Monster Dark Chocolate M&M Eyeball Cookies

 Make your week a bit sweeter by baking Monster Dark Chocolate M&M Eyeball Cookies.

                                                                       

The recipe does call for a bit of preplanning. Michaels has a plastic container of eyeballs in assorted sizes, which is perfect for this recipe. Later, I found some of these edible eyeballs in the baking aisle at the grocery store. 

You will need Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder to achieve the dark color, readily available at the grocery store.   

Add your favorite Ghoul Mix to your grocery run. If the store is out, a regular bag of M&Ms will do. I just removed the blue and green ones. They were perfect for the cook to snack on.  

This delicious pre-Halloween treat is totally kid-friendly! I ask you, what kid or even adult wouldn't have fun pressing edible eyeballs into warm cookies right out of the oven? The cookies have a brownie-like flavor. 

The recipe makes 18 cookies and is adapted from lovetobeinthekitchen.com

INGREDIENTS;

• ½ cup butter, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg, preferably room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used mini semi-sweet)
• Dark Chocolate Ghoul Mix M&M’s or a package of Shareable M&M's
• Assorted candy-coated eyeballs

DIRECTIONS: 

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In the bowl combine the butter and sugars. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the egg and vanilla, scrape down the bowl if needed.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer on low speed just until incorporated. Mix in the milk on the lowest speed and fold in the chocolate chips. 
• Roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into balls and place on the baking sheets. Keep your hands floured when rolling the balls. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes. 
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 11-12 minutes. Immediately top the cookies with more M&Ms if needed after placing eyeballs randomly in warm cookies and pressing slightly. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Even the M&M guys are doing their happy dance.