Halloween sprinkle cookies are soft vanilla cookies topped with a generous coating of Halloween candy sprinkles. This easy Halloween dessert recipe can be made from scratch in less than 30 minutes!
This Halloween sprinkle cookie recipe is for everyone who wants to make a fun and festive Halloween treat but doesn’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. The soft vanilla cookies can be made from scratch – start to finish – in less than 30 minutes.
And the cookies taste great! They’re sweet vanilla cookies that pair nicely with the candy sprinkles. Please check out the step-by-step photos and tips for lots of info to help you make amazing sprinkle cookies in no time at all.
How to make Halloween sprinkle cookies
Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds. Butter should be completely melted but shouldn’t be hot.
In a large bowl, mix butter with the sugars until well-combined. Stir in vanilla and egg until incorporated.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Please read the recipe note about properly measuring flour. Mix dough until just combined. Dough should be soft and a little sticky but not overly sticky.
Scoop out 1.5 tablespoons of dough (medium cookie scoop). Roll the tops (just the tops) in sprinkles, and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
Bake. They will be puffy and still look a little underbaked in the middle.
Tips
Tips- Gluten Free: I haven’t tried it, but I’ve heard from several people who have used a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour in the recipe that I used as a base for this recipe, and they’ve said that it worked well. However, I haven’t heard from anyone regarding other flours, such as almond flour.
- Butter: This recipe begins with melted butter. I prefer to use salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you prefer.
- The butter should just barely be melted. That means that it shouldn’t be sizzling hot or browned. If it cooks down, it can throw your ratios off and give you a drier dough.
- If you’re worried about getting it too hot, melt the butter about 90% of the way and then whisk it until it is completely melted.
- Sugars: This recipe uses both brown sugar and granulated (white sugar). If you would like to use only brown sugar, check out my brown sugar chocolate chip cookie recipe.
- Using only granulated sugar will give you crispier cookies.
- For this recipe, you can use either dark or light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will give you a slightly richer flavor.
- Measuring Flour: If you aren’t weighing your ingredients, I can’t recommend that enough. If you are using measuring cups, be sure to sift or stir the flour before measuring. Flour packs easily and using too much flour in cookies will give you dry, crumbly dough and cookies that don’t spread.
- Sprinkles: A couple of notes about the sprinkles. I’ve had better luck with plain sprinkle mixes. The candies in the sprinkle/candy mixes can melt as they bake. Also, I only coat about the top half of the cookie with sprinkles. Otherwise the sprinkles can melt and make a mess as the cookies bake.
- Baking: Don’t over-bake the cookies, or you won’t end up with soft cookies. Several people have said that they’ve needed to bake the cookies for longer. Since oven temps can vary, I suggest starting with the listed baking time and increasing the time as needed.
Can I use other types of sprinkles?
Absolutely! These you could use another holiday sprinkle blend, and these could be, for example, Christmas or Valentine’s Day cookies.
Storing
These cookies will keep for 3-4 days when stored at room temperature in a resealable container.
More Halloween recipes!
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Halloween Sprinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds. Butter should be completely melted but shouldn't be hot.
- In a large bowl, mix butter with the sugars until well-combined.
- Stir in vanilla and egg until incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Please read the recipe note about properly measuring flour.
- Mix dough until just combined. Dough should be soft and a little sticky but not overly sticky.
- Scoop out 1.5 tablespoons of dough (medium cookie scoop).
- Roll the tops (just the tops) in sprinkles, and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until cookies are set. They will be puffy and still look a little underbaked in the middle.
Notes
- Flour: Be sure to fluff and then scoop and sweep to measure the flour. Too much flour will result in a dry or crumbly cookie.
Sprinkles: A couple of notes about the sprinkles. I use about 1/3-1/2 cup of sprinkles. This will vary, though, depending on the type of sprinkles that you use. I've had better luck with plain sprinkle mixes. The candies in the sprinkle/candy mixes can melt as they bake. I only coat about the top half of the cookie with sprinkles. Otherwise the sprinkles can melt and make a mess as the cookies bake. - Baking: Don't over-bake the cookies, or you won't end up with soft cookies. Several people have said that they've needed to bake the cookies for longer. Since oven temps can vary, I suggest starting with the listed baking time and increasing the time as needed.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition Information
Amber says
Love the cookies!!! They’re just as described and my kids had so much fun making them.
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad you liked them! =)