Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sprinkles and Candy Eyes

This Halloween chocolate chip cookies recipe with sprinkles and candy eyes is one of those bakes that just makes people smile. You know the kind of cookie that disappears faster than you can put them on the plate? That’s exactly what happened when I first tested this recipe. I pulled a tray out of the oven, turned around to grab a spatula, and suddenly half the cookies were gone… my family is shameless.

I love Halloween because it’s the perfect excuse to take a classic treat and dress it up a little. These cookies have the soft, chewy texture of my favorite chocolate chip recipe, but with a spooky twist thanks to colorful sprinkles, loads of chocolate candies, and of course those silly candy eyes staring back at you. They’re fun to bake, even more fun to decorate, and trust me, people go wild for them at parties.

When I first tried making these, I wanted something quick but festive, because honestly, who has time for complicated desserts when there are costumes to wrangle and pumpkins to carve? That’s why I leaned on pudding mix for extra softness and flavor. It works like a charm every time, and you don’t have to stress about the cookies coming out flat or dry.

So if you’ve been hunting for a Halloween treat that’s equal parts easy and impressive, grab your mixing bowl. I promise, these cookies will be the hit of your spooky season spread.

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WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Soft, chewy texture that never fails – Thanks to the pudding mix, these cookies bake up perfectly tender every single time. No dry, crumbly bites here, just soft cookies that stay that way for days.
• Festive and fun to decorate – Between the colorful sprinkles and candy eyes, you get cookies that practically scream Halloween. Kids love helping with this part, and honestly, I do too.
• Quick to whip up – The dough comes together in about 10 minutes, and since there’s no complicated decorating, you can have a whole batch cooling on the counter in under half an hour.
• Perfect balance of flavors – You’ve got the sweetness from the chocolate candies, a hint of vanilla, and that rich brown sugar base. It’s everything you love in a chocolate chip cookie, with a spooky twist.
• Party-approved crowd pleaser – Bring these to a Halloween party, school event, or just keep them at home, and they’ll disappear faster than you expect. I’ve never had leftovers, which is the best compliment a cookie can get.

INGREDIENTS

Wet ingredients

• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla powder
• 1 large egg

Dry ingredients

• 1 (3.4 oz) box vanilla pudding mix, halal-certified
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups (155 g) all-purpose flour

Mix-ins

• ¼ cup halal sprinkles
• ¾ cup halal chocolate candies (M&Ms style)
• Candy eyes, optional, halal-certified

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STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or use a hand mixer, until the mixture is light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
• STEP 2). Add the pudding mix, baking soda, and salt, and blend until just combined, then mix in the flour until a soft dough forms.
• STEP 3). Stir in the sprinkles and chocolate candies with a spatula until they’re evenly distributed, then scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls and place them close together on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• STEP 4). Cover the tray and chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so the cookies don’t spread too much while baking.
• STEP 5). Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), then arrange the chilled cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden.
• STEP 6). If you’d like, press 1 or 2 candy eyes and a few extra chocolate candies into the tops of the warm cookies right after they come out of the oven, then let them cool for 5 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
• STEP 7). Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 1 month.

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EXPERT COOKING TIPS FOR HALLOWEEN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

• Chill the dough. I know it’s tempting to skip this step, but chilling keeps the cookies thick and chewy instead of flat. Even 30 minutes in the fridge makes a big difference.
• Add extra candies after baking. Pressing a few chocolate candies and candy eyes into the cookies while they’re still warm from the oven gives them that picture-perfect, bakery-style look.
• Don’t overbake. The cookies should look just barely golden around the edges when you take them out. They’ll keep baking on the sheet as they cool, which is how you get that soft center.
• Use parchment or a baking mat. It prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier, but it also helps the cookies bake more evenly so the bottoms don’t brown too quickly.
• Scoop evenly. Using a cookie scoop ensures the cookies bake at the same rate, so you don’t end up with some underdone and some overdone.

RECIPE FAQ

MAKE-AHEAD AND STORAGE TIPS

• Refrigerating the dough. You can make the dough and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking. This is great if you want to prep ahead for a party.
• Freezing the dough. Scoop the dough into balls, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Then transfer them to a freezer bag and store for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen, just add 2–3 extra minutes of bake time.
• Storing baked cookies. Once cooled, keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They’ll stay soft and chewy if you tuck a slice of bread into the container (a little trick that works like magic).
• Freezing baked cookies. These cookies freeze beautifully. Wrap them in layers of plastic wrap and foil or place them in a freezer bag. They’ll keep well for about a month.

FUN WAYS TO SERVE THESE COOKIES

• Party platter centerpiece. Pile these cookies high on a Halloween-themed tray and surround them with candy corn, pretzels, or popcorn for an easy party spread.
• Trick-or-treat surprise. Wrap each cookie in a little clear bag with ribbon and hand them out to neighbors or party guests. They look super cute and festive this way.
• Ice cream sandwich style. Take two cookies and sandwich a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream in the middle. Roll the edges in sprinkles for an extra spooky touch.
• Decorating station for kids. Bake the cookies plain with just the chocolate candies, then let kids stick on the candy eyes and extra sprinkles once they’ve cooled. Instant Halloween fun.
• Movie night snack. Pair these cookies with hot chocolate or cider and a good Halloween movie for the coziest October night.

And that’s it, my friends. These Halloween chocolate chip cookies with sprinkles and candy eyes are one of those recipes I come back to every October without fail. They’re easy enough to throw together on a busy weeknight, but fun and festive enough to steal the show at any party. If you’ve been looking for a simple way to bring a little extra magic to your Halloween table, this is it. Now go grab your mixing bowl, bake up a batch, and watch them disappear faster than you can say “trick or treat.”