Witch Hat Cookies

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-low speed using a paddle attachment until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
3. Add the egg, then mix and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds.
7. The dough is ready when it clings to the paddle; do not overmix.
8. Roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper.
9. Place the rolled dough on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour.
10. Use a cookie cutter to cut out desired shapes.
11. Refrigerate the cut pieces again for about 20 minutes.
12. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the centers are set.
13. Allow the cookies to cool completely.
14. Knead red and blue food coloring into the fondant. Mixing more gives an even color; mixing less creates a tie-dye effect.
15. Roll out the colored fondant and cut strips to form hat bands.
16. Cut out buckle shapes from fondant. You can either tint the fondant yellow before rolling or apply gold leaf or gold luster powder afterward.
17. Cut off the pointed tip of an ice cream cone.
18. Coat the cone in melted chocolate, then roll it in black sanding sugar.
19. Attach the tip to the cone and place in the freezer to set.
20. Pipe melted chocolate onto the cut edge of the cone.
21. Fill the cone with your choice of candy, such as M&Ms.
22. Dip the filled edge in melted chocolate and attach it to the cookie.
23. Brush melted chocolate onto the cookie around the cone to create a brim.
24. Sprinkle black sanding sugar over the chocolate brim.
25. Attach the fondant band and buckle. If the fondant doesn't stick, brush a little water on the contact area.