These spooky Halloween cookies meet at the intersection of fun and easy - Simple sugar cookies covered with a few layers of frosting to create an eerie eyeball effect.
Well would you look at them peepers!
This easy Halloween treat combines sugar cookies and frosting for a spooky surprise that'll give any trickster a pause.
Plus, if you're in a hurry, you can use store-bought cookies and frosting for a quick fix.
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Ingredients
Below you'll find recommendations and additional helpful information for key ingredients. A full list with measurements is available in the recipe card.
- Sugar cookies: Store-bought and homemade sugar cookies work equally well for this tutorial. Most grocery store bakeries will sell round, unfrosted cookies if you want to buy them.
- Frosting: Just about any frosting, store-bought or homemade, will work well for this recipe. If you want to make your own, I recommend a buttercream or cream cheese frosting.
- Food coloring: A gel or oil-based food coloring works best for these cookies because it creates a deeper color without thinning the frosting.
Working ahead
Homemade sugar cookie dough can be flattened into a disc, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before rolling out.
Homemade frosting can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Bring it to room temperature and whip for a few minutes before frosting your cookies.
Step-by-step instructions
First, bake your sugar cookies (if you're not buying them).
I created two different size cookies using 2" and 3" round cookie cutters.
Second, spread a thin layer of white frosting over the cookies.
Spread the frosting out to the edges, particularly if you're using a dark-colored cookie.
Third, add the iris.
Spread a thin layer of colored frosting over the center of the circle to make the iris.
I like to use a smaller cookie cutter to create a guide on top of the white frosting to make sure the iris is centered and even.
Fourth, embellish.
Place a little bit of the food coloring you used to tint the frosting with on a small plate.
With a small, food-safe brush, paint streaks of food coloring onto the irises.
Fifth, add the pupil.
Pipe a small dot of black frosting into the center of the irises.
Finally, add white reflections.
Pipe two small dots of white frosting onto the pupils, using a toothpick to pull the bottom one down and in.
Expert tips
- If you're baking your cookies, make sure they've cooled completely before you begin frosting.
- Sugar cookies lost their shape while baking: Re-cut the cookies with the same cookie cutter immediately after removing the tray from the oven.
- Smooth frosting: The easiest way to get a nice, smooth layer of frosting is to place the cookies on a revolving cake stand and use a small offset spatula to smooth the frosting as you turn the top.
Variations
Love the design but want a few more flavor options? Here are some fun variations:
- Cookies: You can use any cookie that holds its shape for this design. A few of my favorites include chocolate sugar cookies and pumpkin spice sugar cookies.
Storage
Unfrosted sugar cookies can be stored in a cookie jar at room temperature for 2-3 days or in a cool, dry, airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Frosted cookies should be stored per the frosting's instructions (store-bought can be stored at room temperature) for as long as the frosting is good.
More spooky treats
Looking for a few more spooky treats for your Halloween dessert table? Here are a few more of my favorites:
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I regularly update these posts and feedback from wonderful readers like you help me improve them.
Recipe
Eyeball Cookies
These easy Halloween sugar cookies feature a spooky frosting eye design simple enough to make with the kids.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 dozen sugar cookies
- 1 - 1 ½ cups frosting
- Black food coloring
- Food coloring for desired iris colors
Instructions
- Bake sugar cookies (if you're making homemade sugar cookies). Allow to cool completely.
- Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting over the top of each cookie. A thin layer is easier to spread smooth with no rim around the edge than a thicker layer.
- Evenly divide the remaining frosting between the number of colors you want to use for the irises, with about ¼ cup leftover for the black pupils and white reflections.
- Tint the frosting for the irises. Spread a thin layer over the center of the cookies.
- Place a few dollops of food coloring (the same as you used for the irises) onto a plate.
- Using a small, food-safe brush, paint the food coloring onto the colored part of each eye working from the outer edge inward.
- Color half of the remaining frosting black. Pipe a small dollop onto the center of each eye to create the pupil.
- Swirl the black frosting into place using a toothpick or gently spread with an offset spatula.
- Pipe two small dots of white frosting onto the pupils, using a toothpick to pull the bottom dot down and in.
Notes
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- If you're baking your cookies, make sure they've cooled completely before you begin frosting.
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- Sugar cookies lost their shape while baking: Re-cut the cookies with the same cookie cutter immediately after removing the tray from the oven.
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- Smooth frosting: The easiest way to get a nice, smooth layer of frosting is to place the cookies on a revolving cake stand and use a small offset spatula to smooth the frosting as you turn the top.
Sue says
Well these are fun!