Cookies Have Inspired a New Dessert Trend

If a whole cake sounds like a lot to bake, you can also make Pillsbury sugar cookie cupcakes using spooky ghost cookies or cute pumpkin cookies. The Squeaky Mixer's recipe combines chocolate cake batter with purple frosting for a finished treat that's way better than Halloween candy.

See how to make the Halloween dessert ahead.

Ingredients

• 2 packages Pillsbury Ghost sugar cookie dough
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cups boiling water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt until evenly combined.
3. In a small pot, bring 3/4 cups of water to a boil. Turn off the heat as soon as the water begins to boil.
4. In the bowl from step two, create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in the milk, oil, vanilla, and eggs.
5. Slowly mix the wet and dry ingredients together while adding in a slow stream of the boiling water from the side of the bowl. Once the batter is smooth, set aside.
6. Place a Pillsbury cookie at the bottom of each cupcake liner and bake for 5–7 minutes, or until the cookies have spread to fill the bottom of the cupcake liner.
7. Once the cookies have spread to fit the bottom of the liner, scoop the prepared chocolate batter on top, making sure to fill the liners about 3/4 of the way full.
8. Bake the cupcakes for 12–15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. While the oven is still preheated, bake the second package of Pillsbury cookies on a cookie sheet for 12–15 minutes.
10. Next, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat together the butter and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl to make the buttercream frosting. Slowly add one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until the buttercream becomes smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and salt, as well as your desired amount of food coloring.
11. Once all the cookies and cupcakes have cooled completely, decorate the top of each cupcake with the buttercream. Finish each cupcake with a baked sugar cookie.