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A batch of jack-o’-lantern cookies gives you plenty of opportunities for crooked grins and silly faces, and what could be a more fun Halloween activity than whipping up a batch of these cuties? They’re buttery spice cookies with a rich chocolate ganache filling that peeks through the eyes and mouths. Did you know people used to carve turnips instead of pumpkins? I promise these cookies are much more delicious!
Why You’ll Love It
I like Halloween cookies that leave room for a little creativity. The faces don’t have to match, and a lopsided grin makes them all the more adorable.
No piping required: You cut the faces into the dough instead of having to draw them with icing.
More than basic decorated cookies: Each one gives you a pair of buttery spice cookies and a creamy chocolate filling.
Get a head start: I like to bake the cookies ahead and fill them later. You can also freeze the unfilled cookies until you need them.
Also try my Nutter Butter ghost cookies, Halloween crinkle cookies, Oreo-stuffed cookie monster cookies, peanut butter spider cookies or witch hat cookies.
Halloween Sandwich Cookies Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Unsalted butter: I like to let the butter come to room temperature before starting, so it mixes easily with the sugars.
Light brown sugar: Pack it into the measuring cup. I find the mild molasses flavor works well with the warm spices.
Eggs: Bring them to room temperature so they mix more evenly into the butter.
All-purpose flour: Spoon it into the measuring cup and level the top instead of scooping directly from the bag. Too much flour can leave you with dry dough.
Cornstarch: This helps keep the cookies tender, so don’t leave it out.
Cinnamon, ginger and allspice: These warm spices give the dough its fall spice flavor.
Chocolate chips: Use semisweet chips or a mixture of semisweet and bittersweet if you prefer your filling less sweet.
Heavy whipping cream: Stick with heavy cream for the ganache. The filling needs to be thick enough to spread between the cookies without running out.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the dough: Cream the butter and sugars, beat in the eggs and vanilla, then mix in the combined dry ingredients.
Chill and shape: Refrigerate the dough in disks, then roll it out and cut pumpkin shapes. Cut eyes and mouths into half of the cookies.
Bake the cookies: Bake the Halloween cookies in the oven and then let them cool on a wire rack.
Mix the ganache: Heat the chocolate chips and cream in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Leave it to cool until spreadable.
Fill the sandwiches: Pipe or spread ganache onto the cookies without cutouts, add the face cookies on top and gently press them together. Let the chocolate sandwich filling set before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
Bittersweet chocolate: Prefer a less sweet filling? Swap some of the semisweet chips for bittersweet, keeping the total amount the same.
Orange icing: Add orange frosting to the cooled cookie tops if you want a brighter pumpkin color. Keep the eyes and mouths clear though, so you can see the chocolate.
Different faces: A mini pumpkin cookie cutter is handy for repeating the same design, but a small sharp knife lets you cut your own expressions. Try a few toothy smiles as well as the naughty grins!
Serving Suggestions
Something to sip: Cold milk or coffee goes nicely with the spiced cookies and chocolate. If you’re planning a Halloween party, serve a pitcher of Halloween eyeball punch or some vampire kiss shooters.
A scoop on the side: Serve a cookie with no-churn Halloween ice cream to make a larger dessert, and maybe add some candy corn too. This is a great dessert for the kids!
On the party table: Arrange the cookies face up in a single layer so everyone can pick their favorite pumpkin. Add Halloween pretzel snacks and spooky jello rollups, and some savory bites too, perhaps a Halloween veggie platter or mini Halloween charcuterie boards.
How to Store
Store: Keep the assembled jack-o-lantern cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving. As they contain fresh cream, don’t leave them at room temperature for longer than 2 hours (1 hour if the room is warm).
Freeze: Store the unfilled cookies in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make the ganache when you’re ready to assemble them.
Thaw: Let the unfilled cookies thaw in their container before filling.
Top Tips
Give the faces some space: I’ve experimented with different designs and found that cutting narrow teeth or leaving tiny strips of dough between the openings is very tricky! Those delicate pieces are harder to transfer without breaking.
Go lightly with the flour: Dust the rolling surface just enough to stop the dough sticking. Working lots of extra flour into the dough can make your cookies dry.
Wait before filling: Both the cookies and ganache need to cool before you assemble the jack-o’-lantern cookies. Warm cookies or runny ganache can leave you with chocolate leaking through the faces. That might look scary but not in a good way!
Jack-O’-Lantern Sandwich Cookies FAQs
No. You’ll need a pumpkin-shaped cutter for the outline, but a small sharp knife works for the eyes and mouths. Simple triangles and a wide grin are a good place to start. If you do want to cut the faces, these mini pumpkin cookie cutters make it easy!
Yes, I did and mine came out fine. Bake the unfilled cookies up to 3 days ahead and store them in an airtight container. Fill them the day before serving, or freeze the unfilled cookies if you’re planning further ahead.
The edges should be lightly golden and the centers should look set. They’ll firm up as they cool, so I recommend that you take them out before they feel hard, otherwise they may be dry.
Halloween Jack-O’-Lantern Cookies Recipe
Jack-o’-Lantern Cookies
Equipment
- Sharp Knife or Mini Pumpkin Face Cutters
- Pastry Bag or Offset Spatula
- Saucepan Small
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 ½ Cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1 Cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ Cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, large, at room temperature
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 ⅓ Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- ¼ Teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ Teaspoon ground allspice
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 1 Cup semisweet chocolate chips, or a combination of semisweet and bittersweet chocolate chips
- ½ Cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Cut out 36 pumpkin-shaped cookies. Using a small sharp knife or mini cutters, cut jack-o'-lantern faces into half of the cookies.
- Space the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Add the chocolate chips to a heat-safe bowl and add the cream. Heat in the microwave for 40 seconds.
- Remove the ganache from the microwave and stir well. Allow it to cool until it thickens to a spreadable consistency.
- Pipe or spread a large tablespoon of ganache onto each solid pumpkin cookie, leaving a small border around the edge.
- Place a jack-o'-lantern cookie on top and gently press until the filling reaches the edges.
- Allow the ganache to set for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Go lightly with the flour: Dust the rolling surface just enough to stop the dough sticking. Working lots of extra flour into the dough can make your cookies dry.
Wait before filling: Both the cookies and ganache need to cool before you assemble the jack-o’-lantern cookies. Warm cookies or runny ganache can leave you with chocolate leaking through the faces. That might look scary but not in a good way!
Nutrition
If you want to bake a batch of delicious cookies for Halloween, why not make these super-cute jack-o’-lantern cookies? They’re flavored with cinnamon, ginger and allspice, and are pumpkin-shaped rather than pumpkin-flavored. So, even if you’re not keen on pumpkin, you can enjoy these fun little treats. And if you’re having a Halloween party, a plate of these will look fantastic on your Halloween table!
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
