Halloween Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
I always thought Crinkle Cookies we're a science experiment I'd never understand. But they're not. They're so Simple, so delicious and these Halloween ones are so cute.
GLUTEN FREE DESSERT RECIPE
Lauren Vasnelis
10/19/2026
Halloween Cyclops Crinkle Cookies
These Halloween Cyclops Crinkle Cookies are almost too cute to eat! They’re rich, chocolatey, soft on the inside, and covered in a beautiful powdered-sugar coating that cracks as they bake, giving each cookie its own spooky little personality.
And the best part? Those giant candy eyeballs! They turn an otherwise simple chocolate crinkle cookie into an adorable little Halloween monster. I love how no two cookies look exactly alike, especially with the contrast between the dark chocolate cracks, white powdered sugar, and oversized candy eyes.
I also add white chocolate chips to my dough for little bursts of sweetness throughout the cookies. Between the chocolate, the powdered sugar, and the candy eyes, these are such a fun treat for Halloween parties, school celebrations, or just a cozy October baking day.
The recipe itself is incredibly simple. The only real waiting involved is chilling the dough for an hour before baking. After that, you just scoop, roll, decorate, and bake!
And of course, I make mine completely gluten-free and dairy-free, but these cookies are for everyone! Conventional flour, butter, and chocolate chips can easily be substituted at a 1-to-1 ratio if you don’t follow either of those diets.
Yield: Approximately 12–14 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes (estimated)
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 12–15 minutes
Equipment
Stand mixer or hand mixer
2-tablespoon cookie scoop
Ingredient Breakdown
Gluten-Free Flour
I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, which is my go-to flour blend for most of my gluten-free baking.
It gives these cookies structure while allowing them to remain soft and tender inside. Because it’s designed for one-to-one substitutions, it’s incredibly easy to work with in traditional cookie recipes.
If gluten isn’t an issue for you, regular all-purpose flour works perfectly well here too.
Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder gives these cookies their rich chocolate flavor and dark color.
It’s also what creates that beautiful contrast when the cookies spread and crack through their white powdered-sugar coating.
I recommend using unsweetened cocoa powder so you can control the sweetness of the finished cookies.
White Sugar
White sugar sweetens the cookies and helps create their soft texture.
Beating the sugar with the egg for several minutes incorporates air into the mixture, helping create a lighter cookie dough before the dry ingredients are added.
Egg
The egg helps bind the cookie dough together and contributes to the soft, slightly fudgy center.
It’s especially important in gluten-free baking because it provides additional structure.
Dairy-Free Butter
I use melted dairy-free butter to add richness and moisture to the cookies.
Melted butter also helps create a soft chocolate dough that’s easy to combine with the other ingredients.
Regular melted butter can be substituted if dairy isn’t an issue.
Baking Powder
Baking powder gives the cookies a little lift as they bake, helping create their soft texture and characteristic crinkled appearance.
Vanilla
Vanilla enhances the chocolate flavor and adds a little warmth and sweetness without overpowering the cocoa.
White Chocolate Chips
I love adding white chocolate chips because they create little pockets of creamy sweetness throughout the rich chocolate cookie.
I use dairy-free white chocolate chips, but conventional white chocolate works just as well if dairy isn’t an issue.
Make sure the white chocolate chips you’re using are actually dairy-free if you’re following a dairy-free diet, since traditional white chocolate contains milk ingredients.
Powdered Sugar
Powdered sugar is what gives crinkle cookies their signature appearance.
Rolling the dough generously in powdered sugar before baking creates a white coating that separates as the cookies spread, revealing the dark chocolate dough underneath.
The result is that beautiful cracked, almost snowy appearance.
Halloween Candy Eyeballs
The candy eyeballs are technically optional, but if we’re making Halloween Cyclops cookies, I think they’re pretty necessary!
I use one large candy eye per cookie to give each one that adorable little monster look.
If you’re strictly gluten-free or dairy-free, check the packaging on your candy decorations to make sure they meet your dietary needs.
Ingredients
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
1 cup gluten-free flour
I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
¾ cup white sugar
1 egg
Splash of vanilla
3 tablespoons dairy-free butter, melted
¼ cup dairy-free white chocolate chips
½ cup powdered sugar, for rolling
Halloween Decorations
Large candy eyeballs, one per cookie (optional)
Instructions
1. Beat the Egg and Sugar
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg and white sugar together for approximately 3–4 minutes, until the mixture becomes pale, thick, and fluffy.
This helps incorporate air into the mixture and gives the cookies a lighter texture.
2. Add the Wet Ingredients
Add the vanilla and melted dairy-free butter to the egg and sugar mixture.
Mix until everything is completely combined.
3. Add the Dry Ingredients
Add the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
Mix until everything comes together and forms a soft chocolate cookie dough.
4. Fold in the White Chocolate Chips
Gently fold in the white chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
I use dairy-free white chocolate chips, but conventional white chocolate chips work just as well if dairy isn’t an issue.
5. Chill the Dough
Cover the dough and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour.
This helps the dough firm up so it’s easier to scoop and roll into balls.
6. Roll the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 325°F.
Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out the chilled dough and roll each portion into a ball.
Roll each ball generously in powdered sugar until completely coated.
Place the coated dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving some space between each cookie.
Don’t flatten the cookies before baking. Leave them in their round, ball-shaped form so they can spread and develop those beautiful crinkles in the oven.
7. Add the Candy Eyes
Place one large candy eyeball on top of each cookie dough ball.
Don’t press it too deeply into the dough. You just want it resting on top.
I love the oversized candy eyes because they give these cookies that adorable little Cyclops monster look.
8. Bake
Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of your preheated oven.
Bake at 325°F for approximately 12–15 minutes, until the cookies have spread and developed their crinkled appearance.
Mine were perfectly crinkled at around 15 minutes.
I recommend using the middle rack rather than the top rack, because the candy eyeballs can melt or become distorted if they’re too close to the upper heating element.
9. Gently Flatten (Optional)
Once the cookies come out of the oven, you can gently press them down a little if you’d prefer a flatter cookie.
I did this with mine because I wanted them just slightly less rounded.
Be careful around the candy eyeballs because both the cookies and the decorations will still be very hot.
10. Cool and Enjoy
Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
Serve and enjoy your adorable Halloween Cyclops Crinkle Cookies!
Lauren’s Tips 💛
Don’t Skip Chilling the Dough
Chilling for an hour makes the dough much easier to handle and helps control how much the cookies spread in the oven.
Be Generous With the Powdered Sugar
You want a good coating of powdered sugar on the outside of each cookie ball.
That’s what creates the beautiful contrast between the white exterior and dark chocolate cracks as the cookies bake.
Don’t Flatten Before Baking
Leave the cookies in little spheres when you put them onto the baking sheet.
They’ll naturally spread and develop their crinkled appearance as they bake.
Keep the Candy Eyes on Top
Don’t push the candy eyeballs deep into the dough.
Just gently position one on each cookie before baking. You want them to remain visible as the cookies spread.
Use the Middle Oven Rack
This is especially important with the candy decorations.
Keeping the baking sheet away from the top heating element reduces the risk of the candy eyes melting.
Flatten After Baking If You Want
I gently pressed mine down after baking to make them a little flatter, but this is completely optional.
Just be careful because those candy eyes will still be hot!
Make Them Without the Eyeballs
If you don’t have candy eyes or you’re making these outside of Halloween, simply leave them off.
You’ll still have delicious chocolate crinkle cookies with white chocolate chips!
Notes
This recipe makes approximately 12–14 cookies, depending on the size of your cookie scoop.
Chill the dough for approximately 1 hour before scooping and rolling.
Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop for relatively uniform cookies.
Roll the dough generously in powdered sugar for the best crinkle appearance.
Leave the dough balls round before baking rather than flattening them.
Bake at 325°F for 12–15 minutes on the middle oven rack.
Candy eyeballs can soften or melt if placed too close to the upper heating element.
If desired, gently flatten the cookies immediately after baking.
Allow the cookies to cool completely before serving.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for approximately 3–4 days.
Regular all-purpose flour, butter, and white chocolate chips can be substituted at a 1-to-1 ratio if gluten and dairy aren’t concerns.
Please check ingredient labels carefully. While all of my recipes are designed to be gluten-free and dairy-free, not every product I use is certified gluten-free. Always verify ingredient labels, especially on white chocolate chips and candy decorations, to ensure they meet your dietary needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a crinkle cookie different from a regular cookie?
Crinkle cookies are rolled in powdered sugar before baking.
As the dough spreads in the oven, the powdered-sugar coating cracks apart, revealing the darker cookie underneath.
This creates their signature crinkled appearance.
Do I have to chill the dough?
I recommend it.
Chilling makes the dough easier to handle and helps prevent excessive spreading during baking.
Can I use regular flour?
Absolutely. I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, but regular all-purpose flour works well if gluten isn’t an issue.
Can I use regular butter?
Yes. I make mine dairy-free, but regular melted butter can be substituted at a 1-to-1 ratio.
Can I leave out the white chocolate chips?
Yes. The white chocolate chips add little pockets of sweetness, but the cookies will still be delicious without them.
Can I use regular chocolate chips instead?
Absolutely. Regular chocolate chips or dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips would work well if you prefer a more intense chocolate flavor.
Why do you beat the egg and sugar for so long?
Beating the egg and sugar for several minutes incorporates air into the mixture.
This helps create a lighter, slightly fluffy base before the other ingredients are added.
Why do I roll the cookies in powdered sugar?
The powdered sugar creates the signature crinkle appearance.
As the cookies bake and spread, the white coating separates and reveals the chocolate underneath.
Why shouldn’t I flatten the cookies before baking?
Leaving the dough balls round allows them to spread naturally in the oven.
This helps create the cracked appearance as the dough expands through the powdered-sugar coating.
Can I flatten the cookies after baking?
Yes! I actually did this with mine.
If you’d like a slightly flatter cookie, gently press it down while it’s still warm from the oven.
Just be careful around the candy eyeballs because they’ll be hot.
Why do you bake these on the middle oven rack?
The candy eyeballs can soften or melt when exposed to too much direct heat.
The middle rack helps keep the cookies farther away from the upper heating element.
Can I make these without candy eyeballs?
Of course!
Without the eyeballs, they’re simply delicious chocolate crinkle cookies.
You could also decorate them differently for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or another holiday.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare the dough ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.
If it becomes very firm, allow it to sit briefly at room temperature until it’s easy enough to scoop.
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes. You can freeze the uncoated cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container.
When you’re ready to bake, allow them to soften enough to roll in powdered sugar, then add the candy eyes and bake.
The baking time may need to be adjusted depending on how cold the dough is.
How should I store the finished cookies?
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for approximately 3–4 days.
If stacking them, you can place parchment paper between layers to help protect the powdered-sugar coating and candy decorations.