Witch Hat Halloween Cookies

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk them well and set aside.
2. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until light and creamy, roughly 2 minutes. Remember to scrape down the bowl's sides as needed.
3. Add the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract, then mix until fully incorporated.
4. Add the creamy peanut butter and mix until combined, again scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until the dough comes together.
6. Add purple gel food coloring a little at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, until the dough reaches your desired violet shade.
7. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight. If chilled overnight, let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften slightly before scooping.
8. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large half-sheet baking pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
9. Pour the Halloween sprinkles or purple sanding sugar into a small bowl.
10. Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, portion out about 1 tablespoon of dough. Roll it into a ball with your palms, then coat the ball in the sprinkles or sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough.
11. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies puff up and show small cracks but do not brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
12. Gently press a Hug or chocolate kiss into the center of each warm cookie.
13. Place the baking sheet directly into the freezer for 10 minutes to set the chocolate. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely while you bake the remaining batches.