Chocolate Cookies ft. Soot Sprites from Spirited Away & My Neighbor Totoro

Studio Ghibli Inspired Baking

Hello hello, here’s another cookie recipe! These cookies have a great chocolatey flavour that’s slightly crisp around the edges but soft on the inside. It’s perfect for the chocolate lover and uses basic ingredients.

These cookies feature the Soot Sprites that are seen in Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro. They were specifically inspired by the scene in Spirited Away where Lin tosses handfuls of Kopeito to the Soots. I’ve always loved these little guys and I think they’re lots of fun (and super easy) to make. Of course, you don’t have to decorate them as soots. You can cut them using your favourite cookie cutter and eat them as is.

I used this same dough to make my Muscle Bear Cookies. It’s a versatile dough that can be used to make any shape/design you’d like.

Ingredients:

113g unsalted butter, room temp
200g granulated sugar
1 egg
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
40g cocoa powder
180g all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

For decoration:

black and white royal icing OR melted white chocolate & milk chocolate
star shaped sprinkles

Equipment:

Digital food scale
Hand mixer
Mixing bowls
Measuring spoons
Cookie cutter – flower or circle shape (1.5inches wide)
Rolling pin
Baking sheet
Parchment paper or silicon mat
Wire cooling rack
Piping bags

Instructions:

This recipe makes 42 cookies that are 1.5 inches wide

In a bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set it aside.
In a new bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat the butter and sugar until it becomes light and fluffy. This will take a couple minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until it’s just combined.
Add the dry ingredients from earlier. Mix until incorporated. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30-60 mins. This will make the dough much easier to roll out and cut.
Roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut into desired shapes. I used a flower cookie cutter since I found the design to be similar to the shape of a soot sprite but a round cookie cutter also works. (See pics above. You probably didn’t even notice one is round). If necessary, dust your working area with some cocoa powder.
Refrigerate the dough for another 30 minutes. This will ensure the cookies keep their shape while baking.
Bake at 350F (177C) for 10-12 minutes.
Let the cookies cool completely then decorate using either royal icing or melted chocolate. I recommend letting the whites of the eye fully or partially dry before adding the pupil so they’re distinct and don’t blend together. After drawing the arms, immediately place a star sprinkle on top so it’ll stick. Put a dab of melted chocolate/royal icing on the cookie to add any additional sprinkles. Add as many or as little star sprinkles as you’d like.
ENJOY!