Spooktacularly Simple: 3-Ingredient Halloween Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Candy Eyeballs
Get ready to conjure up some enchantment in your kitchen this Halloween season! Our incredibly easy 3-ingredient Halloween chocolate sugar cookies are the perfect treat to delight all your little (and big) monsters. These delightful cookies take about 20 minutes from start to finish to create two dozen soft, chewy, and rich chocolate sugar cookies. Just add some playful candy eyeballs, and watch these spooky-cute confections come to life! “Eye” promise, they’re so good, you’ll fall in love with them at first bite.
Embracing the Magic of Halloween
How do you feel about Halloween? For me, it’s an absolute favorite time of year! There’s an undeniable charm in the crisp autumn air, the vibrant colors of changing leaves, and the general atmosphere of playful spookiness that fills the days leading up to October 31st. I especially cherished it when my children were growing up. The excitement of them choosing their costumes, the joy of handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, and the nostalgic sound of crunchy leaves underfoot on a chilly Halloween night are memories I hold dear. And let’s be honest, who among us hasn’t snuck a few Snickers bars from their kids’ candy haul after they’ve gone to bed? (It’s a parent’s prerogative, right?)
School Halloween parties were always a highlight. I had the pleasure of being a room parent for many years, which meant I got to plan fun treats and games, then watch the adorable parade of costumed kiddos. Those were truly good times, filled with laughter and innocent delight. This year, my little ones are all grown up, but I still get to enjoy the festive spirit with my grand-puppy, who will be adorably dressed as a hotdog. Every year, I look forward to finding new ways to celebrate, and what better way than with delicious, easy-to-make Halloween treats?
This post and recipe were specially crafted for #HalloweenTreatsWeek! While I received samples from some sponsor companies, all opinions shared are 100% my own.
SOME OF THE ITEMS BELOW CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS; I AM A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR US TO EARN FEES BY LINKING TO AMAZON.COM AND AFFILIATED SITES. I AM ALSO AN AFFILIATE FOR OTHER BRANDS. HOWEVER, I ONLY PROMOTE THINGS THAT I LOVE AND THINK YOU WILL LOVE, TOO. FOR MY ENTIRE DISCLOSURE POLICY PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Effortlessly Spooky: Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Candy Eyeballs
These Halloween-themed chocolate sugar cookies are destined to be the star of your spooky celebration. Whether you’re baking for a classroom party, a family gathering, or just a fun afternoon activity, these cookies are a fantastic choice. The best part? They are incredibly simple to make, requiring just three core ingredients – or four if you count the essential candy eyeballs that give them their charmingly eerie look! This makes them an ideal baking project for kids, offering a fun, hands-on experience without the complexity of traditional cookie recipes. Imagine the delight on their faces as they press the candy eyeballs onto these monstrously good treats!
These delicious cookies are my inaugural contribution to this year’s Halloween Treats Week event. I am thrilled to share this innovative recipe with you, and I can’t wait for you to discover all the other creative recipes from the many talented bloggers involved. This week promises a plethora of spooky delights and fantastic prizes, so keep reading to learn more about how you can participate and win!
Discover all the amazing prizes and giveaway entry details just below the recipe card at the conclusion of this post!
The Secret to 3-Ingredient Chocolate Sugar Cookies
When I was brainstorming ideas for a truly simple yet impressive Halloween treat, I stumbled upon a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that ingeniously started with pre-made refrigerated cookie dough. A thought immediately sparked: “Could this brilliant shortcut work for sugar cookies too, transforming them into a decadent chocolate version?” I decided to put it to the test, and the results were absolutely fantastic! This method is a game-changer for busy bakers or anyone looking for a quick and easy dessert. The base recipe for these chocolate sugar cookies technically only uses three ingredients, with the candy eyeballs adding that crucial, festive fourth element for decoration. It’s truly magic how such minimal effort can yield such delicious and visually appealing cookies.
Essential Ingredients for Your Halloween Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Gathering your ingredients for these spooky delights couldn’t be easier. You’ll only need a handful of items, most of which you might already have on hand or can easily pick up at any grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need to create a batch of approximately two dozen monstrously delicious cookies:
- **Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough:** This is your fantastic shortcut! A standard 16-ounce package of pre-made sugar cookie dough forms the base of our recipe, saving you significant time and effort.
- **Cocoa Powder:** To infuse our cookies with a deep, rich chocolate flavor. Unsweetened cocoa powder works best as it balances the sweetness of the sugar cookie dough and chocolate kisses.
- **Chocolate Kiss or Chocolate Star Candies:** These melt beautifully into the warm cookies, adding an extra layer of chocolatey goodness and providing the perfect adhesive for our candy eyeballs.
- **Candy Eyeballs (Assorted Sizes):** The star of the show! These edible decorations transform simple cookies into wonderfully whimsical and spooky Halloween characters. They come in various sizes, allowing for different expressions and looks for your cookie monsters.
Crafting Your “Eye Love” Chocolate Sugar Cookies: A Simple Guide
Creating these adorable and delicious Halloween chocolate sugar cookies is a fun and straightforward process. Follow these simple steps to bring your cookie monsters to life:
**Step 1: Prepare the Dough.** Begin by allowing your refrigerated sugar cookie dough to soften slightly on the counter. This makes it much easier to work with and ensures a smooth, even mixture. Once softened, combine the sugar cookie dough with the cocoa powder in a mixer. Mix until the cocoa powder is fully incorporated and you have a uniform chocolate-colored dough. I confess, at this stage, I wondered if the cookies might turn out dry or lack sufficient sweetness. But rest assured, the resulting cookies were perfectly soft and wonderfully chewy, just as a great cookie should be!
**Step 2: Roll and Bake.** Once your chocolate cookie dough is ready, roll it into small, uniform balls. This is a great task for little helpers! Place the dough balls onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, spacing them out evenly to allow for spreading. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake for approximately 8 minutes. The cookies should be set but still soft in the center for that perfect chewy texture.
**Step 3: Add the Chocolate Kisses.** Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, while they are still piping hot, gently press a chocolate kiss (or chocolate star candy) into the center of each cookie. The residual heat from the cookie will beautifully melt the chocolate, creating a gooey, delicious center. In my opinion, you can never have too much chocolate, and these melted kisses also serve a practical purpose – they provide the perfect sticky base to secure your candy eyeballs!
**Step 4: Get Creative with Eyeballs!** As the chocolate kisses begin to melt and soften, it’s time for the most exciting part: adding the candy eyeballs! I experimented with placing some kisses tip-down and others tip-up, and each approach yielded a slightly different, equally charming look. I particularly loved how pressing a larger candy eyeball into a tip-up kiss made the chocolate gently ooze out around the eye, creating a wonderfully monstrous effect. For the kisses placed tip-down, I found smaller candy eyes worked beautifully. Alternatively, you can smooth down the tip of the chocolate kiss while it’s still warm before adding the eyes. Both methods are great!
I adore the unique character that both small and large candy eyes lend to these cookies. The smaller eyes often benefit from being used in multiples, creating a cluster of wide-eyed wonder, while a single larger eye can make a bold, fun statement. These subtle variations add to the charm of your Halloween cookie creations.
If you’re lucky enough to find the larger 3/4-inch candy eyeballs, be sure to snatch them up! They truly make a statement on these fun cookies. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before storing them in an airtight container to maintain their freshness and chewiness.
Here’s looking at you, kid! A wonderfully simple cookie recipe yields soft, chewy, and intensely chocolatey sugar cookies, all dressed up perfectly for Halloween festivities. These aren’t just cookies; they’re edible little characters ready to bring smiles and a touch of spooky fun to any gathering.
Love These Spooky Cookies? Pin Them for Later!
Don’t let this fantastic and easy Halloween chocolate sugar cookie recipe disappear into the ether! You’ll definitely want to keep it handy for all your upcoming Halloween parties, school events, or simply a fun afternoon baking session with the family. It would be truly scary if you couldn’t remember where you found such a simple and delightful recipe! Pin these delicious chocolate sugar cookies to your favorite Halloween or dessert Pinterest board so you can easily find them whenever a craving for spooky treats strikes. Share the love and let others discover the joy of these “Eye Love” chocolate sugar cookies too!
Expert Tips & Creative Ideas for Perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Making cookies should be a joyful and stress-free experience. Here are some extra tips and creative ideas to ensure your chocolate sugar cookies turn out perfectly every time, and to inspire some fun variations:
- **How can I ensure all my cookies are the same size?** Achieving uniform cookie sizes is key for even baking and a professional look. I find it most effective to start by dividing the mixed cookie dough in half, then continue dividing each half into equal parts. For example, each half becomes a quarter, and then I might break each quarter into three equal pieces. This systematic approach helps to ensure that all your dough balls are roughly the same size, resulting in consistently baked cookies.
- **My cookies never turn out chewy, why?** The secret to soft and chewy cookies lies in careful baking. Overbaking is the most common culprit for dry, hard cookies. My personal preference is to remove cookies from the oven just before they appear 100% done – typically about 1-2 minutes under the shortest recommended baking time for a recipe. Allow them to cool on the hot cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. The residual heat will continue to cook them slightly, resulting in that wonderfully soft and chewy interior. Remember that every oven is different, so it’s always a good idea to test a new cookie recipe by baking a small batch first and adjusting the time as needed for your specific oven.
- **I don’t have any candy eyeballs, what can I use instead?** No candy eyeballs? No problem! There are several fun alternatives to give your cookies that spooky flair. You could use a white chocolate kiss as the base for the “eye” and then pipe a small dot of frosting or place a chocolate chip in the center for the pupil. Alternatively, you could pipe on simple eyes directly with white and black frosting. If you prefer to skip the eyes altogether, simply sprinkle the warm, melted chocolate kiss with festive Halloween sprinkles for a colorful and festive look. Get creative with what you have!
- **Storage Suggestions:** These delicious chocolate sugar cookies will stay soft and chewy for several days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies (without the candy eyeballs, as they can sometimes bleed color when thawed) in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature and add fresh candy eyeballs if desired before serving.
- **Serving Ideas:** These cookies are perfect on their own, but you can also serve them alongside a glass of milk, hot cocoa, or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra special treat. They also make fantastic additions to a Halloween dessert platter or as edible party favors.
More Spooky Fun: Recipes Using Candy Eyeballs
So, you’ve stocked up on candy eyeballs, and now you’re looking for even more creative ways to incorporate them into your Halloween treats? You’re in luck! I have a collection of incredibly fun recipes featuring “eyes” – some made with candy, and others crafted from different ingredients, but all guaranteed to add a delightful touch of spooky whimsy to your holiday spread. Check out these fantastic ideas:
- **Cocoa Krispy Owls:** Adorable and delicious chocolate rice Krispie treats transformed into wise little owls with clever Oreo and M&M eyes.
- **Here’s Peeking at You Owl Cupcakes:** Moist chocolate cupcakes decorated to resemble charming owls, complete with wide Oreo eyes that are almost too cute to eat.
- **Apple “Donut” Monsters:** A healthier, yet still delightful, Halloween treat! Apple slices are cleverly frosted with cream cheese, chocolate, and peanut butter frostings, then adorned with candy eyeballs to create friendly monster faces.
- **Halloween White Trash Snack Mix:** This sweet and salty snack mix is addictively good! It combines cereal, peanuts, pretzels, candy corn, and, of course, candy eyes, all generously coated in vanilla almond bark for a truly irresistible crunch.
- **Halloween Double Peanut Butter Muddy Buddies:** A delightful twist on a classic! Both chocolate and peanut butter Chex cereal are coated in a rich peanut butter and melted chocolate mixture, then tossed in powdered sugar and sprinkles. Add some festive candy corn and playful candy eyeballs, and you have a super fun and tasty snack mix that everyone will adore (pictured above)!
- **Pizza Monster Sandwiches:** Turn lunchtime into a frightfully fun experience with these savory sandwiches! Featuring pizza sauce, crispy chicken nuggets, and melted mozzarella cheese on grilled garlic bread – but it’s the “eyeball olives” that truly seal the deal and bring these monster sandwiches to life.
I sincerely hope that you and your little witches, warlocks, ghouls, and goblins thoroughly enjoy creating and devouring these delightful Halloween chocolate sugar cookies! They are a fantastic way to add a touch of handmade charm and chocolatey goodness to your Halloween festivities. You already know that “Eye Love” Chocolate Sugar Cookies, and I’m confident they’ll become a beloved tradition in your home too! Happy baking and Happy Halloween!
LIKE THIS RECIPE?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and
leave a comment below the recipe!
Print Recipe
Eye Love Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Assorted Candy Eyeballs Box
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce package Refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 24 chocolate kiss candies
- Candy Eyeballs – assorted sizes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175°C).
- With a mixer, combine cocoa powder and softened sugar cookie dough until well incorporated.
- Roll dough into balls and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and, while the cookies are still hot, press a chocolate kiss into the centers of the cookies. (You can place some point up and some point down for different looks.)
- Allow the chocolate to soften and begin to melt for a few minutes.
- Top each melted chocolate kiss with one or more candy eyeball(s), pressing gently to secure.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container for freshness.
Nutrition
Calories: 33kcal |
Carbohydrates: 5g |
Protein: 1g |
Fat: 2g |
Saturated Fat: 1g |
Cholesterol: 1mg |
Sodium: 8mg |
Sugar: 3g
Take a look at even more spooky Halloween recipes from our #HalloweenTreatsWeek Bloggers today:
Halloween Cookies & Bars:
- Cake Mix Monster Cookies from Big Bear’s Wife
- Candy Bar Cookies from Devour Dinner
- Oreo Mummy Cookies from Savory Experiments
- Easy Halloween Cake Mix Sprinkle Cookies from Family Around the Table
- Halloween Sugar Cookie Bars from House of Nash Eats
- Eye Love Chocolate Sugar Cookies from An Affair From the Heart
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars from Back To My Southern Roots
Halloween Cakes & Cupcakes:
- Bloody Broken Glass Red Velvet Cake from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Halloween Bats Oreo Cupcakes from Lemon Blossoms
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting from The Flour Handprint
Halloween Brownies:
- The Scream Brownies from West Via Midwest
- Halloween Monster Chocolate Cake Brownies from JZ Eats
- Halloween Marshmallow Brownies from Sweet Beginnings
Halloween Pies:
- Halloween Mini S’mores Pudding Pies from For the Love of Food
- Jack Skellington Boo-berry Pie from Savory Moments
Halloween Breakfast:
- Halloween Smoothie Bowl from Fresh Coast Eats
- Halloween Pancakes from I Am A Honeybee
- Pumpkin Spice Donuts from Pastry Chef Online
Halloween Drinks:
- Bloody Hot Cocoa from It’s Shanaka
Chilled Halloween Treats:
- Pennywise Ice Cream Float from Cheese Curd in Paradise
- Wicked Witch Popsicles from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
No Bake Desserts:
- Muddy Buddy Halloween Snack Mix from Tastes of Homemade
- Candy Corn Rice Crispy Treats from The Spiffy Cookie
- Kid-Friendly Halloween Snack Board from Love and Confections
- Rice Krispie Treat Haunted Houses from Sweet ReciPEAS
- Ghostly Snack Mix from Fake Ginger
- Spooky Pretzel Rods from Take Two Tapas
- Halloween Candy Bark from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Batty For Chocolate Dessert Cheese Ball from 4 Sons R Us
- Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Dip from Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
These posts and recipes are a part of our exciting #HalloweenTreatsWeek event! We extend our gratitude to our amazing brand sponsors, including Dixie Crystals, who generously provided a prize pack for our giveaways and sent product samples to our #HalloweenTreatsWeek bloggers. A huge thank you also goes to our participating bloggers, many of whom contributed additional prizes for the giveaways, including: Angie of BigBearsWife, Nicole of Nicole Taggart’s Origami Owl Jewelry Bar, Kathy of Lemon Blossoms, Terri of Our Good Life, Julie of Back To My Southern Roots, Peabody of Sweet ReciPEAS, Megan of Strawberry Blondie Kitchen, Nicole of For the Love of Food Blog, Michaela of An Affair from the Heart, Jennifer of Take Two Tapas , Michele of West Via Midwest, Shanaka of It’s Shanaka, Ashley of Cheese Curd In Paradise, and Amy from House of Nash Eats!