Chocolate Jack-o-lantern Cookies

Spooky Milk Chocolate Filled Pumpkin Face Cookies bring Halloween fun to your kitchen. These soft, gooey treats hide smooth milk chocolate inside dough that's gently flavored with nutmeg and cinnamon. Once baked, they become ghoulish jack-o-lanterns after you add orange and black frosting. They'll wow guests at any Halloween gathering or give you a fun project to tackle with kids. Everyone will grab these cute treats first!

INGREDIENTS

• Baking soda: ½ tsp, lets cookies spread just right.
• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp, adds needed flavor depth.
• Brown sugar: 1 cup, packed, makes cookies moist and gives them caramel notes.
• Milk chocolate chips or chunks: 1 cup for filling, and ½ cup for the dough.
• All-purpose flour: 3½ cups, forms the base of your cookie mix.
• Nutmeg: ½ tsp, brings warm fall flavor notes.
• Salt: ½ tsp, highlights the sweet tastes.
• Granulated sugar: 1 cup, creates the right cookie softness.
• Cinnamon: ½ tsp, adds cozy autumn spice.
• Eggs: 2 large, hold everything together.
• Baking powder: 1 tsp, helps cookies rise nicely.
• Unsalted butter: 1 cup, softened to make cookies chewy and rich.
• Orange and black icing: for making scary faces on your cookies.

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 9:

After they've totally cooled down, coat cookies with orange icing first, then add spooky faces using black icing.

Step 8:

Let cookies sit on the hot tray for 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack until completely cool.

Step 7:

Bake your stuffed cookies for 10-12 minutes until you see light golden edges forming.

Step 6:

Flatten a spoonful of dough, put some melted chocolate in the middle, cover with another flat piece of dough, seal the edges, and shape into rounds.

Step 5:

Get your oven hot at 350°F (175°C) and put parchment on your baking sheets.

Step 4:

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in short microwave bursts, stirring every 20 seconds until it's smooth.

Step 3:

Mix 3½ cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp cinnamon, and ½ tsp nutmeg in another bowl. Slowly add this dry mix to your wet ingredients just until they come together.

Step 2:

Mix in 2 eggs one by one, blending well each time. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and stir it in.

Step 1:

Beat 1 cup soft butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup packed brown sugar until the mix looks fluffy.

Serving and Storage Tips

• These cookies taste best when you eat them with cold milk for a true Halloween treat!
• Keep your cookies fresh in an airtight box at room temp for about 5 days.

Helpful Notes

• If your dough feels too sticky, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes so it's easier to work with.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

• Try adding a tiny bit of cayenne to your melted chocolate like Chef Lucas does. The slight heat works really well with the cookie sweetness.

How to Make the Perfect Jack-o-lantern Cookies

Get your dough nice and flat before adding chocolate inside. Press edges together really well so no chocolate escapes while baking. Want your cookies to look amazing? Use icing bags when adding the orange base and black face details for cleaner, sharper lines.

FAQs

Can I use dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate?

Absolutely! Dark chocolate works great if you want less sweetness and more intense flavor.

Do these cookies need to be refrigerated?

They don't need cold storage. Room temperature works fine, but popping them in the fridge can make them last longer if needed.

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Conclusion

Soft and chewy cookies packed with a milk chocolate center, flavored with warm fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Decorated with orange and black icing to look like jack-o-lanterns, these festive cookies are both fun and delicious. A great option for Halloween parties or a seasonal family baking project. Pair them with milk to complete the treat!