Description

Delight your Halloween celebrations with these spooky eyeball cookies bursting with rich chocolate flavor and a fun, eerie candy eyeball topping. Perfectly chewy with a hint of cocoa and semi-sweet chocolate chips, these festive treats are both delicious and visually striking for any Halloween party or trick-or-treat gathering.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

1 stick butter (1/2 cup), room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons milk

Dry Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Sugars and Flavoring

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
Black food coloring, optional (a few drops)

Add-ins

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
Candy eyeballs (quantity as needed to decorate)

Instructions

Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s ready when the dough is mixed.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the room temperature butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add a few drops of black food coloring if desired and mix well to achieve a spooky dark dough.
Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and pure vanilla extract for 2 more minutes, making sure everything is well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to include all ingredients evenly.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl to ensure even distribution of leavening agents and cocoa.
Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry mixture into the butter mixture on low speed, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking.
Add Milk and Chocolate Chips: Pour in the milk and mix again. Then fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough.
Shape Cookies and Add Eyeballs: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Place them spaced onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Press candy eyeballs gently into the center of each dough ball to create a spooky effect.
Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for about 11 minutes until cookies are set around the edges but still soft in the middle.
Cool the Cookies: Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring they hold their shape and texture.

Notes

Using black food coloring is optional but enhances the spooky appearance of the cookies.
For softer cookies, slightly underbake by 1-2 minutes.
Candy eyeballs can be found in most craft or baking stores during the Halloween season.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Make sure butter is softened to room temperature for easier creaming and better texture.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Category: Dessert, Cookie
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 150
Sugar: 12g
Sodium: 90mg
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 1.5g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 30mg

Keywords: Halloween cookies, spooky eyeball cookies, chocolate cookies, Halloween dessert, festive cookies