Just last year, I decided to open a section dedicated to Halloween on the blog! You might say, better late than never, but unfortunately, I have never really liked this holiday much, perhaps because, not knowing its true meaning, I inevitably associated it only with witches, zombies, terrifying creatures, and pumpkins. Only by chance, I learned about the true historical plot and origins of this celebration which has also gained great popularity in our country. Some scholars have identified its origins in the Celtic festival of Samhain, which coincides with the Celtic New Year, marking the end of summer and the beginning of winter and at the same time the last harvest before the start of the cold season! Therefore, this was the occasion to set aside provisions to survive the cold Nordic winter. For this reason, the festival of Samhain represented a transition moment, in which it was believed that the wall between the realm of the dead and the living thinned and the two worlds could communicate. Hence its mortuary character, which we still find today in modern Halloween. In short, for the Celts, the dead, during that moment, could return to the world of the living and come into contact with them, which is why the festival was also a moment to honor those who were no longer with us! Explained the much more fascinating origin of today’s conception, now expired in total consumerism, preparing a themed treat now has a completely different meaning in my eyes! And here I am with a super delicious proposal, even if my inability to decorate doesn’t do them justice! They are scary peanut butter mummy cookies that are frightening! In the sense that you are scared to look at them but literally stunned by their goodness, so much so that I warn you, they are addictive! Furthermore, they are prepared in record time, without molds, just put all the ingredients in a bowl, and you’re done. I created shapes that only resembled mummies, but it will be fun to get creative with your kids and perhaps also make coffins, little pumpkins, or whatever inspires you the most. You’ll see, they’ll go like hotcakes!
Here are some other themed ideas to propose for Halloween or if you have kids who would like to celebrate this now popular American holiday:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 12 cookies
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it will not cost you anything extra!
- 1/2 cup type 1 flour
- 2 tbsps brown sugar
- 2 tbsps peanut butter (heaped)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1.8 oz white chocolate
- 24 sugar eyes (eye-shaped)
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Baking mat
- 1 Cooling rack
- 1 Small pot
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Teaspoon
- 1 Tweezers
Steps
In a large bowl, mix the sifted flour with the sugar using a hand whisk (fig. 1).
Make a well in the center and crack the egg into it, then add the baking powder and a pinch of salt* (fig. 2).
Add the peanut butter and start mixing with the whisk until the mixture begins to thicken (fig. 3).
At this point, continue to knead the dough with your hands until you obtain a smooth and compact dough ball (fig. 4).
Take small portions, work them, and shape them into rectangles about 2.4 inches long and 1 inch wide (fig. 5).
Flatten them to a thickness of 0.16 inches and place them well apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (fig. 6).
Put in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 13 minutes or until lightly golden, then remove from the oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack (fig. 7).
Once the cookies are completely cooled, melt the white chocolate in a double boiler and decorate the surface of the cookies creating lines to simulate the mummy’s bandages with a teaspoon or a piping bag (fig. 8).
Quickly, before the chocolate hardens, place slightly askew two sugar eyes onto each cookie, using tweezers for cakes (fig. 9).
Let cool at room temperature for at least 3-4 hours.
And voilà…your Halloween peanut butter mummy cookies are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉 Once well dried, you can store the peanut butter mummy cookies at room temperature in airtight containers for 1 week. Without decoration, even 2 weeks.
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣 * If your peanut butter is also salted, just read the label, omit the salt required in the recipe.
