Bring some spooky sweetness to your Halloween table with Black Cat Cookies—rich chocolate sugar cookies shaped and decorated like adorable black cats. Perfect for parties or a fun family baking session, these cookies are as tasty as they are festive.
Jump to:
These chocolate sugar cookies from the Sugar High cookbook I love making! I've used them in my Spider Cookies and thought they'd be perfect as cute Black Cats!
Why This Recipe Works
Chocolatey: Deep cocoa flavor adds a delicious twist to classic sugar cookies
Fun: Decorating is easy and enjoyable for both kids and adults
Make-Ahead: Cookies stay fresh for days, perfect for prepping ahead
Hocus Pocus: These cat cookies are inspired by Binx, the favorite cat of Hocus Pocus! Check out more Hocus Pocus recipes here!
What You Need for This Recipe
Dark Cocoa Powder: This gives the chocolate cookies it's near black color! Using regular cocoa powder will result in brown cats, which is fun too!
Cinnamon: This adds just a hint of flavor and is really tasty.
Brown Sugar: Use light or dark brown.
Espresso Powder: This deepens the chocolate flavor.
Sprinkles and Candy Corn: These cats are decorated simply with a red dot for the nose and candy corn eyes!
Substitutions
Dark Cocoa Powder: Use regular cocoa powder instead for a brown cat.
Cinnamon: This is optional but adds a nice hint of cinnamon flavor.
Espresso Powder: Substitute this and the warm water for 1tsp strongly brewed coffee, or leave out altogether.
Decorations: If you don't want to use candy corn or a sprinkle for the nose, whip up a batch of my vanilla buttercream and color it with gel food coloring and pipe on any details after baking!
How to Make Black Cat Cookies
- Step 1: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine butter and sugars. Then mix in the vanilla, egg, and yolk. Combine espresso powder and warm water, and then mix in too.
- Step 3: Combine both the wet and dry ingredients to form a dough.
- Step 4: Roll rounded tablespoonfuls of dough in sugar, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Slightly flatten each cookie with the bottom of a bowl or cup.
Save this for later!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Don't worry, I promise not to spam you!
- Step 5: Shape little ears out of the cookie dough and press them on the cookies.
- Step 6: Add a little sprinkle nose and makes some whisker indentations with a fork.
- Step 7: Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350°F.
- Step 8: Once out of the oven and still hot, gently press on the candy corn eyes.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The candy corn will melt completely into the cookie and won’t look good. If you press the candy corn on while the cookie is fresh from the oven, it will stick to the cookie nicely.
I used candy corn for the eyes and sprinkles for the nose, but you can use any candy you like! Just make sure to add candy after baking. Even some sprinkles melt in the oven, so you will want to test that out.
I recommend storing in an airtight container. No need to refrigerate.
Eat within a week of baking for the freshest cookies.
More Related Halloween Recipes
For more fun and easy Halloween recipes, don't miss my Halloween Popcorn Balls, Halloween Donuts, Graveyard Cake, Cauldron Cocktail, Feetloaf, and Monster Oreos!
If you like this recipe make sure to give it a 5-star review and leave a comment down below!
Also, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, and make sure to follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Video
Black Cat Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup dark cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 14 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar firmly packed, light or dark
- ¾ cup sugar plus more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1.5 tablespoon warm water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
Additional Items
- Candy corn
- Red round sprinkles*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick mats.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup dark cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a different large bowl, beat together the melted butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Mix in vanilla, egg, and egg yolk. Stir together the espresso powder and warm water, then mix into the batter as well.14 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, ¾ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon espresso powder, 1.5 tablespoon warm water, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk
- Slowly add the flour mixture and stir until completely combined.
- Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough into your hands and roll into balls. Then roll each ball in sugar to coat it completely.
- Place on your baking sheet, and press down each dough ball slightly with the bottom of a glass. Space each cookie about 2-3 inches apart.
- Make small triangles out of the dough for the ears and press those onto the cookies. Place a small red sprinkle for the nose, and using the side of a fork, make indents for the whiskers.Red round sprinkles*
- Bake until the cookies are set and have cracks on the edges and top, 8-10 minutes.
- Once they are out of the oven, gently press in the candy corn eyes.Candy corn
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- *I chose a sprinkle for the nose because it won’t melt in the oven. If you use a red candy piece, don’t add it until the cookies are done baking and you have taken the cookies out of the oven.
- Espresso Powder: If you don't have espresso powder, you can substitute the powder and warm water for 1 ½ tablespoon coffee or just omit altogether.
Jamie says
Hello
In your directions you have mix bakung soda but in ingredients you don't have it. How much do I add ?
Thank you
Lisa says
Add 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp baking powder.