These Jack Skellington cookies are a fun Halloween treat, with a soft chocolate cake mix cookie base and a smooth white chocolate buttercream frosting. They’re simple to make and perfect for spooky season!
Easy Jack Skellington Cookies
These cookies combine two of my favorite things: Halloween and frosted cake mix cookies. They’re simple to put together, and the decorating part is easy enough that anyone can do it, no matter your skill level. Plus, the Jack Skellington faces make decorating super fun—you can give each cookie its own unique expression.
I’ve always loved making treats with a cake mix base because they’re quick and foolproof, and the frosting adds an extra layer of flavor that makes them even tastier. If you’re like me and love frosted cookies, check out my Grasshopper Cookies with Mint Buttercream and my Hostess Cupcake Cookies with Marshmallow Buttercream. They’re just as easy and delicious!
Simple Ingredients
- Devil’s Food cake mix: This creates a soft, chocolatey base with a deep, rich flavor for the cookies.
- Eggs: Helps bind the dough together and provide structure to the cookies.
- Vegetable oil: Adds moisture and ensures the cookies stay tender.
- Black gel food coloring (optional): You can add this to the dough if you want a darker, more dramatic cookie base.
- White chocolate: Combine with heavy cream to make a white chocolate ganache for the frosting.
- Heavy cream: Used to make a smooth ganache with white chocolate.
- Butter: Forms the creamy base for the frosting, giving it a rich and smooth texture.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting and helps achieve the right consistency for spreading.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a subtle flavor that adds depth to the frosting.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness in the frosting.
- Black candy melts: Used to pipe Jack’s face.
Making the Cookies
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line two cookie trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Prepare the cookie dough: In a large bowl, combine the Devil’s Food Cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and black gel food coloring (if using). Mix until a dough forms. Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the dough, and place them on the prepared cookie trays with at least 2 inches between them.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, until they’re set but still soft in the center. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the white chocolate ganache: Pour the heavy cream over the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Let it sit for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Pour in the cooled white chocolate ganache and beat until smooth and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add a bit more heavy cream to reach your desired consistency.
- Frost the cookies: Spread the white chocolate buttercream frosting evenly over the cooled cookies.
- Decorate Jack Skellington faces: Melt the black candy melts according to the package directions. Transfer the melted candy to a piping bag (or a plastic bag with the tip cut off) and pipe Jack Skellington’s face onto each frosted cookie.
- Set: Allow the candy melt faces to fully set before serving or storing the cookies. Enjoy your spooky Jack Skellington treats!
Variations and substitutions
Different cake mix flavors: Use any chocolate cake mix flavor you like, or switch things up with a vanilla or white cake mix for a lighter base.
Different cookie base: If you’d prefer, use your favorite chocolate cookie or even a sugar cookie base to mix things up.
Vanilla buttercream: For a simpler frosting, you can skip the white chocolate ganache and make vanilla buttercream, thinning it with milk or heavy cream.
Store-bought frosting: If you’re short on time, feel free to use store-bought white frosting to keep things easy.
Substitutes for black candy melts: Instead of black candy melts, you can use dark chocolate chips to pipe Jack’s features or reserve some of the frosting and color it black. Keep in mind that the lines will be thicker if using frosting instead of candy melts.
Tips for Success
- Use a cookie scoop: Use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough for uniform-sized cookies. This ensures even baking and a consistent look.
- Cool the white chocolate ganache: Make sure the ganache is cool before adding it to the buttercream, or it will melt the frosting and make it too runny.
- Cool the cookies completely: Make sure the cookies are fully cooled before frosting, or the buttercream will melt and become too runny.
- Trace faces with a toothpick: Before piping Jack’s features, lightly trace the design on the frosted cookies with a toothpick. This gives you a guide to follow and makes piping easier and more precise.
- Use a piping bag for control: I recommend using a piping bag with a small tip for the best control when piping Jack’s features. If you don’t have one, a small Ziploc bag with the corner cut off will work in a pinch.
How to store the cookies
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
The cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
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Check out these Halloween cookies.
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Jack Skellington Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box Devil’s Food cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- black gel food coloring optional
- 4 ounces white chocolate finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup black candy melts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degree F and line two cookie trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large bowl, combine the Devil’s food cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and black gel food coloring (if using). Mix until a dough forms. Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out the dough, and place them on the prepared trays with at least 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, until they’re set but still soft in the center. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the ganache, pour the heavy cream over the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Let it sit for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Pour in the cooled white chocolate ganache and beat until smooth and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add a bit more heavy cream.
- Spread the white chocolate buttercream frosting evenly over the cooled cookies.
- Melt the black candy melts according to the package directions. Transfer the melted candy to a piping bag (or a plastic bag with the tip cut off) and pipe Jack Skellington’s face onto each frosted cookie.
- Allow the candy melt faces to set completely before serving or storing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- The cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated based on automated calculations and should be considered as an approximation. These estimates are provided as a courtesy. Please use your own brand’s nutritional values to verify accuracy.