Years ago, I made Hocus Pocus-inspired s’mores pops, and they were an unexpected hit. (To this day, I see people recreate them, and it makes me unspeakably happy.) But then I had a child, and my baking days are often late at night, or squeezed within whatever spare 15 minutes I have, when I’m half-exhausted and totally distracted. So I need something simpler.

And in honor of Hocus Pocus 2, I decided to go big or go home. And by that, I mean, riff on my earlier concept, only supersize it—so you’re not making a dozen or more teeny tiny books—and make it something even little hands could help prepare. Faster than you can say, “amuck, amuck, amuck,” the Spellbook Cake was conjured.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• 9″x13″ or 8″x8″ pan
• Chocolate cake mix (or your fave recipe, and any necessary ingredients/supplies)
• 1 batch chocolate frosting, homemade or store-bought
• 1/2 (10 oz.) package white chocolate chips or white Candy Melts
• 1 container black cookie frosting
• large gummy or candy eyes (mine are from Target)
• Black edible shimmer dust (optional)

How to Make a Hocus Pocus-Inspired Book Cake:

1. Bake a cake in a 9″x13″ pan—or 8″x8″ square, according to the recipe’s instructions. (I’m all for using a box mix here; they’re easy to carve and still taste moist. Again, shortcuts.) If you bake it in the square pan, let it cool fully and trim it to be more rectangular. Eat the cake scraps as you decorate (bonus!).
2. Once the cake has completely cooled, cover it in chocolate buttercream. Add the gummy (or candy) eyeball on the righthand side of the cake, about halfway down it. Nestle it in or use a little chocolate frosting to give it eyelids.
3. Make the Gray Chocolate Details: Microwave white chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until it’s glossy and drizzle-able. You may need to stir in a teaspoon of butter if it’s a bit thick. (Don’t use water; that will make the chocolate seize and turn gritty.) Stir in a few drops of the black cookie frosting at a time, until you reach a pale gray color.
4. Spoon gray chocolate into a plastic bag and snip off one corner. Use it to draw the swirled snake-like shapes on the righthand corners of the “book,” as well as a rectangle along the lefthand side. Smooth out the rectangle, then draw a wavy snake on top of it.
5. Use the black cookie frosting to draw “stitches” along the face of the book. For finer, more detailed lines, draw lines with the frosting, then use a toothpick dipped into those lines to make the stitches. (If you draw the stitches with the frosting tube, they tend to be a bit thicker and gloppier, as you can see with some of the lines on my cake.)
6. Top with a light sprinkling of shimmer dust, if desired.

Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with Disney or the Hocus Pocus franchise; we’re just fans of the movie (and, hopefully, its sequel).

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First, a disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Disney, Lucasfilm or the artist formally known as Chewbacca. It’s just a tribute for Star Wars fans to enjoy.

Time for a double dose of nostalgia: Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies meets an homage to the unsung, hairy, anxiety-riddled hero of the Star Wars franchise (no, not Kylo Ren). I created a simplified version of Sally’s Baking Addiction’s Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies, then studded them with mini chocolate chips and striped the outside with melted chocolate and silver-food-coloring-coated mini marshmallows.

These Wookiee Pies are an admittedly labor-intensive way to celebrate May the Fourth—more so than our Baby Yoda cupcakes, I dare say—but oh so worth it. It’s the kind of project you could split up into two nights, if you wanted, baking the cookies the first night (and okay, nibbling on a few), then decorating them the second. And they add just the right amount of magic to an otherwise ordinary weeknight.

But, if it all feels like too much effort, I won’t blame you if you buy a pack of Little Debs, swipe a line of store-bought chocolate frosting on ’em for Chewie’s bandolier and call it a day.

Psst: You can use edible paint, Wilton’s Color Mist or edible shimmer powder to turn the mini marshmallows silver.

Wookiee Pies (Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Creme Pies)

Mini chocolate chips stud these chewy oatmeal sandwich cookies.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 9 minutes mins

Total Time 54 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

  

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Vanilla Creme Filling

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Chewbacca Decorations

• 30 mini marshmallows
• silver Color Mist or edible paint (for marshmallows; optional)
• 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Make the cookies: In a large bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Use an electric mixer to cream the two until they're light and fluffy, about a minute. Scrape down the sides and beat in the egg and vanilla.
• Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and oats, mixing on low until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop the dough into one-inch balls and place about two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let cool.
• Make the creme filling: In another large bowl, combine butter and confectioners' sugar. Use a clean electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar, about one minute. Add heavy cream, vanilla and salt, mixing until light, fluffy and spreadable, about one minute more.
• Decorate half the cookies: Match up similarly sized cookies. Designate one as the "face" of the cookie. Set aside.
• Cut mini marshmallows in half and coat in silver Color Mist or edible paint. Set aside.
• Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted and smooth. Add to a resealable plastic bag, snip off a corner, and use to pipe on Chewie faces or the bandolier belt. Top each chocolate belt with a row of marshmallows.
• Assemble the cookies: Spread creme filling on half and top with the matching cookies. Serve.

Keyword cookies, dessert, oatmeal creme pie

Wait, so you’re not hosting a watch party for one and making all kinds of Grogu-inspired treats every Friday, when a new episode of The Mandalorian hits Disney+? Huh. Strange. Well, these Baby Yoda cupcakes may just convince you to start. They’re ridiculously cute—and also ridiculously easy to make (like maybe even easier than the Sesame Street and Winnie the Pooh cupcakes).

You can use any cupcake flavor or recipe as the base (though I’m partial to chocolate), and from there, the hardest part is breaking Oreos in half to form The Child’s ears. Seriously.

What You’ll Need to Make Baby Yoda-Inspired Cupcakes:

• 1 (16-ounce) container vanilla buttercream frosting
• 4 to 6 drops green food coloring
• 12 chocolate cupcakes, baked and cooled
• 6 Oreos, halved and cream removed
• 24 brown M&M’s
• black gel icing

How to Decorate ‘Em:

1. Add food coloring to buttercream frosting, a few drops at a time, stirring in between, until it becomes a pale green.
2. Spread a thin layer of green buttercream frosting atop a cupcake. Take one Oreo half and carefully break it in half lengthwise, forming two semicircles. Place them along the top half of the cupcake, forming Baby Yoda’s ears. (They’ll protrude slightly on either side of the cupcake.) Spread more green buttercream on the cupcake, covering the Oreo ears. Add a dewdrop-sized dollop right in the center to form Baby Yoda’s nose.
3. Gently press two brown M&M’s just above the nose, M-side down, to form The Child’s eyes. Use black gel icing to draw his mouth. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.