The spooky season whispers, chills creep in, and what better way to celebrate than with a dessert that's equal parts adorable and eerie? Enter monster eye cookies, a Halloween baking staple that's as fun to make as it is to devour. These whimsical treats combine chewy, gooey cookies with playful candy eyeballs.
The foundation of any good monster eye cookie lies in its rich, chewy dough. It's made with minimal ingredients and pairs well with a bowl of 5 ingredient chili and garlic bread loaf.
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Ingredients
To make your monster eye cookies you will need:
- A cake mix box--you can use triple chocolate, devils food, or Halloween funfetti cake mixes
- egg
- Cool Whip or stabilized whipped cream
- oil
- Monster candy eyes
Instructions
Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and lightly greasing a cookie sheet; set it aside.
In a mixing bowl, set the mixer to medium-low and combine all ingredients, excluding the monster candy eyes.
Shape the dough into one-inch balls and arrange them on the prepared cookie sheet, leaving a few inches of space between each cookie. Gently press 1-3 monster eyes into each cookie.
Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes. Once done, take them out of the oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for several minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire cooling rack to complete the cooling process.
Substitutions
You can make these cookies into gluten free monster cookies pretty easy with a few simple changes. I've also added a few other substitutions you can make for other dietary needs or preferences.
- Gluten free: Use a gluten free chocolate cake mix or gluten free Funfetti cake mix.
- Dairy free: You will want to substitute a dairy free Cool whip for this recipe.
- Vegan: Omit the egg and use an egg replacer.
Storing
You can store your cookies in an airtight container for several days or freeze cookies for up to one month. Thaw to eat.
Equipment
You will want a cookie sheet and cooling rack when making these cookies.
Variations
While candy eyeballs are the stars of these cookies, feel free to use chocolate chips, chopped nuts, sprinkles, and even dried fruit.
For the eyeballs you can choose classic white with black pupils for a traditional look, or get creative with multicolored eyeballs for a more vibrant monster mash. Gummy eyeballs offer a chewy alternative, while mini marshmallows with chocolate chips embedded in them can create a homemade "eyeball" effect.
Tips and Tricks
- Line your baking sheet: Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Chill the dough: Chilling helps prevent spreading and ensures chewy cookies.
- Don't overmix: Overmixing can lead to tough cookies. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Use room-temperature ingredients: This ensures even blending and better texture.
- Get creative with decorations: Use icing, sprinkles, and other edible goodies to personalize your monster cookies.
- Bake in batches: Don't overcrowd the pan, as this can lead to uneven baking.
FAQ
Chilling helps prevent spreading and ensures those chewy pockets of goodness, so it's highly recommended but not necessary. Aim for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Several factors can contribute to this. Using too much liquid, overmixing the dough, or baking at a slightly higher temperature than recommended can cause spreading. Chill the dough, check your measurements, and adjust the baking time if needed.
A dab of melted chocolate, icing, or even peanut butter can secure your googly friends to the cookie base.
Monster Eye Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
- Parchment paper
- cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix-triple chocolate devils food, or Halloween Funfetti cake mixes recommended
- 1 egg
- 1 8 ounce container Cool Whip or 3 cups stabilized whipped cream
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Monster candy eyes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl with the mixer set to medium low, stir together all ingredients minus the monster candy eyes.
- Roll dough into one inch balls and place on cookie sheet leaving a couple of inches space in between cookies. lightly press 1-3 monster eyes into each cookie.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet before moving cookies to wire cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
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