Pioneer Woman Candy Corn Cookies

Pioneer Woman candy corn cookies are chewy brown sugar cookies with white chocolate chips and candy corn that come together in 3 hours including chill time. This easy Halloween cookie recipe fits fall bake sales, kids' parties, school treats and Halloween dessert tables.

Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, because cold dough spreads slowly and bakes up thick and chewy. Skip it and the butter-rich batter melts flat in the oven, leaving thin, greasy cookies.

Pressing the candy corn onto the cookies the second they leave the oven lets the heat soften the candy just enough to grip. A little cornstarch in the dough also keeps the centers soft, so these stay chewy for days.

Pioneer Woman Candy Corn Cookies

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

24

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

13

minutes

Calories

158

kcal

Brown sugar and a touch of cornstarch make a dense, soft dough that holds the candy corn up instead of letting it sink. Once baked, the edges turn golden while the middles stay thick and chewy.

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  

• 3/4 c. light brown sugar
  

• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
  

• 1 large egg
  

• 1 large egg yolk
  

• 2 tsp. vanilla
  

• 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
  

• 2 tsp. corn starch
  

• 1 tsp. baking soda
  

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  

• 3/4 c. white chocolate chips
  

• 2/3 c. candy corn
  

Directions

• Mix the wet ingredients: Whisk 3/4 cup melted butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl. Then whisk in 1 egg, 1 egg yolk and 2 teaspoons vanilla until smooth.
• Add the dry ingredients: Whisk 2 1/4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons corn starch, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl. Stir this into the butter mixture in two batches with a spatula, then fold in 3/4 cup white chocolate chips.
• Chill the dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. The dough also keeps for up to 3 days, so you can bake whenever you're ready.
• Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. That way the cookies are ready to scoop the moment the oven is hot.
• Scoop the cookies: Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop and leave the base of each ball flat. Place them 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets so they have room to spread.
• Bake and add candy: Bake in batches for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are light golden brown. Then press 3 candy corn pieces onto each cookie right away, using 2/3 cup in all, while they're still hot.
• Cool the cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes so they can set. Then move them to wire racks to cool completely.

Tools for this recipe

• OXO medium cookie scoop, Reynolds unbleached parchment paper, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I swap the chips for a different kind?

Yes, milk chocolate or butterscotch chips both work, since they pair well with the sweet candy corn. White chocolate gives the prettiest look against the orange and yellow, though.

How long do these cookies stay fresh?

Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, where they stay soft for about 4 days. A slice of bread in the container helps hold the chew a little longer.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, the dough keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, which makes it easy to bake a fresh batch when you need one. Scoop it straight from the bowl, since cold dough is firmer to handle.

Do I need a cookie scoop?

A scoop gives you even cookies that bake at the same speed, but a tablespoon works too. Just roll two heaping tablespoons into a ball and flatten the bottom slightly.

Why did my candy corn melt into the cookies?

It usually happens when the candy goes into the oven with the dough, because the long heat turns it to syrup. Add it only after baking, when the cookies are hot but out of the oven.