Eyeball Halloween Sugar Cookies
These spooky yet sweet Eyeball Halloween Sugar Cookies are the ultimate party treat! With buttery sugar cookie bases and colorful icing eyes that seem to stare back at you, they’re a fun baking project that’s easy enough for kids to help decorate.
So if you’re hosting a Halloween bash, need a creepy dessert idea, or just want to surprise the family, these cookies are sure to impress.
Why You’ll Love These Halloween Eyeball Sugar Cookies
- Fun to make with kids – simple sugar cookie dough and easy icing make decorating a blast
- Creepy-cute design – candy-colored irises and shiny pupils make them pop
- Perfect for parties – a big batch yields 2–3 dozen cookies
- Customizable – use any colors for the eyes (red, blue, green, or even purple for a monster vibe!)
Ingredients For The Cookies
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups of flour
Ingredients For The Icing
- 4 cups of sugar, divided
- 2 Tbsp meringue powder
- 2 tsp vanilla, divided
- ½-¾ cups water, divided
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup
Ingredients For The Icing
- Black, Green, Blue and Red Food Coloring
How to Make These Halloween Sugar Cookies
Step 1: Mix and Shape
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and vanilla. Add flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms.
Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about ½ inch thick and cut into circles with a cookie cutter.
Step 2: Bake the Cookies
Place the cutouts on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges look set but not browned.
Let them cool completely before decorating.
Step 3: Whip Up the Icing
Start by making a stiff royal icing with powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla, and a splash of water. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining sugar with corn syrup, vanilla, and water until glossy.
Combine both mixtures, adjusting with more sugar or water until the icing smooths out in about 12–15 seconds when dropped back into the bowl.
Step 4: Add the Spooky Eyeballs
Divide the icing into bowls and tint with food coloring for the iris colors plus black for the pupils. Using piping bags, first outline and fill the cookie tops with white icing.
Next, pipe a colorful circle in the center for the iris, then a black dot for the pupil. Add a tiny white highlight dot to make the eyes look shiny and real.
Step 5: Dry and Store
Allow the cookies to sit uncovered for 24 hours so the icing sets completely. Once dry, store in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to three months.
Tips & Variations
- Roll dough evenly for cookies that bake at the same rate.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant eye colors that won’t water down the icing.
- Want scarier eyes? Add “bloodshot” red icing lines radiating from the iris.
- Hosting a party? Bake the cookies ahead of time and let guests decorate their own eyeballs!
What You Can Use These Halloween Sugar Cookies For
These Halloween Eyeball Sugar Cookies aren’t just fun to look at; they are incredibly versatile, too! Their spooky-cute design makes them the star of any dessert table, and they’re easy enough to whip up for just about any Halloween occasion.
Serve them at your next Halloween party for a treat that doubles as décor, add them to school bake sales for a kid-friendly spooky option, or tuck them into trick-or-treat bags as a homemade surprise.
They’re also perfect for family movie nights when you’re watching a scary (but not too scary!) film, or as a fun weekend baking project for kids.
No matter where you bring them, these eyeball cookies are guaranteed to grab attention and get everyone talking.
Other Fun Halloween Ideas:
- Halloween dessert tables
- Trick-or-treat night snacks
- Creepy classroom treats
- Spooky movie marathons
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Eyeball Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 c sugar
- 1 c unsalted butter softened
- 1 egg
- 1 t vanilla
- 3 c flour
For the icing
- 4 c sugar divided
- 2 T meringue powder
- 2 t vanilla divided
- ½-¾ c water divided
- 2 T corn syrup
To decorate
- Black green, blue and red food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla.
- Mix in flour until dough forms. Roll out to ½ inch thick.
- Cut circles with cookie cutter. Place on baking sheets.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are set. Cool completely.
- Make icing: beat 2 cups sugar, meringue powder, vanilla, and water until stiff. In another bowl, mix 2 cups sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and water until smooth. Combine both mixtures and adjust with sugar or water until icing is smooth.
- Tint icing with food coloring (red, blue, green, black).
- Pipe white circle, then iris color, then black pupil. Add small white dot for shine.
- Let dry 24 hours before stacking.
Nutrition
Can I save time and use store-bought dough?
Yes! If you’re short on time, grab refrigerated sugar cookie dough and focus on the fun part, decorating the eyeballs!
What’s the best food coloring for these cookies?
Gel food coloring works best because the colors stay bold without making the icing runny. That way your “eyes” keep their shape and look extra spooky.
How far in advance can I make them?
You can bake the cookies a few days in advance and store them in an airtight container. Decorated cookies need 24 hours to set, so plan ahead if you’re making them for a party.
These Eyeball Sugar Cookies are the perfect mix of spooky and sweet. They are easy enough to make with kids and impressive enough to serve at any Halloween gathering. From school parties to family movie nights, they are sure to get everyone talking and snacking. So grab your mixing bowl, whip up a batch, and bring a little creepy fun to your Halloween table.
If you loved this recipe, make sure to save it to your favorite Pinterest board and share it with a friend who needs a fun Halloween dessert idea. While you are here, be sure to subscribe to Chaos & Wine so you never miss a new recipe, party idea, or family-friendly treat.
