Hey guys! I’m here with another sweet little fall treat- today it’s these Halloween Sugar Cookies! These have my favorite sugar cookies as a base, and they get a roll into some Halloween sprinkles before baking. These are so easy that it’s a crime to NOT make them, promise!
These cookies don’t require any chill time, and they are more like a bakery-style sugar cookie. Soft and chewy on the inside, and just lightly crisp on the outside. Plus they come together quickly! Let’s get to it!
How to Make Halloween Sugar Cookies
This is a super simple sugar cookie dough, and it results in the perfect drop-style sugar cookies with crackly edges. We’re starting out by creaming together some butter and sugar, and then adding in the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Finally, beat in the dry ingredients until everything is well combined, and looks something like this:
The dough should be fairly pliable still, and you should be able to easily scoop the dough and roll it into your sprinkles to coat it.
Then we’re off to the oven- these cookies will get puffy and cracked as they bake, and then they’ll settle as they cool down. You really want to make sure you lean on the side of under-baking here- these cookies are best when they are just lightly crisp on the edges and nice and chewy on the inside.
And that’s it! You’ll end up with these pretty sprinkle-coated beauties, and you can really use any sprinkles you like! I went for a good halloween confetti style option here, but you can use jimmy-style sprinkles or any other mix you’ve got. I’d stick with something where the sprinkles are uniform in size though! You can even just roll the cookies in colored sugar.
Tips & Tricks for Halloween Sugar Cookies
This is a super simple cookie to make, but I have some tips and tricks to help along the way!
- What kind of sprinkles can I use on my sugar cookies? You can really use any type of uniformly-sized sprinkles here, so jimmy style or nonpareils or confetti sprinkles are all great options. You want to go for something that isn’t too large, like a pearl, or they won’t hold well to the cookies.
- Do I have to chill the dough for these sugar cookies? No, this is a no-chill, no-roll sugar cookie recipe. These cookies can be baked right away, and they will come out with the perfect texture and flavor without any waiting!
- How will I know when the cookies are finished baking? You want to be sure to not over-bake these cookies, or they will turn crunchy when they cool. The cookies should be a little puffy and cracked, and looking mostly dry in the centers. Go for the recommended bake time, and err on the side of under-baking if you aren’t sure, or do a practice cookie to start!
- What do these cookies taste like? This is a chewy sugar cookie with lightly crisp edges, and a vanilla-butter flavor running throughout. Of course, if you use any kind of flavored sprinkles on the outside, that can alter the flavor.
- I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.
Enjoy!
Halloween Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups + 2 tbs. flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbs. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup confetti-style Halloween sprinkles
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extracts, and beat until combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat until fully combined.
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Scoop out dough in 2-tablespoonfuls. Roll the tops in your halloween sprinkles to coat well.
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Place on a lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until cookies just begin to lightly brown on the edges- do not over bake! The cookies will look slightly puffy and cracked- they will settle as they cool.
Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!
I have made these cookies so many times. I have not made them with these sprinkles. I have used freeze dried strawberries. So good! I've taken those cookies and smeared a tiny bit of strawberry jam on each side, then layered an Italian Buttercream in between 2 cookies for a sandwich.
I've added some pumpkin and layered it with pumpkin spice buttercream.
I've rolled them in apple cider mix and made an apple cider cookie.
I love these recipes and am so thankful I found this baking book. I've even had a friend buy one.
Those all sound incredible! This is such a versatile recipe, and I'm glad you're enjoying it!
Thanks for another great recipe, Nicole! Made these with the grandkids. So fun to roll in the sprinkles — great that the dough can't really be overhandled. We loved them. There are already plans for Christmas cookies! Congratulations on your new book. Looking forward to meeting you at your event at Highlands Ranch Library.
So glad to hear you're enjoying the recipe! And can't wait to see you at the Highlands Ranch Library!
I appreciate you sharing another great recipe, Nicole! Our grandkids loved them. I love rolling the dough in the sprinkles – great that the dough can't really be over handled. They were fantastic. We're already thinking about Christmas cookies! I am looking forward to your book. It will be great to meet you at your Highlands Ranch Library event.
So glad you loved these! And thank you for coming out to the library event!!
Great flavor but something was off in the process for me. Possibly my butter was not soft enough or my hand mixer not up to the task and I should have used the stand mixer. Also noticed there is no mention of almond extract in the ingredients but noted in the steps, i just estimated. Will make again.