Halloween Cookies
These Halloween Cookies have the richest chocolate batter studded with Reese’s Pieces, seasonal M&Ms, candy eyeballs, and vibrant sprinkles. They will be the hit of the party!
The Most Decadent Chocolate Halloween Cookie Recipe
We tested these cookies so many times because we wanted them to be perfect for spooky season. It worked. After much tweaking (and snacking), we came up with a homemade cooking where the rich chocolate batter is studded with the maximum amount of chocolate chips possible for the darkest, most festive cookie for Halloween, maybe ever.
Then, they are also bursting with Reese’s pieces, Halloween M&M’s (the “Ghoul’s Mix”), candy eyeballs, and vibrant Halloween sprinkles for the tastiest and most festive cookie for a hauntingly good time.
Having a party? You can see all of our other Halloween Food Ideas, too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Halloween Candy Cookies
- The dough comes together quickly, and the decorating is easy, so this recipe is perfect for even novice bakers. No rolling pin, royal icing or piping tips needed.
- Great for a party, as they’re easy to transport and always a crowd pleaser!
- Kids love to help make these.
Chocolate Halloween Candy Cookies Ingredients
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post. This section contains affiliate links.
- unsalted butter – this provides the moisture and richness for these decadent cookies.
- granulated sugar – sweetens the cookies.
- egg – binds the ingredients together.
- vanilla extract – enhances the overall flavor of this treat.
- all-purpose flour – the base of the dough, providing the structure and shape.
- cocoa powder – adds rich chocolate flavor.
- baking soda – leavens the cookies, helping them rise and create a tender crumb.
- kosher salt – balances the sweetness.
- semisweet chocolate chips – adds a rich, melty chocolate element to the Halloween candy cookies.
- Reese’s Pieces – adds a crunchy texture and burst of peanut butter flavor.
- M&M’s – look for the “Ghoul’s Mix,” which is a combination of bright Halloween colors (lime green, orange, and purple).
- candy eyeballs – any size works, but we like the combination of mini and medium candy eyeballs for this Halloween cookies recipe.
- Halloween sprinkles – something like this, which is a combination of jimmies, nonpareils, and confetti shapes, is ideal.
How To Make Homemade Halloween Cookies
- CREAM. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- MIX. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- FOLD. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the Reese’s pieces, M&Ms, and chocolate chips.
- SCOOP. Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to place cookie dough scoops 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking pans. Roll the dough into balls.
- ROLL. Roll half of each ball in sprinkles and return to the pan, sprinkle-side up. Press additional M&Ms onto the top of each ball.
- BAKE. Transfer to the oven and bake until cookies are just set. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and carefully press the candy eyeballs onto the cookies while they are still warm.
Reece’s Pieces Halloween Cookies Home Chef Tips
- If you can’t find the Ghoul’s Mix M&Ms, just use extra Reese’s Pieces to make up the difference for this Halloween cookies recipe.
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature but not melted. This helps the cookies achieve a tender, chewy texture.
- Once you add the flour, mix only until a shaggy dough forms, then stop. Overmixing can lead to a tough cookie.
More Halloween Cookie Decorating Tips
- Press the candy eyes onto the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven to ensure they stick.
- Don’t be afraid to go wild with the sprinekles and press them onto each cookie generously. It’s what makes these Halloween treats so festive!
- Want to add a little bit of candy corn to the cookies? You have our permission. Go for it.
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Halloween Cookie Variations
- EXTRA DARK – We use traditional cocoa powder because that’s what we keep on hand, but feel free to use black cocoa powder [affiliate link] for an extra dark cookie.
- PEANUT BUTTER OVERLOAD – Add a sprinkle of peanut butter chips to these easy Halloween cookies for extra peanut flavor.
- ADD A KICK – For a grown-up twist for an adults-only party, add a pinch of chili powder to the cookie dough. This adds a surprising kick that pairs well with the rich chocolate.
How To Store Leftover Halloween Cookies
Store these chocolate Halloween cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days (if you can resist them that long).
Freezing Halloween Cookie Dough
To prepare this Halloween cookie recipe in advance, you can freeze the cookie dough. Roll the dough into balls, roll in sprinkles, and press with M&Ms as instructed in the card below.
Place balls on parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer frozen balls to a zip-top container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra 2 to 3 minutes to baking time.
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Halloween Cookies Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons) at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons M&Ms Ghoul's Mix
- ½ cup Reese’s Pieces
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup Halloween sprinkles
- 2 tablespoons candy eyeballs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking pans with parchment paper.
- In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms.
- Using rubber spatula, fold in 1/2 cup M&Ms, Reese’s pieces and chocolate chips.
- Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, place cookie dough scoops 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Roll the dough into balls. Roll top half of each ball in sprinkles and return to pan, sprinkle-side up. Press remaining 2 tablespoons M&Ms onto tops of balls.
- Transfer to oven and bake 9 to 10 minutes or until centers of cookies are just set.
- Transfer pan to cooling rack and carefully press candy eyeballs onto cookies while they are still warm. Allow cookies to cool completely on pan.
