Frightfully Easy Ghost Cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
12 oz. vanilla-flavored candy coating or almond bark, cut into pieces
1 (l lb.) pkg. oblong peanut butter-filled sandwich cookies
4 teaspoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1) Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. Melt candy coating in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.

2) Holding cookie with tongs, dip entire top and sides of each cookie in melted coating, letting excess drip off. Lay cookie flat, coated side up, on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets. Place 2 chocolate chips in coating to form eyes. Let stand about 10 minutes or until set.

32 cookies

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

Prep time: 15 minutes
Ready in 2 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients
BASE
1 (15.5-oz.) pkg. Pillsbury Thick 'n Fudgy Chocolate Chunk Deluxe Brownie Mix
¼ cup oil
3 tablespoons water
1 egg
FILLING
1½ cups creamy peanut butter
1½ cups powdered sugar
TOPPING
1 (12-oz.) pkg. (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
¼  cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts
1 (1.63-oz.) pkg. (1/3 cup) candy-coated peanut butter pieces

1) Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. Melt candy coating in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.

2) Holding cookie with tongs, dip entire top and sides of each cookie in melted coating, letting excess drip off. Lay cookie flat, coated side up, on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets. Place 2 chocolate chips in coating to form eyes. Let stand about 10 minutes or until set.

3) In small saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring frequently. Add ¼  cup peanut butter, mix well. Spread over bars. Sprinkle top with peanuts and candies. Score bars to make 36 pieces. Refrigerate 45 minutes or until chocolate is set. Store covered at room temperature. Cut on scored lines into bars.

36 bars

Brownie-Capped Witches

Prep time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 (15.8-oz.) pkg. Pillsbury Thick 'n Fudgy Double Chocolate Deluxe Brownie Mix
¼  cup water
¼  cup oil
1 egg
24 oblong peanut butter-filled sandwich cookies
½ cup Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting
9 drops green food color
4 drops yellow food color
48 miniature candy-coated semisweet chocolate baking bits
24 candy corn
24 red miniature candy-coated semisweet chocolate baking bits
12 chocolate wafer cookies

1) Heat oven to 350ºF. Line 8-inch square pan with foil; spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare and bake brownies in foil-lined pan as directed on package using water, oil and egg. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

2) Meanwhile, place peanut butter-filled cookies on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. In small resealable plastic bag, combine frosting and food color; seal bag. Squeeze bag until frosting is well blended. Cut small opening in bottom corner of bag.

3) Pipe thick line across middle of each peanut butter-filled cookie. Pipe 1 large dot of frosting above line on each cookie. Pipe squiggles of frosting for witch's hair below each green line. Pipe 2 dots for eyes, 1 for nose and 1 for mouth on each cookie. Place baking bits on dots for eyes, candy corn on dot for nose and red baking bit on dot for mouth.

4) Use foil to lift brownies from pan; remove foil. Cut brownies into 12 (2½ x 1¾-inch) pieces. Cut each brownie diagonally to form 2 triangles. Place 1 brownie triangle over large dot of frosting on each cookie, shape brownie slightly to form witch's hat.

5) With serrated knife and sawing motion, cut each chocolate wafer cookie in half. Place cookie half on green line at base of each brownie triangle for hat brim.

24 servings

Candy Corn Fudge

Prep time: 55 minutes
Ready in 1 hour 55 minutes
Ingredients
1 (12-oz.) pkg. (2 cups) white vanilla chips, melted
2 (16-oz) pkg. Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting
1 (10-oz.) pkg. (1¾ cups) butterscotch chips, melted
Yellow food color
Red food color
48 candy corn

1) Line 13x9-inch pan with foil; butter foil. In large bowl, combine melted vanilla chips and 1 can of the frosting; mix well. Spread 1/3 of mixture in buttered foil-lined pan.

2) In another large bowl, combine melted butterscotch chips and second can of frosting; mix well. Add ½ teaspoon yellow and ½ teaspoon red food color; stir until mixture is orange and well blended. Spread orange mixture over white layer in pan.

3) If remaining 2/3 of white mixture has set up, heat in microwave until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Add ¼ teaspoon yellow food color; stir until mixture is bright yellow and well blended. Spread over orange layer in pan. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

4) Use foil to lift fudge from pan. Turn white side up; peel off foil. Cut into 48 pieces. Press 1 candy corn in center of each piece. Store in refrigerator.

48 candies

Orange Spider Web Tart
 With orange sherbet, chocolate chips, and whipped topping for bait, it's enticingly easy to get caught in the web of this Halloween pie.

Prep time: 50 minutes
Ready in1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust (from 15-oz. pkg.)
1 (3-oz.) pkg. orange flavor gelatin
¾ cup boiling water
1 cup orange sherbet, slightly softened
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips
½ teaspoon oil

1) Heat oven to 450ºF. Prepare pie crust as directed on package for one-crust baked shell using 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom or 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 450ºF for 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 25 minutes or until completely cooled.

2) Place gelatin in medium bowl. Add boiling water, stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Spoon in sherbet; stir until melted. Place in freezer for 5 minutes or until soft set.

3) Stir sherbet mixture. Add whipped topping; mix well. Spoon mixture into cooled baked shell.

4) In small resealable food storage plastic bag, combine chocolate chips and oil; seal bag. Place bag in bowl of very hot water. Flex bag several times to melt chips. Cut small hole in bottom corner of bag. Working from center to outer edge, pipe chocolate to form spiral design. Working from center of spiral to outer edge, draw tip of knife lightly through spiral to form web design. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes or until serving time.

8 servings

Snappy Ginger-Maple Cheesecake Cups
Gingersnaps add excitement as a bottom crust for deliciously rich individual cheesecakes drizzled with caramel.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Ready in 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients
12 (1½-inch) crisp gingersnap cookies
1 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon imitation maple flavor
2 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping

1) Heat oven to 350ºF. Line 12 muffin cups with foil baking cups. Place 1 cookie, flat side down, in each foil-lined cup.

2) In small bowl, combine both packages of cream cheese and brown sugar; beat well. Add maple flavor and eggs; beat 2 minutes or until smooth. Beat in sour cream. Divide cream cheese mixture evenly into cookie-lined cups, filling each about ¾ full.

3) Bake at 350ºF. for 15 to 20 minutes or until center is just set. Cool 30 minutes before removing from pan. Cool 20 minutes or until completely cooled.

4) Just before serving, drizzle caramel topping over each cheesecake. Store in refrigerator.

12 servings

Chocolate-Bottom Pumpkin Custard Pie

Prep time: 15 minutes
Ready in 2 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust (from 15-oz. pkg.)
½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin
2 eggs
¾ cup half-and-half
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ cup whipped cream or whipped topping, if desired
2 teaspoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips, if desired

1) Heat oven to 450ºF. Prepare pie crust as directed on package for one-crust baked shell using 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 450ºF. for 6 to 8 minutes or until crust is just beginning to brown. Cool 5 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine ½ cup  chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin. Cook over low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring frequently.

3) in large bowl, combine eggs and half-and-half; beat well. Add remaining pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves; mix well.

4) Spread melted chocolate mixture in bottom of partially baked shell. Gently pour pumpkin mixture over chocolate.

5) Place pie in 450ºF. oven; immediately reduce oven temperature to 350ºF. Bake at 350ºF. for 40 to 45 minutes or until center is set. Cool1½ hours or until completely cooled. Tops  with whipped cream and chocolate chips before serving. Store in refrigerator.

8 servings

Spooky Party Pumpkin Cupcakes
Melting vanilla chips with corn syrup makes a pliable "clay" that's easy to shape into "haunting" decorations.

Prep time: 50 minutes
Ready in 1 hour 45 minutes
Ingredients
CUPCAKES
1 (14-oz.) pkg. Pillsbury Pumpkin Quick Bread & Muffin Mix
1 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
¾ cup Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Chocolate Fudge Frosting
GHOST CUTOUTS
3 oz. vanilla-flavored candy coating or almond bark, or ½ cup white vanilla chips
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
*TIP:
*To keep parchment paper from slipping while rolling out mixture, tape paper to work surface.

1) Heat oven to 400ºF. Line 12 muffin cups with foil baking cups. Bake and cool cupcakes as directed on package for muffins, using milk, oil and eggs. Cool completely. Frost cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting.

2) Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine candy coating and corn syrup. Melt over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes or until mixture is firm enough to knead.

3) Knead candy mixture slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes for easier handling.

4) Place candy mixture between 2 sheets of parchment paper; roll to about 1/8-inch thickness.* With sharp knife or 1-inch round cookie cuter, cut out 12 rounds. With fingers, stretch and pres rounds into ghost shapes. With drinking straw, make 2 holes in each for eyes. Place ghosts on frosted cupcakes.

12 cupcakes

Spider-in-the-Web Cookies
Simple technique, sensational appearance: Dragging a toothpick through bands of constrasting batter creates a "spooktacular" spider web design.

Prep time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cup Pillsbury BEST All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
TIP:
To make a spider: place ¼ cup chocolate chips in resealable freezer plastic bag; seal bag. Microwave on HIGH for 30 to 60 seconds or until smooth. Cut tiny hole in bottom corner of bag. Attach candy-coating chocolate pieces to cookie using small amount of melted chocolate. Draw "legs" on spider with melted chocolate.
 

1) Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease cookie sheets. In medium bowl, combine butter and powdered sugar; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour; mix until well blended.

2) Place half of batter in large resealable plastic bag; seal bag. To remaining batter in bowl, add melted unsweetened chocolate; mix well. Spoon chocolate batter into another resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Cut a ¼-inch hole in bottom corner of each bag.

3) For each cookie, squeeze vanilla batter onto greased cookie sheet, making a 3-inch spiral pattern and leaving ½ inch between lines to insert chocolate batter. Squeeze chocolate batter into spiral pattern between vanilla batter on each cookie. With toothpick, lightly drag point from center of each cookie to edge, creating a spider web. (small gaps or breaks in cookies will bake together.)

4) Bake at 350˚F. for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are very light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets.

24 cookies

Golden Corn 'Fraidy Cats
For a Halloween snack platter, arrange bacon strips to resemble a split-rail fence, and top the fence with howling "fraidy cat" biscuits.

Prep time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 (1 lb. 1.3-oz.) pkg. Pillsbury Grands! Refrigerated Golden Corn Biscuits
16 dried currants
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1) Heat oven to 350˚F. Seperate dough into 8 biscuits. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

2) with 1½-inch round cutter, cut round from bottom of each biscuit to use for head. Pinch ear shapes on top of each round; place on right side of biscuit  for head, sides touching. With scissor or sharp knife, cut tail on left side of each biscuit; separate tail section slightly from body. Cut top of biscuit and inside edge of tail to resemble cat's hair standing on end. Cut small pockets for eyes; insert currants into pockets.

3) In small bowl, combine melted butter and honey; mix well. In antoher small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; mix well. Brush each biscuit with butter mixture; sprinkle each with sugar-cinnamon mixture.

4) Bake at 350˚F. for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve war.

8 rolls.

Crazy cookie Creatures

Prep time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
COOKIES
1 (18-oz.) pkg. Pillsbury Refrigerated Sugar Cookies
¼ cup sugar
4 rolls fruit-flavored, ring-shaped hard candies
Candy Corn
FROSTING
1 (16-oz.) can Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting
Assorted paste or gel food color

1) Freeze cookie cough for 30 minutes. Line 3 cookie sheets with foil.

2) Heat oven to 350˚F. Cut dough into 18 slices. Dip one side of each slice in sugar, place 6 slices, sugared side up, on each foil-lined cookie sheet.

3) Firmly press ring-shaped candies in dough for eyes. Press candy corn in dough for ears, horns, teeth, beak or mouth to create desired creature. (Be sure candies do not extend over edge of dough: they will melt onto cookie sheet.)

4) Bake at 350˚F for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet for about 25 minutes or until completely cooled. Remove cookies from foil.

5) Meanwhile, divide frosting into small bowls. Add food color to each; blend until of desired color. Place each color frosting in resealable freezer plastic bag; seal bags. Cut small hole in bottom corner of each bag. Decorate cookies as desired.

18 cookies

Entrance Hall