These candy corn drop cookies are a fun Halloween sugar cookie inspired by the classic candy, with festive layers of yellow, orange, and white for this spooky season.
Ingredients
Yellow Drop Cookies
- Butter
- White Granulated Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Egg
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Powdered Sugar
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Yellow Icing Gel or Food Color
- Orange Icing Gel or Food Color
How to Make Candy Corn Drop Cookies
Yellow Drop Cookies
- In an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars. Mix in vanilla extract, egg, and yellow icing gel/food coloring. Add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until it pulls from the sides of the bowl.
- Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, add a scoop of cookie dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This is necessary to keep the cookie mound shape while it bakes. While it chills, make the frosting below.
- After 1 hour, preheat the oven to 400℉. Place the baking sheet directly from the fridge into the oven, without letting the cookies reach room temperature. Bake for 11-12 minutes, until the tops are set and the centers are slightly underdone.
Buttercream Frosting
- Add butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and whip together for 3-4 minutes until it’s fluffy. Add vanilla.
- Slowly add powdered sugar while mixing on low speed. Add heavy whipping cream and a dash of salt. Whip the frosting on high for 2-3 minutes to get it fluffy again.
- Set aside about ½ cup of frosting and leave it white. To the remaining frosting, add orange icing gel and mix to combine.
- Add orange frosting to an icing bag with a 2A round tip, or similar. Add frosting to the top of each cookie. Using the same icing tip, add white frosting on top of the orange frosting, but a little less so that the cookie is shaped like a pyramid.
FAQ
Gel food coloring works best because it produces a vibrant color without adding much extra liquid to the dough or frosting. Start with a small amount and add more until you reach the shade you want.
Yes. Chilling the dough helps keep the cookies thick and prevents them from spreading too much while baking.
A large round piping tip, like Wilton’s 2A, creates smooth layers that resemble candy corn. A large open-star tip can also be used if you prefer a more decorative swirled frosting.
Yes. You can use zip-top bags with one corner snipped off. The frosting may not look quite as uniform as it would with piping tips, but you can still create the layered candy corn effect.
Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or 5-7 days in the refrigerator.
These frosted cookies freeze very well. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and quick-freeze for 1 hour. Then, wrap each one in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container for long-term storage.
Recommended Recipes
- 30 Bakery-Style Frosted Drop Cookies
- Halloween Mummy Oreos
- Halloween Oreo Cookies
- Halloween Spider Web Pretzels
- Pumpkin Spice Cake Balls
- Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats
- Spider Drop Cookies
Candy Corn Drop Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Yellow Drop Cookies
- ½ cup Butter room temperature
- ½ cup White Granulated Sugar
- ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- 5-6 drops Yellow Icing Gel or Food Color
- 1 ¾ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- dash of Salt
Buttercream Frosting
- 14 tablespoons Butter room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
- dash of Salt
- 2-4 drops Orange Icing Gel or Food Color
Instructions
Yellow Drop Cookies
- In an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars. Mix in vanilla extract, egg, and yellow icing gel/food coloring. Add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until it pulls from the sides of the bowl.
- Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, add a scoop of cookie dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This is necessary to keep the cookie mound shape while it bakes. While it chills, make the frosting below.
- After 1 hour, preheat the oven to 400℉. Place the baking sheet directly from the fridge into the oven, not letting it get to room temperature. Bake for 11-12 minutes, until the tops are set and the centers are slightly underdone.
Buttercream Frosting
- Add butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and whip together for 3-4 minutes until it's fluffy. Add vanilla.
- Slowly add powdered sugar while mixing on low speed. Add heavy whipping cream and a dash of salt. Whip the frosting on high for 2-3 minutes to get it fluffy again.
- Set aside about ½ cup of frosting and leave it white. To the remaining frosting, add orange icing gel and mix to combine.
- Add orange frosting to an icing bag with a 2A round tip. Add frosting to the top of each cookie. Using the same icing tip, add white frosting on top of the orange frosting, but a little less so that the cookie is shaped like a pyramid.
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