Halloween Monster Cookies

Cooling rack filled with decorated Halloween cookies.

Halloween monster cookies are a cute treat to make for your next Halloween party. Chewy chocolate cookies are filled with butterscotch chips and decorated with sprinkles and candies to resemble monsters.

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Resting time 1

Total Time 1 40

Servings cookies

Author Heather

Ingredients

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter room temperature
¾ cup (160 g) brown sugar
½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (63 g) natural cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons milk
11 ounces (311 g) butterscotch chips
½ cup (100 g) jimmies sprinkles
candy eyeballs, m&ms, and chocolate chips optional, as decoration

Instructions

In a large bowl, add butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together until light and fluffy, about a minute.
Add eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until creamed and fluffy, about a minute.
In a separate bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Whisk to remove clumps.
Stir half of dry ingredients into butter mixture and stir until combined. Add milk and stir to combine. Add remaining dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated (do not overmix).
Add butterscotch chips and stir to incorporate.
Cover bowl or wrap dough in wax paper. Chill for 1 hour (up to 24 hours) in the refrigerator. Refrigerating helps the flavors meld and also creates a firmer dough to roll into balls.
Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (do not grease your cookie sheet, this causes the cookies to spread more). Set aside.
Remove dough from refrigerator. Scoop dough using a medium 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop or shape by hand into 1.5 inch balls. Roll balls in sprinkles and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Decorate with candy eyeballs and M&M's candies (or other decorations you have on hand).
Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until cookies begin to crack on top and look set. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Storage: Cookies will keep for 5-7 days in a sealed container. To help keep cookies fresh, you can place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
Dough storage: Raw cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Cookie dough balls (and baked cookies) freeze well, up to 3 months in a sealed plastic container or freezer bag. Allow frozen balls to thaw for up to 10 minutes on the baking sheet before baking, or add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Mix-ins: Butterscotch chips can be substituted with white chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or peanut butter chips.
Decoration ideas: Candy eyeballs, chocolate chips (horns or fangs), broken pretzel pieces (arms and legs), M&M's candies (warts or spots), jimmies or nonpareils to cover the 'body' of the monster.
Cookie tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cookies, based on reader comments and questions!

Nutrition