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–+ servings
Photo of a Halloween cookie cake with green and purple rim with candy eyeballs for decoration in the middle of the cake are several meringue ghosts making it a perfect Halloween dessert

Halloween Cookie Cake

Author Erin Dooner
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 slices
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
This Halloween cookie cake features a soft chocolate chip base, colorful buttercream, and fun ghost meringues. Make it with regular or gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients. It's also vegan-friendly if you skip or swap the ghosts.

Ingredients

For the cookie dough:

  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter room temp, or 7.5 tbsp (105 grams) solid refined coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1 large egg 50 grams out of shell, room temp
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) flour see notes
  • 1 3/4 cups (298 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:

  • 1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter room temp
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • purple + green food coloring see notes

For decoration:

Instructions

Make the cookie cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) line the bottom of an 8” (23 cm) springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides.
  • In a large mixing bowl with a stand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
    1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar, 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Sprinkle the baking soda and salt on top, beat until combined, and then add in the flour on low speed.
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) flour
  • Stir in the chocolate chips until combined.
    1 3/4 cups (298 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Press into the prepared springform pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned. The center should have firmed up and not appear wet at all. If you were to dig in right now, it would be gooey.
  • Let cool completely, about 2 hours, before frosting.

Make the buttercream:

  • Place all of the buttercream ingredients, except the food coloring, in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, start by beating on low speed until the ingredients are well combined. Then increase to high speed and continue mixing until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
    1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar, pinch of salt
  • Remove half (96 grams each - a bit under 1/2 cup) of the frosting to another bowl.
  • Color half with green and half with purple.
    purple + green food coloring
  • Pipe alternating green and purple swirls with Wilton tip 22 around the border of the cake. I did the green swirls, leaving a spot between each one for purple, and then did the purple swirls. Add eyeballs to the piping
    candy eyeballs
  • Before serving, add the meringue ghosts in the middle, or around the border.
    1/2 batch ghost Meringues

Make ahead and how to store/freeze:

  • The cookie dough can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated. On the countertop, the baked cookie cake will last up to 3 days in an airtight container. But it’s freshest on the day of baking. The buttercream can also be made 3 days in advance, as well. It’ll harden a bit in the fridge. Just let it come to room temp, and it’ll be easier to pipe. You can freeze the cookie cake but without the meringue ghosts. Wrap the cookie cake tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, and it’ll last up to 3 months.

Notes

  • For the flour, you can use all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour. If you're gluten-free, King Arthur Flour Gluten-free Measure for Measure Flour gave me the best results. Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour also worked, but the cake was a bit sandy.
  • The photographer used Wilton gel food coloring. I used Color Kitchen natural food coloring with great results. See the post for a picture of how my buttercream came out.
  • For vegan: use coconut oil or vegan butter in the cookie dough and vegan butter for the buttercream. Also use a chia egg, vegan chocolate chips and plant-based milk. Omit the meringue ghosts and use homemade candy eyeballs.
  • For dairy-free: the same as above, except you'll likely be able to use store-bought candy eyeballs. But check the ingredients!
  • For gluten-free: you just have to use the GF flour I recommended. Most candy eyeballs are GF, but check the ingredients.
  • Base heavily adapted from this Epicurious recipe.
  • Nutritional information calculated based on a yield of 12 slices, and does not include the Ghost Meringues
  • The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.

Nutrition

Calories: 408kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 4gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 156mgPotassium: 189mgFiber: 3gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 389IUCalcium: 33mgIron: 3mgNet Carbs: 46
Tried this recipe?Tag me today! Mention @texanerin or tag #texanerin! Thanks. 🖤