Description
Zombie Cookies are delightfully spooky, colorful treats perfect for Halloween or any fun occasion. These soft, cake mix-based cookies are made with cream cheese and butter for a tender, flavorful texture. Divided into vibrant purple and green doughs, they’re coated in confectioner’s sugar and topped with candy eyeballs to create a creepy-cute effect. Easy to prepare and bake, they’re a fun project for bakers of all levels and a hit with kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Dough
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 box white cake mix
Coloring and Decoration
- Food coloring (purple and green)
- Sprinkles (optional)
- Confectioner’s sugar, for coating
- Candy eyeballs
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Combine the cream cheese, butter, egg, and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl. Beat together until light and fluffy, ensuring a smooth and creamy texture.
- Add Cake Mix: Gradually add the white cake mix to the wet ingredients and stir slowly until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender dough.
- Divide and Color Dough: Divide the batter evenly into two separate bowls. Add purple food coloring and optional sprinkles to one bowl, and green food coloring plus optional sprinkles to the other. Mix each bowl thoroughly until the colors and sprinkles are evenly distributed.
- Chill Dough: Cover both bowls with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This firms up the dough, making it easier to handle and shaping the cookies better.
- Preheat Oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop 2-3 tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into balls. Then, roll each ball in confectioner’s sugar until coated. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Press each ball down slightly, but do not flatten completely to maintain a rounded shape.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Watch for edges to set and centers to remain soft for a chewy texture.
- Add Candy Eyes: As soon as cookies come out of the oven, gently press candy eyeballs into each cookie just deep enough to stick, so they do not fall out after cooling.
- Cool and Store: Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to an airtight container for storage.
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature cream cheese and butter to ensure smooth mixing.
- You can customize colors and sprinkles based on your theme or preference.
- Chilling the dough is crucial; it prevents spreading and helps hold the shape during baking.
- Be gentle when adding candy eyeballs to avoid cracking the soft cookies.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- For a more vibrant look, add extra food coloring a drop at a time until desired shade is achieved.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
