Halloween is a fun time for baking treats. Cookies are a great choice for parties or handing out to trick-or-treaters.

You can make many different kinds of Halloween cookies that look spooky and taste yummy.

Halloween cookie recipes can range from simple to complex, so there’s something for every skill level. You can use store-bought dough for easy options or make cookies from scratch.

Many recipes use basic sugar cookies as a base, then add frosting and decorations to create Halloween designs. With a little creativity, you can turn ordinary cookies into ghosts, pumpkins, monsters, and other festive shapes.

1. Spooky Spider Cookies

Spooky spider cookies are a fun Halloween treat. You can make them with just a few simple ingredients.

Start with chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies as the base. After baking, add chocolate chips or melted chocolate for the spider’s body.

Use black licorice, chocolate frosting, or melted chocolate to create the spider’s legs. Candy eyes make a great finishing touch.

These cookies are perfect for Halloween parties or school events. Kids love helping to decorate them.

They’re tasty and look impressive on any dessert tray.

Try serving them on a bed of cotton candy for an extra spooky effect. Your guests will love these creepy-crawly treats!

2. Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

Pumpkin spice sugar cookies are a tasty fall treat perfect for Halloween. These cookies mix the classic sugar cookie with warm pumpkin pie spices.

To make them, you’ll need flour, sugar, butter, pumpkin puree, and spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, then combine to form a soft dough.

Roll out the dough and use Halloween-themed cookie cutters for festive shapes. Bake until golden brown. Once cooled, decorate with orange icing or sprinkle with colored sugar for a sparkly finish.

These cookies are great for parties or packaging as homemade Halloween gifts. Their pumpkin flavor and spices make them stand out from regular sugar cookies.

3. Black Cat Oreos

Black Cat Oreos are a fun and spooky Halloween treat you can make at home. These cookies use regular Oreos as the base for cute cat faces.

To make them, you’ll need Oreo cookies, chocolate chips, and colored candies like M&M’s. You’ll also want black and orange cookie frosting in piping bags.

Use the chocolate chips to create pointy ears on top of the Oreo. Add candy eyes and use the frostings to draw whiskers and other facial features.

These cookies are easy to customize. You can make them as simple or detailed as you like. They’re perfect for Halloween parties or classroom treats.

4. Witch Hat Treats

Witch hat cookies are a fun and easy Halloween treat. You can make them with just a few simple ingredients.

Start with fudge stripe cookies as the base. Top each cookie with a chocolate kiss to form the hat shape.

Use frosting to attach the kiss and decorate. Pipe a small amount around the base of the kiss. Add a colorful candy for a buckle.

Kids love helping make these cute treats. They’re perfect for Halloween parties or classroom events.

The cookies come together quickly with no baking required.

Try different cookie and candy combinations to create your own witch hat designs. Have fun getting creative with colors and decorations.

5. Ghost Meringue Cookies

Ghost meringue cookies are a fun and spooky Halloween treat. You can make these light and crispy sweets easily at home.

To create ghost meringues, you’ll need egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Whip the egg whites until foamy, then slowly add sugar while mixing on high speed.

Once the meringue is glossy with stiff peaks, spoon it into a piping bag. Pipe 2-inch high mounds onto a baking sheet to form ghost shapes.

Bake the meringues at a low temperature for about an hour. Let them cool completely before serving. These ghostly treats are sure to be a hit at your Halloween party.

6. Bloody Finger Cookies

These creepy treats will make your Halloween party unforgettable. To create bloody finger cookies, shape sugar cookie dough into finger-like forms. Score the dough to make knuckle lines and press an almond slice at one end for the fingernail.

Bake the cookies until lightly golden. Once cooled, dip the “severed” ends in red frosting or jam to create a bloody effect.

You can add extra details like wrinkles or warts using food coloring.

These spooky cookies are sure to delight and frighten your guests. They’re perfect for a Halloween dessert table or as a fun baking activity with kids.

7. Caramel Apple Bites

Caramel apple bites are a fun twist on the classic Halloween treat. You can make these tasty morsels with just a few simple ingredients.

Start by cutting apples into bite-sized pieces. Place square pretzel snaps on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Top each pretzel with a caramel candy or Rolo. Bake at 325°F for 3-5 minutes until the candy starts to melt.

While still warm, push an apple piece onto each pretzel and caramel. Let cool completely before serving.

These sweet and salty bites are ready in about 15 minutes. They’re perfect for Halloween parties or fall gatherings.

8. Eyeball Cake Pops

Eyeball cake pops are a spooky treat perfect for Halloween parties. To make them, you’ll need cake crumbs, frosting, and lollipop sticks. Mix the cake crumbs with frosting to form a dough.

Roll the dough into balls and insert the sticks. Dip the pops in melted white chocolate and let them set. Decorate with colored icing to create bloodshot veins.

Add a gummy candy or icing eyeball in the center. For an extra creepy touch, sprinkle red sanding sugar around the eye.

These treats are sure to be a hit with both kids and adults at your Halloween gathering.

9. Monster Sugar Cookies

Monster sugar cookies are a fun Halloween treat. You can make them with a basic sugar cookie recipe. Add lemon zest and nutmeg for extra flavor.

Roll the dough thick to create soft, chewy cookies. Bake them until they’re just set, before the edges turn golden.

After baking, decorate your monsters. Press candy eyeballs and colorful M&Ms into the warm cookies.

You can also roll the dough balls in colored sugar before baking for a sparkly effect.

These cookies are easy to customize. Make them as scary or silly as you like. They’re perfect for Halloween parties or trick-or-treaters.

10. Candy Corn Shortbread

Candy corn shortbread cookies bring Halloween fun to your kitchen. These slice-and-bake treats look just like candy corn pieces.

To make them, you’ll need basic shortbread ingredients plus food coloring. Divide the dough into three parts. Leave one white, color one orange, and color one yellow.

Layer the colors in a log shape. Chill the dough, then slice and bake. The result is cute triangle cookies that look like candy corn.

These cookies are easy to make ahead. They keep well, so you can bake them days before your Halloween party.

11. Vampire Fang Truffles

You can make spooky vampire fang truffles for Halloween. Start with chocolate candy spheres like Lindt Lindor Truffles. Cut them in half to create the fang shape.

Place the truffle halves on top of round peanut butter cookies. Use white frosting to make fangs on the cut edges of the truffles. Add candy eyes to complete the vampire look.

For extra creepiness, drizzle red icing from the “bite” to look like blood.

These treats are perfect for Halloween parties. Both kids and adults will love the scary yet tasty design of these vampire fang truffles.

Tips for Perfect Halloween Cookies

Making spooky and delicious Halloween cookies takes a few key skills. The right ingredients and decorating methods can make your cookies stand out. Here are some tips to take your Halloween treats to the next level.

Choosing the Right Ingredients

Pick high-quality butter for rich flavor and good texture. Use fresh ingredients like eggs and vanilla extract.

Choose all-purpose flour for most recipes. If you want crisp cookies, use white sugar. For chewier cookies, use brown sugar. Add cocoa powder for chocolate cookies.

Pick food coloring gels instead of liquid colors. They give brighter hues without changing the cookie texture.

Try natural food dyes made from fruits and veggies for vibrant colors.

Decorating Techniques

Use royal icing to make smooth, hard designs. Mix powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water to make royal icing.

Thin it with water to get the right texture for flooding or piping.

Try the “wet-on-wet” method. Pipe an outline, then fill it in. Add dots or lines before the base dries. The new design will sink in slightly.

Make spider webs with white icing on dark cookies. Pipe circles, then drag a toothpick through them.

Add candy eyes to make cute monsters. Use crushed cookies as “dirt” for graveyard scenes.

Healthier Alternatives for Halloween Cookies

You can enjoy tasty Halloween cookies without going overboard on sugar and calories. Try these healthier options that still capture the spooky spirit of the holiday.

Gluten-Free Options

Almond flour cookies make a great gluten-free base for Halloween treats. Mix almond flour, egg, honey, and pumpkin spice for easy pumpkin-shaped cookies.

Cut them into jack-o’-lantern faces with a knife before baking.

Oat flour also works well for gluten-free baking. Blend oats into a fine flour, then use it to make monster-themed oatmeal cookies. Add raisins for eyes and shredded coconut for fur.

For a no-bake option, try date and nut balls rolled in cocoa powder. Shape them like spiders by adding pretzel stick legs.

Low-Sugar Recipes

Use mashed bananas or applesauce to replace some sugar in your cookie recipes. These natural sweeteners add moisture and flavor without extra calories.

Try pumpkin oatmeal cookies sweetened with just a touch of maple syrup. The pumpkin adds natural sweetness and a festive orange color.

Make chocolate chip cookies with dark chocolate chunks and chopped nuts. The nuts add protein and healthy fats, while dark chocolate has less sugar than milk chocolate.

Carrot cake cookies use grated carrots for natural sweetness. Top with a light cream cheese frosting made with Greek yogurt for less sugar.