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These Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies are spooky, sweet, and ridiculously fun to make! They’re soft, chewy, and loaded with festive sprinkles, topped off with candy eyes, for the perfect Halloween treat.
I bake these cookies every October, and without fail, they’re the first thing to vanish! Kids love the candy eyes, and adults can’t resist the classic chocolate chip cookie vibe. The chocolate chip cookie dough is simple and reliable, with just the right balance of chewy and soft, and the Halloween add-ins make them feel extra special without needing fancy techniques or decorating skills!
I always chill the dough for an hour or two, which helps the cookies bake up thicker and more flavorful. And during Halloween season, make sure not to skip the candy eyes! They are like the cherry on top of these spooky treats.
Ingredients Needed for Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Unsalted Butter: Room temperature butter blends smoothly with the sugars and gives the cookies a rich, buttery base.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the cookies spread slightly as they bake.
- Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and a soft, chewy texture thanks to the molasses.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and adds structure.
- Vanilla Extract: For an added depth of flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the structure of the cookie!
- Sea Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Baking Soda: Gives the cookies just the right amount of rise.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet or dark work great, so use your favorite!
- Halloween Sprinkles: Adds festive flair and a bit of crunch. For different seasons, you can use different sprinkles and skip the candy eyes.
- Candy Eyes: The finishing touch that gives each cookie spooky personality.
Variations and Substitutions
- Butter: You can use salted butter, just reduce the added salt to ½ teaspoon.
- Chocolate: Swap chocolate chips for chunks, M&Ms, or chopped Halloween candy.
- Sprinkles: Use any color combo you like! Orange and black, purple and green, or neon for a playful twist.
- Gluten-Free: To make gluten-free Halloween chocolate chip cookies, replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour that has a 1:1 ratio.
How To Make Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Preheat & Measure Dry Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.
Step 2 | Cream the Butter & Sugar
Cream together the butter and sugars until fully combined.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
Step 3 | Finish the Dough & Chill
Slowly mix in the dry ingredients from step 2 until fully combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles with a large spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
Step 4 | Bake & Decorate
Roll 2-3 tablespoon of the dough into balls and place them evenly spaced onto the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12. Remove from the oven and immediately press the candy eyes into the cookies while they’re still warm.
Let cool, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Measure flour properly. Always spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. This prevents overpacking and ensures your cookies won’t turn out dry or cakey.
- Chill the dough! Chilling for at least 1 hour helps solidify the fats, which prevents excessive spreading and improves the flavor and texture.
- Use a cookie scoop. Scooping with a 2–3 tablespoon cookie scoop ensures even-sized cookies that bake uniformly. It also makes portioning quick and mess-free.
- Add candy eyes while warm! Press the eyes into the cookies right after baking so they stick without melting. If you wait too long, the cookies will firm up and the eyes won’t stay in place.
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Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. Roll the dough into balls and place them in a zip-top bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months, then bake straight from frozen—just add 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
Yes! Any cookie dough works—sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, or even oatmeal. Just add Halloween sprinkles and candy eyes to theme them for the season.
Chilling is optional but recommended. It gives the cookies a better shape, richer flavor, and thicker, chewier texture. If you don’t chill the dough, it might spread!
Storage
Storage: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 days.
Freeze: You can freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months! Just thaw at room temperature before serving.
What to Serve with Halloween Cookies
These cookies are the perfect addition to a Halloween dessert board. Pair them with Chocolate Covered Pretzel Pumpkins, Monster Munch Halloween Popcorn, and Halloween Chex Mix. We also love serving them with hot cocoa, or a spooky-themed party punch like my Halloween Sangria Recipe, for a festive treat spread!
Other Recipes to Try
- No-Bake Candy Corn Lush
- Mummy Rice Krispy Treats
- Oreo Mummy Cookies
- Gummy Work Dirt Cupcakes
- Halloween Peanut Butter Brownies
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Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- ¾ cup halloween sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.
- Cream together the butter and sugars until fully combined.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Slowly mix in the dry ingredients from step 2 until fully combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles with a large spoon.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
- Roll 2-3 tablespoon of the dough into balls and place them evenly spaced onto the baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12.
- Remove from the oven and immediately press the candy eyes into the cookies while they’re still warm.
- Let cool, and enjoy!
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By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Soulfully Made.
Notes
- Measure the flour using the spoon and swipe method. Spoon your flour into the measuring cup and then swipe the excess off the top with a knife. If you dip the measuring cup directly into the flour it can pack in too much resulting in too much flour for the recipe.
- Use an ice cream scoop when forming the dough balls for even sized cookies.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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