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Haunted House Cookies

These haunted house cookies are a fun and chaotic baking project perfect for Halloween. They feature a crispy, colorful exterior with gooey chocolate chips and are decorated with royal icing and candy eyes to create spooky, googly-eyed haunted houses. The result is a playful treat with a slightly imperfect, whimsical look and a delightful crunch with sweet, melty centers.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Halloween
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup royal icing for decorating
  • several drops food coloring gel colors preferred
  • 12 pieces candy eyes small size preferred

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Cookie cutters
  • Piping bags or plastic zip bags
  • Baking sheet

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together until creamy and light, about 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be fluffy and pale in color.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then mix in vanilla extract until evenly incorporated. The batter will become smooth and glossy.
  4. Gradually add sifted flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients, folding gently until just combined. The dough will start to come together and feel slightly sticky but manageable.
  5. Stir in dark chocolate chips, distributing them evenly throughout the dough for gooey bursts of chocolate in each cookie.
  6. Using a cookie cutter, shape the dough into haunted house or spooky shapes on the prepared baking sheet. Space them about 2 inches apart to allow spreading.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven and let cookies cool slightly on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
  8. While cookies cool, prepare your royal icing. Divide it into bowls and add food coloring to create eerie hues like green, purple, or black. Mix until vibrant and smooth.
  9. Fill piping bags or plastic zip bags with the colored icing, snipping a small tip for detailed decorating. Pipe haunted windows, spooky doors, or cobwebs onto the cookies.
  10. Attach candy eyes to the cookies using a dab of royal icing, creating creepy, googly-eyed haunted houses. Let decorations set for about 30 minutes until firm.
  11. Enjoy your spooky, colorful haunted house cookies with a crunch and gooey chocolate surprise inside—perfect for Halloween festivities!

Notes

For extra fun, get creative with different icing colors and shapes. Keep an eye on the cookies as they bake to prevent over-browning, and let decorations fully set before serving.