Pillsbury Halloween Cookies

One of the best parts about Halloween are the various varieties of Halloween themed cookies released throughout the season.  Yeah, it's true, the cookies never actually taste any different, but the designs are enough to make you think they do.  A sugar cookie is great, but one with a pumpkin printed on the front?  Well that just has to be better than the plain, old, boring sugar cookie!  Plus, they always come in amazing boxes and/or wrappers.  That, for me, makes walking down the frozen food aisle, freezing my cinnamon buns off, all worth it!

Pillsbury never disappoints me during the Halloween season.  They always go all out on their designs and I appreciate the effort.  For a Hallow-geek like me, it doesn't go unnoticed and usually leads to me spending more money on cookies than I should.  But how do you turn that down?  A costumed doughboy holding brown and orange chocolate chip cookies!?  I love it.  However, if you notice, the wrapper doesn't actually say anything about Halloween.  Maybe they're supposed to be "Fall" themed, but come on, why the mask, then?  ORANGE chips? Nope. Uh-uh.. Whether you say it or not, this IS for Halloween!

You might remember by cookie sheet from last year.  Disregard it.  It's old, it's ugly, and it looks like it's been through a horror movie.  It is the Freddy Krueger of cookie sheets, but it gets the job done and that's all that matters to me.  Regardless, pretend it doesn't exist and that all you see are the tiny blobs of cookie dough filled with chippy Halloween goodness.

Fresh out of the oven, here are the Pillsbury Halloween Chocolate Chip cookies!  I'll admit, I'm not the best baker.  Usually, my girlfriend is the one that makes these come out so great, but this time it was me.  My 2-year-old cousin was over and I saw the perfect opportunity to create a memory.  I remember when I was growing up, my family always did everything they can to make a simple Wednesday or Thursday as special day.  That's what I wanted to do for somebody else.  He may only be 2, but hey, maybe it will stick with him and he'll also be a geek who writes in a Halloween blog one day!  The tradition lives! ;)

I wish I could share them with you through the computer screen, but unfortunately Apple hasn't gotten around to that technology just yet.  Give it time.  Maybe next year.

Pillsbury Halloween Cookies

There's never a bad time to make cookies, but the Holiday season is always a better time.  When I was younger, I really only associated cookies with Christmas.  I remember baking them with my Mom, decorating them red and green, then eating them throughout the month of December.  But, as I got older, I realized how much emphasis is placed on the Halloween season as well.  Now, one of the highlights of every year, is waiting to find a pack of Halloween-themed cookies and Pillsbury never disappoints.

While they're nothing new, they're still awesome.  The box art tends to change annually, but not by much.  In previous years, the Pillsbury Dough Boy has worn a mask and been seen in various types of costumes.  But this year, the lovable ball of dough is going as an undead version of himself.  Well, that's what I'm saying anyway.  He's obviously trying to to be some type of ghost or zombie.  Either that or he's trying to scare away all potential pokers.  Ya gotta figure that gets old after a while.

Don't ask me why, but I enjoy looking at these Pumpkin Shape Cookies before they're put in the oven.  I could stare at them for hours.  For whatever reason, I'm fascinated by the edible images and how the same face can look so different from cookie to cookie.  I'll admit, that's a bit odd, yet every year I wind up taking the same picture as the one posted above.

Okay, into the oven..

When it comes to timing cookies as they're in the oven, I'm definitely not the one you want to depend on.  I tend to ignore the box and eyeball it as time goes on.  Sometimes my method of madness works out, and other times I'm left with a burnt bottom.  However, this time, they're absolutely perfect.  Not too crunchy, not too soft.. just right.  I felt like Goldy-Locks when these came out of the oven.

Just look at that Jack-O-Lantern's face!  I love it!  That's what's so great about Halloween Shapes.  Sure, at any other time throughout the year, you can bake sugar cookies and they'll taste exactly the same.  But only during the month of October can you eat one shaped like a pumpkin and have it mean much more than it probably should.  That's why I love Halloween!

I wish I could share them with you, but I can't.  The picture posted above is the best I can do.  If you can develop some type of invention that allows you to reach through the screen and grab a cookie, then you're welcome to it.  Unfortunately, until then, you're going to have to buy your own.  Luckily, there are various shapes available besides the classic pumpkin!  This year, Pillsbury has released a Spooky Cat and Ghost as well.  I almost picked up the Cat Pack, because it looked awesome, but I decided to stick with my own tradition.  Maybe next time.

Before I end, I have to point out the back of the box.  Not only are you getting tasty treats, but you're also getting a free Halloween costume.  No, I'm certainly not going to wear this mask, but you might want to.  Personally, I wouldn't be caught dead in that thing.  I'd have to get at least 5 comments on this entry for me to post a picture of me wearing half a pumpkin, and we all know that ain't happenin'.  However, I do know somebody who will... Dr. Acula!

Everybody's favorite doctor with the identity crisis strikes again.