candies for decorations(eyes, bones, bats, mini M&Ms, etc.)
black licorice laces
Instructions
Combine flour and cocoa powder in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl cream flour and sugar until light and creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until mixed.
Add flour mixture and blend on low until just combined. Chill dough for at least 1 hour until firm.
Place a ball of about 1 tablespoon dough into each hole of a mini muffin pan. Press down in the bottom and up the sides. Chill for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 325° while dough is chilling.
Bake cookies for 8-9 minutes until puffy. Remove from oven, press down in the center and return to the oven for 1 minute.
Cool cookies in the muffin tin for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
While cookies are cooling. Melt the caramels and milk in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.
Pour caramel into the center of the cookies, add a piece of licorice whip for the pot handle, and a few candy ingredients in the pot.
Notes
Black licorice laces were impossible to find locally for me, so I cut chocolate flavored licorice very thinly with kitchen shears for the pot handles.