Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cups (281g) all-purpose flour
  • 24 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk or water
  • Food coloring (gel or liquid)

Instructions:

  1. Make the Shortbread Dough: Cream together butter and sugar. Add salt and vanilla. Gradually mix in flour until just combined. Don't overmix!
  2. Chill the Dough: Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Shape the Cookies: Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness. Cut out cookies using your chosen shape. Re-roll scraps as needed.
  4. Bake the Cookies: Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven (375°F / 190°C) for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges.
  5. Cool the Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Make the Frosting: Whisk together powdered sugar and milk/water until smooth. Add food coloring to your desired shade.
  7. Assemble the Witches' Hats: Pipe or spread a small amount of frosting onto the bottom of a Hershey's Kiss. Attach the Kiss to the center of a cooled cookie.
  8. Decorate the Hats: Using a piping bag or Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off, pipe a swirl of frosting around the base of the Hershey's Kiss to resemble the brim of a witch's hat.
  9. Let Set: Allow the frosting to set completely before serving or storing.