Halloween How-To: Cookie Tips

From adorable cookie balls that look like pumpkins to shortbread cookies that look an awful lot like say, a witch’s finger, cookies are sweet treats that can pack quite a few tricks! We’ve got a cookie cheat sheet for your reference below, but for more baking tips, feel free to wander over to our Baking Basics page and check out our cookie basics video, which include how-tos for sugar cookies, truffles, cookie balls, and more. As versatile as Halloween’s cookies can be, there's all kinds of Halloween food that you can add to your larger party menu—including creepy…er, RICE KRISPIES^® TREATS™, savory appetizers, and monstrously fun beverages of every kind. For more Halloween ideas, including crafts and decorating, head on over to Halloween home page.

Sweet Halloween Cookie Tricks and Treats

• Need ideas for some dreadfully delicious Halloween treats? Try our Halloween Spook Cookies! They're easy to customize with your child's favorite scary monster or goblin. The kids will also enjoy rolling and decorating their own Bats & Cats Chocolate Halloween Cookies almost as much as they'll love eating them!
• For a festive twist on an old favorite, our Pumpkin-Chocolate Chunk Cookies offer a unique variation on a chocolate chip cookie.
• PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese and red and yellow food colorings are the secret ingredients behind our delectable Halloween Cheesecake Brownies! For added fun, swirl the cream cheese mixture into a spooky design in the brownie batter before baking as directed.
• If you're planning a party, whip up a batch of Frightening Witch's Finger Cookies using almonds for the fingernails.
• For even more recipes and tips, check out our Cookie Recipe page. Or watch our Cookie Basics video on how to bake the perfect cookie.

How to Make Halloween Cookies

• Before beginning your Halloween baking, familiarize yourself with the cookie basics. Always read the recipe carefully for special ingredients, what equipment is needed, required chilling times, and to familiarize yourself with any new preparation methods.
• When baking cookies, make sure you have selected the correct measuring cups, particularly for liquids or dry ingredients. This makes a big difference in the end product.
• Collect all ingredients before you start to prepare the recipe. Once collected, check the expiration date on each ingredient, especially baking powder or soda, as old leavening will make for flat cookies—and dissatisfied ghouls!
• For a simple Halloween cookie, use cookie cutters to cut refrigerated sugar cookie dough into fun Halloween shapes. Be sure the dough is well chilled before rolling and cutting. A thin spatula is a helpful tool in transferring unbaked cookies from your work surface to the baking sheet. For added color and sweetness, top your cookie dough characters with colored sugar before baking as directed.
• To avoid burning your spooky treats, peek in on them at the lower end of the baking time specified in the recipe. Look for signs of doneness detailed in the recipe—different types of cookies will look different when baked through. After you remove the cookies from the oven, remember to cool them completely before decorating.
• If you're planning to take treats to a school Halloween party, first check the school's policy on serving homemade.

Check out our Baking Basics page for even more tips and tricks