Recipe: Spooky Sweet Halloween Cookies

There’s something magical about baking with little ones; the messy hands, the flour on the floor, the giggles over stolen chocolate chips. And with Halloween just around the corner, it’s the perfect excuse to turn the kitchen into your own little potion lab. These Halloween cookies are all about that kind of joy; simple enough for even the tiniest hands to help with, from mixing to decorating, and full of creative, spooky fun.

Think soft, chewy cookies that can become mummies, pumpkins, ghosts, or whatever your little ghouls dream up. Whether you bake them in the lead-up to Halloween as an afternoon activity or on the big day itself before trick-or-treating begins, these cookies make for a deliciously hands-on way to celebrate together.

Pop on some Halloween music, grab your cookie cutters (or improvise with a glass and a butter knife), and make an afternoon of it.


Ingredients

For the cookies:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or wholemeal flour for extra fiber)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
¾ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup or honey
1 egg (or flax egg for plant-based: 1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp water)
1 tsp vanilla extract

For decorating:
Icing sugar + a little water (for simple white icing)
Natural food colorings (orange, green, purple, black)
Chocolate chips, raisins, pretzel sticks, sprinkles, or coconut flakes for details


Instructions

Preheat and prepare:
Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line two baking trays with baking paper.

Mix dry ingredients:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Cream the butter and sugar:
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add maple syrup, egg, and vanilla. Mix well.

Combine:
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture a little at a time until a soft dough forms. If it’s too sticky, chill it for 15–20 minutes.

Shape your cookies:
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about ½ cm thick. Use Halloween cookie cutters (or cut out shapes with a knife). Ghosts, pumpkins, bats, cats; let the kids decide!

Bake:
Place cookies on trays and bake for 8–10 minutes or until just golden around the edges. Let cool completely before decorating.

Decorate:
Mix icing sugar with a few drops of water and divide into bowls. Tint each one with different natural food dyes. Use a small spoon or piping bag to create mummy bandages, pumpkin faces, or ghost eyes. Kids can add chocolate chips, pretzels, or coconut flakes for extra flair.


Tips for Little Hands
- Let kids roll the dough, stamp out shapes, and choose their colors.
- Keep a damp cloth nearby for quick cleanups between decorating sessions.
- If you want to make it a calmer, more mindful moment; talk about what everyone’s favorite Halloween memories are while you bake.