Halloween Cookie Bars
These Halloween Cookie Bars are a spooky treat perfect for parties! A buttery shortbread base is topped with rich black buttercream and decorated with cute white chocolate ghosts for a fun and festive bake. They’re easy to make, striking to look at, and a real crowd-pleaser.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Stand Mixer or hand mixer
- Baking Paper/Greaseproof Paper
Ingredients
For the shortbread base
- 200 grams unsalted butter 1 cup
- 100 grams caster sugar ½ cup
- 250 grams plain flour 2 cups
- 50 grams cornflour ½ cup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the buttercream
- 150 grams unsalted butter softened (⅔ cup)
- 300 grams icing sugar 2 ½ cups
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Black gel food colouring
For the ghosts
- 150 grams white chocolate 1 cup
- A few dark chocolate chips for eyes and mouths
Instructions
- Make the shortbread base - Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour, cornflour, and vanilla extract, mixing until it forms a soft dough.
- Press and bake - Press the dough evenly into a lined 8-inch square tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes until pale golden and set. Leave to cool completely.
- Prepare the ghosts - Melt white chocolate and pipe blobs onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a palette knife or the back of a spoon, press into the blob and drag the knife to smear the chocolate - don't go too thin! Add tiny dark chocolate dots for eyes and mouths, or colour some white chocolate with black food colouring and use this. Let them set in the fridge.
- Make the buttercream - Beat softened butter until pale and fluffy. Add icing sugar gradually, then vanilla and black gel food colouring until you get the perfect shade.
- Assemble - Spread the black buttercream over the cooled cookie base. Top with your set white chocolate ghosts. Cut into squares and serve.