Description

These Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies are festive treats perfect for celebrating the spooky season. Packed with semi-sweet chocolate chips, colorful Halloween M&Ms, candy eyeballs, and a hint of warm cinnamon or pumpkin spice, these cookies offer a delightful combination of sweet and salty flavors with a fun holiday twist.

Ingredients

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Basic Dough Ingredients

2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
4 tsp vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt

Mix-ins and Decorations

2½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1½ cups Halloween M&Ms (orange, purple, green, etc.)
1 cup candy eyeballs
½ tsp cinnamon or pumpkin spice (for fall warmth)
1 cup chopped pretzels (for salty crunch)
A few drops of orange or purple food coloring (for the dough)

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Instructions

Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat them together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and fully combined, ensuring the dough will be well-structured.
Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually incorporate these dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.
Add mix-ins: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, Halloween M&Ms, cinnamon or pumpkin spice, chopped pretzels, and food coloring if using, distributing everything evenly throughout the dough.
Shape cookies: Scoop the dough into approximately 1.5-inch balls and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets. Press one candy eyeball firmly into the top of each cookie to give a spooky, festive look.
Bake: Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown while the centers remain soft. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For a more intense fall flavor, you can increase the pumpkin spice to 1 teaspoon.
If you prefer a vegan option, substitute eggs with egg replacers and use dairy-free butter.
Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking can help prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
Using parchment paper or silicone baking mats improves cookie release and cleanup.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.