Mummy Cookies

These mummy cookies get their black color and Oreo-like flavor from black cocoa powder, so there’s no food coloring needed. They’re soft and chewy with crisp edges, naturally eggless, and can be made with all-purpose, whole wheat or gluten-free flour.

If you want another mummy-themed treat, my Mummy Brownies are just as easy to decorate and can also be made gluten-free and dairy-free.

Black cocoa is what gives Oreos their distinctive dark color and flavor, and that’s exactly what it does here. These are based on my Black Cookies, but the mummy cookies are pressed flat after baking so you have a smooth surface for the icing and candy eyes.

There’s also no need to chill the dough, which makes these especially easy to put together for Halloween.

Ingredients

Please scroll down for the full recipe. These are just notes on select ingredients.

• Flour – all-purpose, white whole wheat and regular whole wheat flour all work. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend; more details are below.
• Black cocoa powder – this gives the cookies their nearly black color and Oreo-like flavor without food coloring. I talk about the brands I tested below.
• Refined coconut oil – refined coconut oil has no coconut flavor, which is why I prefer it here. Unrefined coconut oil also works if you don’t mind some coconut flavor. The oil should be softened but not melted.
• Granulated sugar and brown sugar – this combination gives the cookies the best flavor and texture. Coconut sugar also works, but its stronger flavor takes away from the Oreo flavor.
• Powdered sugar – this forms the white icing used for the mummy bandages, so there isn’t a good substitute here.
• Milk of choice or water – you only need a small amount to thin the icing. Dairy milk, plant-based milk or water all work.
• Candy eyeballs – check the ingredients if you need the cookies to be vegan, since many store-bought candy eyes are not vegan. I also include a homemade option below.

How to Make Them

These mummy cookies are straightforward to make, and the dough doesn’t need to be chilled.

1. Stir together the flour, black cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the coconut oil with both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the water and vanilla, then mix in the dry ingredients.
3. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes so the flour can absorb the moisture.
4. Roll the dough into balls and bake without flattening them first.
5. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, gently press them with the bottom of a smooth, flat glass to remove the puffiness on top.
6. Let the cookies cool completely, then pipe on the icing bandages and attach the candy eyes.

Pressing the cookies after baking is important. I tested flattening them beforehand, but they didn’t look nearly as nice. Baking them as balls and then pressing them while warm gives you the smoothest surface for decorating.

Black Cocoa Powder

Black cocoa is a heavily alkalized cocoa powder that gives these cookies their very dark color and Oreo-like flavor.

For European readers, I tested these cookies with Cacao Barry Noir Intense, formerly sold as Van Houten Intense Deep Black Cocoa, and it worked perfectly.

The cookies in the photos were made in the US with Modern Mountain black cocoa, and they came out just as dark as mine. However, when my photographer later used that brand in my Black Ice Cream, the result was more brown than black.

The Cocoa Trader black cocoa produced a much darker result in that recipe, so if you’re buying one black cocoa powder to use in several recipes, that’s the US brand I recommend.

One unusual thing to know: black cocoa can also temporarily darken your stool after you eat it. That’s simply something to be aware of if you’re not expecting it.

Gluten-Free Option

For gluten-free mummy cookies, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend intended to replace all-purpose flour. Almond flour, coconut flour, oat flour and other single-ingredient flours aren’t direct substitutes in this recipe.

King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour gave me the best texture. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour also worked, although I preferred the King Arthur version.

I haven’t tested other brands, so I can’t guarantee identical results with them.

Can I Use Coconut Sugar?

Yes. You can replace both the granulated sugar and brown sugar with coconut sugar, but I prefer the original version because coconut sugar has a stronger flavor that takes away from the Oreo-like taste of the black cocoa.

I don’t recommend liquid sweeteners such as maple syrup because they would change the wet-to-dry ratio of the dough. I haven’t tested sugar-free sweeteners.

Candy Eyeballs

If you need these cookies to be vegan, check the ingredients on your candy eyeballs carefully. Many store-bought varieties contain ingredients that aren’t vegan.

You can also make your own. My favorite version is this homemade candy eyeball recipe. It uses powdered sugar, starch, vanilla, water and black cocoa powder, so you’ll already have the black cocoa on hand for these cookies.

The homemade eyes can also be made in different sizes, which is especially useful for Halloween cookies and cupcakes.

They take a little time and patience to make, but they can be made well ahead of time and will keep throughout the Halloween season.

Make Ahead & Storage

• Baked cookies – store the undecorated cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Decorated cookies – store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Cookie dough – the dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Freezing baked cookies – baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. If you’re freezing them, I recommend adding the candy eyes after the cookies have thawed and returned to room temperature.

More Halloween Recipes

Halloween Dirt Cups

Halloween Punch with Eyeballs

Mummy Hand Pies

Halloween Fruit Salad

I hope you’ll enjoy these mummy cookies! Please let me know what you think if you try them out. :) Thank you!