Halloween Cookies
Filled with spookily festive sprinkles, these Halloween cookies are a delightful addition to the cookie jar. Big and chewy, they’re easy to make and kids love them!
My kids don’t trick-or-treat anymore, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to mark Halloween with some special treats.
I make Halloween trail mix to keep on hand for sweet and salty snacking, but another easy favorite are these Halloween cookies.
This recipe takes a simple chocolate chip cookie dough and replaces the chocolate chips with fun Halloween sprinkles. I love how simple they are, and the silly eyeball sprinkles never fail to make me laugh when taking the cookies out of the oven.
I make these cookies for my kids, but the last time my husband gobbled up two before they were even home from school. Safe to say, they’re a hit!
Ingredients for Halloween cookies
Full list of ingredients with quantities is located in the recipe card.
You’ll need:
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Large egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Halloween-themed sprinkles
Right now you should be able to find Halloween sprinkles at any major grocery store. You can also find them at Michael’s craft store, or your local cake supply shop, if you have one!
I used a sprinkle mix so I could get a variety of colors and shapes without buying multiple containers. I recommend using ones that are on the smaller side and not too hard — some holiday sprinkles are more like candy, and those are better for topping cupcakes. Classic jimmies or nonpareils are a good bet! You can always just buy a variety of orange, black, green, and purple if you can’t find a premade mix.
How to make this recipe
Don’t preheat the oven yet! This dough gets chilled before baking for the best texture.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. About halfway through mixing, add the sprinkles, then continue to mix until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Line a baking sheet with parchment. It should fit in your refrigerator, so you might need to use a quarter sheet pan instead, or simply use a plate or tray.
Scoop out the dough and roll into balls about the size of a ping-pong ball, which is 2 tablespoons. Set on the sheet pan and chill for 1 hour.
pro tip
Remember to roll out your cookie dough balls before chilling the cookies! Once chilled, the dough will be too firm to scoop.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. If you need to transfer the cookies for baking, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. This is optional, but it makes the cleanup so much easier, especially if any of your sprinkles melt during baking.
Arrange the dough balls on the baking sheet, leaving space between the cookies to allow for expansion.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until edges are browned. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Store your cookies at room temperature in a cookie jar or airtight container for up to 5 days for best quality—if they last that long!
Halloween Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup Halloween sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth.
- In another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix into the wet ingredients, stopping halfway through mixing to add in the Halloween sprinkles. Continue to mix until dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet. You can place them close together for chilling. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from fridge and arrange on the baking sheets, leaving space between to allow the cookies to spread without touching.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet briefly, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Makes 12 big cookies.
- If you prefer smaller cookies with a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoons), reduce baking time to 10-12 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate based on online calculators and provided as a courtesy. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guideline only.
