These easy Halloween cookies are soft, buttery chocolate chip cookies loaded with festive sprinkles, gooey chocolate chips, and candy eyeballs for the perfect spooky treat. They're fun to decorate, easy to make, and perfect for Halloween parties, classroom celebrations, or baking with kids.
Looking for even more Halloween treats? Try my Halloween Cookie Cake, Candy Corn Cupcakes, Halloween Snack Mix, or browse all of my Gluten-Free Fall Desserts.
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Halloween. It's such a fun time of year in my opinion, and I think BAKING for Halloween is one of my favorite fall activities. There are just so many fun and festive treats out there!
We're classic chocolate chip lovers in our house, so of course I had to put a festive spin and create some Halloween chocolate chip cookies. So not only do we have lots of melty, gooey chocolate packed into these cookies, we also have lots of colorful sprinkles.
These are so much fun to make with kiddos or to serve up at a Halloween party. It's a simple recipe that's sure to be a hit every time.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A fun twist on classic chocolate chip cookies. They're soft, buttery, and packed with gooey chocolate chips, then decorated for Halloween.
- Perfect for Halloween parties and school celebrations. Kids and adults both love these festive cookies.
- Easy to decorate. Candy eyeballs and Halloween sprinkles instantly transform a classic cookie into a spooky treat.
- Minimal chill time. Just 30 minutes for thick, bakery-style cookies.
- Easy to customize. Change the sprinkle colors or swap the candy decorations to fit any Halloween party theme.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Flour
I use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour to make these cookies gluten free, but you can use all-purpose flour without making any adjustments to the measurements. If you use a different gluten free flour blend, make sure it contains xanthan gum.
Brown sugar
Brown sugar gives these cookies their soft, chewy texture and rich caramel flavor. Light brown sugar is my preference, but dark brown sugar will also work for a slightly deeper flavor.
Egg
Regular readers know I tend to bake without eggs. If you're also looking to make these cookies eggless, use Bob's Red Mill egg replacer.
Chocolate chips
I like to use semisweet in this recipe but you can use dark or milk chocolate if that's what you like better. Mini chocolate chips are also a great option for these Halloween cookies.
Sprinkles
Pretty much anything goes here! I recommend jimmies or shaped sprinkles (like bats, spiders, pumpkins or ghosts). You can use nonpareils, but they may bleed into your dough a bit. Here is a fun mix to try.
Candy eyeballs
These make such a fun finishing touch! You can omit if you'd like. I like to use Wilton brand. You should be able to find these at any craft store or major grocery store, in the baking aisle. Add them immediately after baking so they stick well.
Why This Recipe Works
- Brown sugar creates soft, chewy cookies.
- Chilling the dough keeps the cookies thick.
- Chocolate chips add melty pockets of chocolate.
- Candy eyeballs create an easy Halloween decoration without extra decorating.
Step-By-Step Instructions
STEP ONE: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set the mixture aside.
STEP TWO: Cream the butter and both sugars until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
STEP THREE: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed until a cookie dough forms. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles. Cover the dough and chill for at least 30 minutes.
STEP FOUR: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Bake until the edges are lightly golden while the centers still look slightly underbaked. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, giving them a perfectly soft texture. Once out of the oven, press candy eyes on top of each cookie while they are still warm.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Once completely cooled, you can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. If stacking the cookies, place parchment paper between the layers to help protect the decorations.
Expert Tips
- My top tip is always to weigh your flour using a kitchen scale if at all possible. This is the best way to ensure accuracy and make sure you are not adding too much or too little flour, which will affect the end result.
- Don't skip the chill time! I know it can be tempting but we are using quite a bit of butter in this recipe, so we need to chill the dough to keep the cookies from spreading too much.
- You can fold in the sprinkles and chocolate chips or, if you want to, you can also mix on the lowest setting of your mixer.
- I like to use an ice cream scoop to scoop out my dough for baking. The one I use is a larger size scoop, about 2 tablespoons.
- For an extra special touch, press extra chocolate chips on top right after baking.
- Don't wait to add the candy eyeballs. Press them onto your cookies immediately after the cookies come out of the oven, to ensure they stick well.
Decorating Ideas
One of my favorite things about these cookies is how easy they are to customize. Here are a few fun decorating ideas for different Halloween celebrations.
| Theme | Decoration |
| Spooky | Candy eyeballs + bats |
| Cute | Candy corn sprinkles |
| Monsters | Green frosting drizzle |
| Ghosts | White chocolate drizzle |
| Classic | Orange & black sprinkles |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The cookies can be baked and stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months. You may also freeze the dough.
Yes! Scoop the dough into balls, freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes.
You can make these cookies dairy-free by using your favorite non-dairy butter and chocolate chips. Be sure to also check the ingredients on the sprinkles that you use.
Any type of sprinkles can work, but jimmies, nonpareils, and shaped Halloween sprinkles (like pumpkins and bats) are best. Note that nonpareils might bleed into the dough a bit.
Not all brands are gluten free, but many are. Be sure to read the packaging before buying. I like to use Wilton brand sprinkles.
Absolutely! The candy eyeballs are optional and simply add a fun Halloween touch. The cookies are just as delicious with only Halloween sprinkles.
Usually because the dough wasn't chilled long enough or the butter became too warm before baking. Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes helps keep the cookies thick and soft.
Love baking for the holidays? My cookbook includes 60+ exclusive gluten-free baking recipes, including festive cookies, cakes, and desserts for every season.
Did you try my Halloween chocolate chip cookies? Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @justastastyblog and #justastastyblog! And don't forget to subscribe to get new recipes directly in your inbox.
๐ Recipe
Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ยพ cups (259g) flour*
- ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ยผ teaspoon baking soda
- ยพ cup (170g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ยฝ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ยผ cup (50g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 egg*
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยฝ cup (56g) semisweet chocolate chips
- โ cup Halloween sprinkles*
- candy eyeballs
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together. Set aside.1 ยพ cups (259g) flour*, ยฝ teaspoon baking powder, ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt, ยผ teaspoon baking soda
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with both sugars until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract.ยพ cup (170g) unsalted butter, ยฝ cup (100g) granulated sugar, ยผ cup (50g) light brown sugar, 1 egg*, ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until cookie dough forms. Fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles. Cover and chill dough for at least 30 minutes.ยฝ cup (56g) semisweet chocolate chips, โ cup Halloween sprinkles*
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange scoops of cookie dough on prepared baking sheet, 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden while the centers still look slightly underbaked.
- Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, press candy eyeballs on top of each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool on baking sheet at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.candy eyeballs
Notes
- I use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour for gluten free cookies. If you are not looking to make these gluten free, use any AP flour.ย
- For eggless cookies, I recommendย Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer. You will need 1 tablespoon of egg replacer mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. Once mixed with water, the egg replacer must sit for just a few minutes to thicken.
- While any sprinkles will work, I recommend jimmies or fun shapes (like bats or ghosts). Nonpareils may be used, but might bleed into your dough a bit.ย
Emily says
These were so fun to make and so yummy!!
Taleen Benson says
I'm so glad, Emily! Thank you for the comment.
Sebastian says
Last year I baked your Halloween cookie cake. It was a smash in our household. I am going to try this, this year. My kids have always enjoyed your recipes. Thank you so much for providing recipes for gluten free sweets.
Taleen Benson says
That's so great to hear, Sebastian!
Jess says
I saw the picture and had to try these, they were so good! Iโm going to bake another batch to have for Halloween. Super creative and fun to make, thanks for sharing!
Taleen Benson says
Thanks so much, Jess!