Halloween Cookie Cake

YOU WILL LOVE THIS FESTIVE COOKIE CAKE

If you need a Halloween treat this year, you are going to love this festive cookie cake! A variation of my beloved reader favorite giant chocolate chip cookie cake recipe, this delicious Halloween cookie cake is not only easy to make but it’s also so fun to decorate.

USE ANY COOKIE CAKE RECIPE FOR THE BASE

While the recipe card below features my favorite chocolate chip cookie cake as the base, you can really use any giant cookie recipe that fits in a 9″ pan for this Halloween treat. If you’re interested in a different base, consider my snickerdoodle cookie cake, pumpkin cookie cake, peanut butter cookie cake, funfetti sugar cookie cake, or even my Nutella cookie cake!

MY BEST COOKIE CAKE TIP

I always bake my cookie cakes in a springform pan so that it is easy to remove, but you can use an 8″ pie pan or a 9″ cake pan, and line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

HALLOWEEN COOKIE CAKE INGREDIENTS

If you are even an occasional baker, you likely have all of the ingredients necessary to make this cookie cake. Feel free to change up the add-ins based on what your personal preferences are or what you have on hand (looking at you, Halloween m&m and extra candy from that Target impulse buy).

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE CAKE BASE

The base for this Halloween cookie cake is adapted from my basic chocolate chip cookies recipe. 

​BUTTERCREAM GHOSTS

I use my favorite vanilla buttercream frosting for these adorable ghosts, but feel free to use cream cheese frosting or even store-bought if you don’t want to make it from scratch (though I encourage you to!).

HOW TO MAKE HALLOWEEN COOKIE CAKE

My favorite part about this recipe is that it calls for melted butter, so you don’t have to wait for any ingredients come to room temperature (at least for the cookie cake base). You will need room temperature butter for the buttercream, but you can set that out while the cookie cake bakes.

​MAKE THE COOKIE CAKE

STEP #1

Start by combining the dry ingredients by whisking together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt and set this mixture aside.

STEP #2 

Next, whisk together the melted butter and both sugars until smooth. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until completely combined.

STEP #3

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until no flour lumps remain, then fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles. Press the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan, bake, and allow to cool completely before adding buttercream ghosts.

MAKE THE HOMEMADE FROSTING

STEP #4

First, beat the butter on medium-high until it is smooth, which will take about about 2 minutes.

STEP #5

Reduce the mixer to low, then slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until everything is combined. Add the vanilla extract and mix again.

STEP #6

Slowly add the milk or cream, watching for and stopping at desired consistency. Add the salt, then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until completely smooth.

MY BEST BUTTERCREAM TIP FOR SMOOTH FROSTING

In order to remove the air bubbles from your frosting to insure it produces smooth piped designs, turn off the mixer and use a spatula to slowly stir the buttercream by hand. By stirring it and pressing it up against the sides of the bowl, you can keep it smooth and creamy. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes, but can take longer, especially if your mixer is very strong.

PIPE FROSTING GHOSTS AND ADD HALLOWEEN SPRINKLES

Remove the cooled cookie cake from the springform pan and place it on serving platter before decorating. Fill a pastry bag with the frosting and pipe ghosts onto the inside border on top of the cookie cake and add two candy eyeballs per ghost. If using, add sprinkles before the frosting sets.

MORE HALLOWEEN FAVORITES

For my entire Halloween food collection, visit all of my Halloween recipes.