Spooky Sourdough Halloween Cookies

Name: Spooky Sourdough Halloween Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 350 g All Purpose Flour; 25 g Cocoa Powder; 6 g Baking Soda; 6 g Corn Starch; 2 g Salt; 150 g Chocolate Chips; 100 g Peanut Butter Chips; 100 g Sourdough Starter (or Sourdough Discard); 180 g Salted Butter (melted); 160 g Brown Sugar; 100 g White Sugar; 1 Egg; 1 Egg Yolk; 5 g Vanilla Extract; 50 g Halloween Sprinkles; 50 g Chocolate Chips (or peanut butter chips if you prefer)

by Isabella Reed Published: September 18, 2025

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Oh my gosh, you HAVE to try these sourdough Halloween cookies! They’re my absolute favorite spooky season treat – imagine the classic chocolate chip cookie got a haunted makeover with tangy sourdough magic and festive Halloween sprinkles. I’ve been baking these every October since my sourdough starter, “Bready Mercury,” was just a baby!

What makes these special? That sourdough discard adds this incredible subtle tang that plays so nicely with rich chocolate and peanut butter chips. It’s like your taste buds are trick-or-treating! Plus, those colorful sprinkles make them look adorable peeking out from lunchboxes or dessert platters at Halloween parties.

As someone who’s baked professionally and now runs baking classes from my home kitchen, trust me – these cookies strike the perfect balance between fun and flavor. They’re soft, slightly chewy, and have that sourdough depth that makes people go, “Wait…what’s that amazing flavor?” Just try not to eat all the dough before baking – though I won’t judge if you do!

Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Halloween Cookies

Let me tell you why these cookies have become my go-to Halloween tradition – and why you’ll be obsessed too:

That sourdough magic: The starter adds this incredible depth of flavor that makes ordinary chocolate chip cookies seem boring in comparison. It’s not overpowering – just a delightful tang that keeps people guessing!
Foolproof baking: Even if you’re new to sourdough, this recipe is practically mistake-proof. No fancy techniques – just mix, scoop, and bake!
Halloween spirit in every bite: Those colorful sprinkles peeking through the chocolatey dough? Pure festive joy!
Kid-approved (and adult-approved!): My picky nephew gobbles these up while my foodie friends beg for the recipe.
Perfect texture: Crisp edges with that soft, slightly chewy center that makes cookie monsters out of all of us!

Seriously, once you try these, you’ll understand why I make triple batches every October!

Ingredients for Sourdough Halloween Cookies

Okay, let’s gather our cookie squad! Here’s everything you’ll need to make these spooky-licious treats. I’ve included all my little prep notes too – because trust me, details like melted vs softened butter make ALL the difference.

350 g All Purpose Flour – I swear by King Arthur, but any good quality flour works
25 g Cocoa Powder – Dutch-processed gives that deep chocolate flavor
6 g Baking Soda – Please check it’s fresh! Nothing worse than flat cookies
6 g Corn Starch – Our secret weapon for that perfect chewy texture
2 g Salt – Just a pinch to balance all the sweetness
150 g Chocolate Chips – I use semi-sweet, but milk chocolate works too for extra sweetness
100 g Peanut Butter Chips – Reese’s are my fave, but omit if you have allergies
100 g Sourdough Starter (or Discard) – Straight from the fridge is fine! No need to feed it first
180 g Salted Butter, melted – Melted gives these that perfect chewy texture
160 g Brown Sugar – Pack it in there good and tight when measuring
100 g White Sugar – The combo with brown sugar makes magic happen
1 Large Egg + 1 Egg Yolk – Extra yolk means extra richness!
5 g Vanilla Extract – Splurge on the good stuff – it’s worth it
50 g Halloween Sprinkles – The more colorful, the better!
50 g Extra Chocolate Chips – For pressing on top because… why not?

Pro tip: Measure everything before you start – it makes the process so much smoother when you’re not scrambling mid-mix. Now let’s make some cookie magic!

How to Make Sourdough Halloween Cookies

Alright, let’s get baking! These sourdough Halloween cookies come together so easily, but I’ve got all my best tips to make sure yours turn out perfect. The key is taking it step by step – we’ll mix the dry and wet ingredients separately first, then bring everything together in cookie harmony!

Preparing the Dough

First things first – preheat that oven to 350°F (175°C). While it’s heating up, let’s make the dough. Grab two bowls – one for dry ingredients and one for wet.

In the first bowl, whisk together your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, corn starch, and salt. Really get in there and mix it well – we want all those dry friends to get to know each other properly!

Now for the wet ingredients: In the second bowl, combine your melted butter (make sure it’s cooled slightly!), brown sugar, white sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Whisk it until it’s smooth and gorgeous. Then stir in your sourdough starter or discard – don’t worry if it looks a little funky at first, that’s just the sourdough magic starting!

Shaping and Decorating the Cookies

Okay, now the fun part! Gradually add your dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix – we want tender cookies, not tough ones! Then fold in your chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion out dough balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Roll them gently between your palms, then place them about 2 inches apart on your baking sheet. Now for the Halloween magic – press extra chocolate chips and those colorful sprinkles right into the tops of each cookie dough ball. Go wild with the sprinkles – more is more when it comes to Halloween!

Baking and Cooling Tips

Bake your cookies for 10-12 minutes. Here’s my pro tip: at 10 minutes, they’ll be super soft and chewy (my personal fave!). At 12 minutes, you’ll get slightly crispier edges. Either way, the centers might look a tad underdone when you take them out – that’s perfect! They’ll keep cooking a bit on the hot baking sheet.

Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (this patience test is the hardest part!), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. I know it’s tempting, but try to wait until they’re at least slightly cooled before diving in – hot chocolate chips are sneaky little burners!

Tips for Perfect Sourdough Halloween Cookies

After baking dozens (okay, maybe hundreds) of these cookies, I’ve picked up some game-changing tricks to make sure yours turn out absolutely perfect every single time. Here are my must-know tips:

Active starter vs. discard: Either works beautifully here! I actually prefer using discard straight from the fridge because it gives that lovely tang without making the dough too sticky. No need to feed your starter first – lazy bakers rejoice!

The golden minute rule: Watch your bake time like a hawk after 10 minutes. That 60-second window between 10-11 minutes makes all the difference between soft-and-chewy and crisp-edged perfection. My trick? Set the timer for 10 minutes, then check every 30 seconds until they look just right.

Don’t be a dough bully: When mixing, stop as soon as you don’t see flour streaks anymore. Overmixing develops too much gluten and gives you tough cookies instead of tender bites of happiness. A few small lumps are totally fine!

Storage smarts: These keep amazingly well in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days (if they last that long!). For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies between parchment paper – they thaw perfectly in about 30 minutes. Or be like me and sneak frozen ones straight from the freezer when a cookie emergency strikes!

Baking sheet strategy: If you’re making multiple batches, let your baking sheet cool completely between batches. I keep a spare sheet pan in the freezer for quick cooling – hot pans make cookies spread too much.

Ingredient Substitutions and Variations

Listen, I know we don’t always have every single ingredient on hand when a cookie craving hits – or maybe you want to put your own spooky spin on these! Here are all my favorite swaps and variations that still give you amazing results. The best part? You can mix and match these ideas to make the cookies uniquely yours.

No peanut butter chips? No problem! Try these instead:

Almond butter chips for a sophisticated twist
White chocolate chips for extra sweetness
Chopped toasted nuts (pecans are my favorite with chocolate)
Or just double up on regular chocolate chips – because more chocolate is never wrong!

Out of sourdough starter? I’ve been there! You can:

Replace it with 50g buttermilk + 50g flour for similar tang
Use plain yogurt in a pinch (reduce other liquids slightly)
Or just leave it out – your cookies will still be delicious, just without that special sourdough flavor

Need gluten-free? Easy fix:

Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free blend (I love Bob’s Red Mill)
Add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum if your blend doesn’t include it
The texture might be slightly different but still totally yummy

Not a cocoa fan? Make them plain and spooky:

Skip the cocoa powder and add extra 25g flour
Use orange and black sprinkles for maximum Halloween vibes
Or add 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice for a fall flavor twist

Want to get fancy? Try these upgrades:

Swirl in some orange food coloring for ghostly marbled cookies
Press candy eyes on top after baking for silly monster faces
Drizzle with white chocolate “cobwebs” when cooled

The beauty of this recipe is how adaptable it is! Whether you’re dealing with allergies, pantry shortages, or just feeling creative, there’s always a way to make these cookies work. Just remember – baking is supposed to be fun, so don’t stress about “perfect” substitutions. Some of my best cookie experiments started with “Hmm, I wonder if this would work…”

Storing and Serving Suggestions

Okay, let’s talk about keeping these Halloween treats fresh – and all the delicious ways to serve them! Because let’s be real, you might not eat all two dozen cookies in one sitting (though I wouldn’t blame you if you tried). Here’s everything I’ve learned about storing and enjoying these sourdough gems.

Keeping them fresh: These cookies stay perfectly soft and delicious in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I like to tuck a slice of bread in the container – the cookies absorb just enough moisture from it to stay extra soft. Just replace the bread when it gets hard!

Freezing like a pro: These freeze beautifully! For baked cookies, layer them between parchment paper in a freezer bag – they’ll keep for up to 3 months. The best part? You can eat them straight from the freezer (the chocolate stays slightly soft!) or let them thaw at room temp for 30 minutes.

Dough storage hack: Did you know you can freeze the dough too? Scoop it into balls first, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a bag. When a cookie craving hits, bake straight from frozen – just add 1-2 minutes to the baking time. Fresh-baked cookies anytime!

Serving ideas that wow: These are amazing with:

A big glass of cold milk (the classic!)
Hot coffee for a grown-up treat – the sourdough tang plays so well with coffee’s bitterness
As part of a Halloween dessert board with other spooky treats
Warmed for 10 seconds in the microwave with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (hello, cookie sundae!)
Packed in lunchboxes with a little Halloween note for a sweet surprise

Pro tip: If you’re serving these at a party, arrange them on a cake stand with some fake spider webs for an easy yet impressive Halloween display. The colorful sprinkles peeking through the chocolate dough make them almost too pretty to eat… almost!

Nutritional Information for Sourdough Halloween Cookies

Okay, let’s be real – we don’t eat Halloween cookies for their health benefits! But if you’re curious about what’s in these spooky treats (or need to track for dietary reasons), here’s the breakdown per cookie. Just remember: Nutritional values are estimates and vary based on ingredients used. I calculated these using my standard recipe, but your exact numbers might dance around a bit depending on your specific brands and measurements.

Calories: 180
Total Fat: 8g (5g saturated)
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 120mg
Total Carbohydrates: 24g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 12g
Protein: 2g

Now, my baker’s confession: I’ve been known to sneak an extra tablespoon of peanut butter chips into mine (oops!), which bumps up those numbers a bit. And if you use milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet, expect slightly higher sugar content. But honestly? When you’re enjoying that perfect bite of chocolatey, tangy, sprinkle-studded happiness, these numbers are just fun trivia – the real magic is in the taste!

Frequently Asked Questions

I get so many questions about these sourdough Halloween cookies – which makes me so happy because it means you’re all baking them! Here are the answers to the questions that pop up most often in my DMs and baking classes:

Can I use unfed sourdough starter? Absolutely! In fact, I almost always use discard straight from the fridge. The unfed starter gives that perfect tang without making the dough too sticky. No need to feed it first – this is the lazy baker’s dream recipe!

How can I make my cookies crispier? Two easy tricks: 1) Bake them for the full 12 minutes (or even 13 if your oven runs cool) and 2) Let them cool completely on the baking sheet instead of transferring to a rack. The extra time on the hot pan gives them that wonderful crisp edge while keeping the center chewy.

Can I freeze the cookie dough? You bet! I always keep a batch of dough balls in my freezer for emergency cookie cravings. Just scoop them first, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a bag. When the mood strikes, bake from frozen – just add 1-2 extra minutes. Fresh cookies anytime!

Why do my cookies spread too much? Usually it’s one of three things: 1) Your butter was too warm when mixing (it should be melted but cooled), 2) The baking sheet was still warm from previous batches, or 3) The dough got too warm while portioning. Chill the dough for 30 minutes if needed!

Can I make these without chocolate chips? Of course! The peanut butter chips alone are delicious, or you can go wild with other mix-ins like chopped candy bars, toffee bits, or even crushed pretzels for a sweet-salty twist. Halloween is all about creativity, right?

Spooky Sourdough Halloween Cookies