Spooktacular Allergy-Friendly Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bats: A Vegan & Top-8-Free Halloween Treat

Delight in a truly spooktacular chocolaty treat this Halloween! These Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bats offer all the fun of classic sugar cookie baking – rolling, cutting out shapes, and decorating – but with a rich, delicious chocolate twist. Specially crafted to be inclusive, these delightful cookies are completely free of wheat, dairy, egg, soy, peanut, and tree nuts, making them a safe and delicious option for those with common food allergies. They are proudly top-8-free and vegan, ensuring everyone can enjoy the festive spirit without worry.

It’s fascinating how much things can change! I used to approach Halloween with a casual indifference, but now, with kids in the picture, it’s an entirely different story. It’s only September, and here I am, already immersed in Halloween spirit, ready to share a festive recipe. The transformation is undeniable; having children has infused my life with a new kind of joy, especially when it comes to celebrating holidays.

A significant part of this newfound enthusiasm stems from the sheer delight of seeing my children’s faces light up. There’s something incredibly rewarding about going the extra mile to create moments that make them smile. They are captivated by anything that looks cool or unique, and I find immense pleasure in experimenting with new variations and exciting ideas to spark their imagination. Honestly, I’m completely addicted to their smiles and the shared excitement these activities bring. Halloween, with its playful costumes, spooky themes, and delicious treats, offers endless opportunities for creating those cherished memories.

The Irresistible Appeal of Chocolate Sugar Cookies

My journey into chocolate sugar cookies began with a simple curiosity, a desire to elevate a classic. Don’t get me wrong, traditional sugar cookies – like my beloved allergy-friendly sugar cookie bars – are absolutely fantastic in their own right. Their buttery sweetness and soft texture are timeless. But, let’s be honest, adding chocolate to anything instantly takes it to a whole new level of deliciousness! The rich, deep cocoa flavor transforms the familiar sugar cookie into something more decadent and intriguing, offering a delightful contrast to its traditional counterpart.

While these chocolate cookies would be wonderfully delicious with a vibrant frosting, the naturally dark hue of the dough presented a perfect opportunity for a Halloween-themed creation. Halloween’s iconic color palette often revolves around black and orange, and the deep brown of these cookies perfectly embodies the “black” element, making them ideal for spooky shapes. This natural dark base means you don’t even need elaborate food coloring to achieve a festive look, simplifying the process while still delivering maximum visual impact.

Bringing the Bat Cave to Your Kitchen

The idea for chocolate sugar cookie bats was an instant hit, especially since my boys have been avid Batman fans for quite some time. This baking project became a wonderful culmination of our collective interests: the indulgence of chocolate, the simple pleasure of cookies, the festive excitement of Halloween, and of course, bats! It was a truly unifying experience, allowing us to combine all our favorite things into one delicious and memorable activity. The bat shape is not only iconic for Halloween but also adds a playful nod to their favorite superhero, making these cookies even more special.

A Family Affair: Baking with Kids (and Costumes!)

To further amplify the Halloween spirit, my son enthusiastically joined in, helping me roll out the cookie dough. He even decided to do so while proudly wearing his previous Halloween costume, Bumblebee! This spontaneous addition made the entire experience even more whimsical and memorable. It’s a wonderful reminder that costumes aren’t just for one night; they can bring joy and imagination to everyday activities, especially in the kitchen. I always cherish these moments when my kids embrace their costumes year-round, extending the fun beyond a single evening.

Working with this chocolate dough is a treat in itself. I must confess, the raw dough was incredibly delicious, almost tasting like a rich brownie batter – making it quite tempting to sneak a bite (or two!). Involving children in the baking process offers so many benefits beyond just making cookies. It teaches them about measurements, encourages creativity, develops fine motor skills, and fosters a love for cooking. Plus, it creates invaluable family bonding time and cherished memories that will last far longer than the cookies themselves.

Creative Decoration: Googly Eyes or Spooky Red Dots?

When it comes to decorating these chocolate bat cookies, you have a couple of fun options to consider, depending on the vibe you’re going for. I opted for playful googly eyes, which instantly make the cookies more kid-friendly and whimsical. These edible candy eyes add a touch of cartoonish charm that children adore.

However, if you’re aiming for a more eerie or traditional Halloween aesthetic, you could easily create small dots of red frosting for “beady” or “scary” eyes. This simple change can transform the bats from cute to creepy, fitting perfectly with a haunted house theme. If you choose the red dots, I highly recommend using an allergy-friendly buttercream recipe and dyeing it red with food coloring. This ensures your decorations remain safe for everyone.

A note on store-bought googly eyes: it can be challenging to find varieties that are completely soy-free, which is an important consideration for many with allergies. Thankfully, soy is one of the few top-8 allergens my son can tolerate, so we often use them. However, if soy is an issue for your family, opting for the red frosting dots is a fantastic, worry-free alternative. You can also find specialty vegan/soy-free candy eyes online from dedicated allergy-friendly brands if you prefer that look (check the notes section for a link!). Whichever decoration you choose, these chocolate bat cookies are sure to be a hit!

Either way, I sincerely hope this recipe helps you establish a fun, new Halloween tradition with your loved ones. Baking together, especially when the treats are as charming and inclusive as these, creates heartwarming memories. Happy (early!) Halloween to everyone!

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Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bats (Gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanut & tree nut free; top-8-free; vegan)

Yield:
18 cookies

Prep Time:
30 minutes

Cook Time:
8 minutes

Total Time:
38 minutes

A chocolaty treat that’s spooktacular. Kids can enjoy rolling and cutting out the shapes, just like regular sugar cookie dough, but with a fun chocolate twist. These Chocolate Sugar Cookies Bats are free of: wheat, dairy, egg, soy, peanut & tree nut free; top-8-free & vegan.

Ingredients

3/4 cup (one and a half sticks) vegan butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 flax egg (1 Tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 2.5 Tablespoons water)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups gluten-free flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
Pinch of salt
fine mesh strainer
Rolling pin
Bat cookie cutters
Candy eye balls

Instructions

**Prepare Dry Ingredients:** In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all your dry ingredients, *excluding* the gluten-free flour and cocoa powder. This initial step ensures even distribution. Next, using a fine mesh strainer, carefully sift the gluten-free flour and cocoa powder directly into the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl. While I sometimes skip this step for other recipes, it’s crucial here because cocoa powder can stubbornly clump, and with no frosting to hide imperfections, you want a perfectly smooth, lump-free cookie dough for uniform texture and appearance.
**Initial Mixing:** Give all the dry ingredients a gentle mix on low speed for about one minute. This light blend ensures everything is well combined before the wet ingredients are introduced, preventing overmixing later on.
**Incorporate Wet Ingredients:** Gradually add all of the wet ingredients (vegan butter, granulated sugar, flax egg, vanilla extract) to the dry mixture. Continue to stir on low speed until everything is thoroughly incorporated and forms a cohesive dough. Be patient; it might take a moment for the dough to come together.
**Chill the Dough:** At this stage, the dough will be quite sticky. This is normal! To make it workable for rolling and cutting, cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour. Chilling allows the vegan butter to firm up and the gluten-free flour to hydrate, resulting in a less sticky, more manageable dough that holds its shape beautifully when cut.
**Prepare for Rolling:** Once chilled, uncover the dough. Prepare your clean working surface by sprinkling it generously with cocoa powder. It’s important to use cocoa powder instead of traditional flour here, as flour would leave unsightly white marks on your dark chocolate dough. If necessary, lightly dust your rolling pin with cocoa powder as well to prevent sticking.
**Roll Out the Dough:** Roll out the dough to a uniform thickness of approximately 1/4 inch. Consistent thickness is key for even baking, ensuring all your bat cookies cook through at the same rate. Feel free to adjust the thickness slightly if you prefer a different texture – thicker cookies will be softer, while thinner ones will be crispier.
**Cut and Arrange:** Using your bat cookie cutters, cut out your desired shapes. Carefully transfer the cut-out bats to a greased baking sheet, leaving a small amount of space between each cookie to prevent them from sticking together as they bake.
**Bake to Perfection:** Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the cookies for just 7-8 minutes. Baking time can vary depending on the exact thickness and size of your cookies, as well as your oven’s calibration. When you pull them out, the cookies will still appear quite soft – this is perfectly normal. Your nose is actually the best indicator of doneness; as soon as you start to smell that wonderful chocolate cookie aroma filling your kitchen, it’s time to take them out! Overbaking will result in hard, dry cookies. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This brief cooling period on the hot pan helps them firm up without becoming too brittle.
**Decorate Your Bats:** Once the cookies are thoroughly cooled, it’s time for the fun part: decorating! Apply your choice of candy eyeballs for a playful look, or create spooky red dots using your favorite allergy-friendly red frosting for a more eerie vibe. To stick the candy eyes onto the cookies, you can use a tiny dab of coloring gel, a bit of honey, or a touch of maple syrup.
**Storage:** To maintain their freshness and delicious texture, store your Chocolate Sugar Cookie Bats in an airtight container at room temperature when not serving. They will keep well for several days, though they often disappear much faster!

Notes

The store-bought candy eyeballs I sometimes link to in the recipe card typically list these ingredients: Dextrose, cornstarch, dextrin, sugar, magnesium stearate, red 40, shellac, yellow 5, gum Arabic, glycerin, artificial flavor, carnauba wax, blue 1, gelatin. Please note that due to the gelatin, these are *not* vegan. If you require vegan eyeballs or need to avoid specific ingredients, you can find specialty vegan eyeballs online here from dedicated allergy-friendly suppliers.

This recipe was adapted from a classic chocolate sugar cookie recipe found on Sally’s Baking Addiction, modified to be allergy-friendly and vegan.

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Explore More Allergy-Friendly Halloween Treats!

Looking for other Halloween tips and treats to make your celebrations extra special and safe? Dive into my collection of other spooktacular posts:

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Frankenstein Krispies (Gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanut & tree nut free; top-8-free; vegan)

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Gluten Free Vegan Venus Fly Trap Cupcakes

Egg Free Ghost Meringues

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Gluten & Dairy Free Halloween Mummy Pretzels