Candy Corn Oreo Cookies

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, soften to room temperature

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed down

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons half-and-half

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons corn starch

1 teaspoon baking soda

a pinch of salt

1½ cups candy corn, divided

1 cup mini Oreo cookies, chopped in half

Preparation

In a large bowl using a stand mixer (with paddle attachment) or an electric hand mixer, cream together the unsalted butter, brown sugar, sugar, egg and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

Add in the half and half, flour, corn starch, baking soda and pinch of salt. Mix on low speed until it is just mixed together, only about 1 minute. Do not over mix.

Gently stir in 1 cup candy corn and mix until just incorporated.

The dough must now be chilled. Using a medium cookie scoop and a large plate, form around 20-24 cookie mounds. When forming the dough mounds, make sure that only dough is on the bottom of the mound and not a candy corn, because the candy corn will melt if it is on the bottom touching the cookie sheet when baked. Flatten the mounds slightly on the plate and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to 4 days.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with a Silpat liner, parchment paper or non-stick cooking spray.

Place the remaining ½ cup of candy corns and the chopped Oreo mini cookies on a small plate so you can quickly decorate the tops of the cookies when they come out of the oven.

Place 8 chilled mounds on the cookie sheet and make sure they are at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 9 minutes, or until the edges have set up and the tops are just beginning to set. They may look slightly undercooked in the center. Do not over bake. They will firm up while they are cooling.

Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, decorate the tops of the cookies with remaining candy corn and the chopped mini Oreo cookies. Cool on the cookie sheet for 6 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Repeat with the remaining cookie mounds. Boo!