Sourdough Halloween Cookies

These sourdough Halloween cookies are my favorite way to use up that extra starter while creating something spook-tacular! The tangy sourdough adds a subtle depth that makes these cookies anything but ordinary. They’ve got that perfect chewy texture with crispy edges, loaded with chocolate and peanut butter chips—plus a festive sprinkle crunch that kids (and adults!) go crazy for.

I stumbled onto this recipe one October when my sourdough discard jar was overflowing and my pumpkin-carving crew needed a treat. Now, they’re a Halloween tradition in our house—the sourdough keeps them extra moist, while the cocoa powder gives them that eerie dark color. Trust me, once you try these, you’ll never look at sugar cookies the same way again.

Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Halloween Cookies

• The perfect tangy twist: That sourdough starter adds just enough complexity to make these cookies stand out—no bland sugar cookies here!
• Chewy centers, crispy edges: Thanks to the cornstarch and melted butter, they bake up with that dreamy texture everyone fights over.
• Zero-waste baking: Uses up sourdough discard beautifully (but no one will guess it’s there—it’s magic!).
• Halloween-ready fun: The dark cocoa base + colorful sprinkles makes them look as spooky as they are delicious.
• Crowd-pleaser: Chocolate AND peanut butter chips? Yeah, these disappear fast at parties.

Ingredients for Sourdough Halloween Cookies

Gathering your ingredients is half the fun—especially when you realize how simple these spooky treats are to throw together! I've broken everything down so you can see exactly what makes these cookies so special. Pro tip: Measure your flour by weight (I learned the hard way that packed cups can ruin the texture).

Dry Ingredients

• 350g all-purpose flour - The base of our cookies. Spoon & level if you're not weighing!
• 25g cocoa powder - Dutch-process works best for that deep, dark color that's perfect for Halloween.
• 6g baking soda - Our leavening agent (not powder—big difference!).
• 6g corn starch - The secret to that soft, bakery-style texture.
• 2g salt - Balances all the sweetness beautifully.
• 150g chocolate chips - I use semi-sweet, but dark works too for extra spooky darkness.
• 100g peanut butter chips - Because chocolate + peanut butter = Halloween magic.

Wet Ingredients

• 100g sourdough starter (or discard) - The star of the show! Unfed is fine—we want that tang.
• 180g salted butter, melted - Gives us those crisp edges. Unsalted works too—just add a pinch more salt.
• 160g brown sugar - For moisture and that caramel depth.
• 100g white sugar - Helps with spread and crispiness.
• 1 large egg - Binds everything together.
• 1 egg yolk - Extra richness (save the white for breakfast!).
• 5g vanilla extract - The flavor booster—use real stuff, not imitation.

Topping

• 50g Halloween sprinkles - Go crazy with bats, ghosts, or orange-and-black jimmies!
• 50g extra chocolate chips or peanut butter chips - For pressing on top right after baking.

How to Make Sourdough Halloween Cookies

Ready to turn that starter into something magical? These cookies come together in no time, but the real secret is taking it slow with the mixing and chilling. Follow these steps, and you'll have cookies that look straight from a haunted bakery!

Mixing the Dough for Sourdough Halloween Cookies

First things first: whisk all those dry ingredients together in a big bowl—flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set it aside and grab another bowl for the wet stuff. Whisk together your melted butter (cooled slightly so it doesn't cook the eggs!), sugars, sourdough discard, eggs, and vanilla until it's smooth and glossy.

Now, the golden rule: don't overmix! Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches, stirring just until the flour disappears. Then comes the fun part—gently fold in those chocolate and peanut butter chips (reserve some for topping if you're fancy). The dough will be thick and a bit sticky—that's perfect! Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days) to let the flavors mingle.

Baking Sourdough Halloween Cookies

When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon balls (I use a #40 cookie scoop) and space them 2 inches apart—they spread! Press a few extra chips and sprinkles on top if you want that bakery-style look.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges look set but centers are still soft. They'll keep cooking on the sheet out of the oven, so don't wait for them to look "done." Let them cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack. The hardest part? Waiting until they're cool enough to eat without burning your tongue!

Tips for Perfect Sourdough Halloween Cookies

After burning more batches than I'd like to admit, I've learned a few tricks to make these cookies absolutely foolproof. These are the little things that turn good cookies into "wow, can I have the recipe?" cookies:

Chill that dough! I know it's tempting to skip this step when you're excited, but 30 minutes in the fridge makes all the difference. It prevents overspreading and lets the sourdough flavor develop. Bonus: chilled dough is way easier to scoop.

Weigh your flour. Too much flour = dry hockey pucks. If you must use cups, fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off. No packing or tapping!

Play with sweetness. These are intentionally not overly sweet to let the sourdough tang shine. If you prefer sweeter cookies, bump the white sugar up to 120g. For less sweet, drop the white sugar to 80g.

Underbake slightly. They should look slightly underdone when you pull them out—the edges will be set but the centers soft. They firm up as they cool on the hot baking sheet.

Ingredient Substitutions for Sourdough Halloween Cookies

I know we don’t always have every ingredient on hand—or maybe you’re baking for someone with dietary needs. Good news: these cookies are super flexible! Here are my tested swaps that still deliver amazing results. Just remember, every change tweaks the texture or flavor a bit, so adjust your expectations accordingly.

Flour Options

Gluten-free? Swap the all-purpose flour 1:1 with a good gluten-free blend (I like King Arthur’s). The cookies might spread a tad more, so chill the dough extra well. Whole wheat flour works too—use half whole wheat and half all-purpose to keep them tender.

Butter & Eggs

Vegan butter works surprisingly well here! Just make sure it’s the stick kind, not spreadable. For eggs, try a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water per egg) or commercial egg replacer. The cookies will be slightly more cakey but still delicious.

Chips & Sprinkles

Out of peanut butter chips? Butterscotch chips make a fun autumnal twist, or go all chocolate with extra chocolate chips. For sprinkles, any festive mix works—I’ve even crushed up candy corn for topping in a pinch (just add after baking so they don’t melt into weird shapes).

Sourdough Starter

No discard? Replace it with 50g each of yogurt and water to mimic the tang. It won’t be quite the same, but you’ll still get tender cookies. Active starter works too—just know your cookies might puff up more from the live yeast.

The beauty of these cookies is how adaptable they are. My neighbor’s gluten-free version with dairy-free chips tasted nearly identical to my original batch! Just don’t tell the purists I said that...

Storing and Freezing Sourdough Halloween Cookies

Here’s the best part about these cookies—they stay fresh way longer than your average sugar cookie thanks to that sourdough magic! My kids keep sneaking them for days after Halloween (not that I blame them). Here’s exactly how to keep them tasting like they just came out of the oven.

Room temperature storage: Once cooled completely, stack them in an airtight container with a slice of bread (sourdough, obviously!) to keep them soft. The bread absorbs excess moisture while keeping the cookies chewy. They’ll stay perfect for 5 days this way—if they last that long!

Freezing baked cookies: These freeze like a dream! Layer them between parchment paper in a freezer bag, squeeze out all the air, and they’ll keep for 3 months. When the Halloween sugar cravings hit in July, just pop one on a plate for 30 minutes—or microwave for 8 seconds if you’re impatient like me.

Freezing dough: My secret weapon! Scoop the dough balls onto a parchment-lined tray, freeze solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a freezer bag. Write the baking temp/time on the bag so you don’t forget. Bake straight from frozen—just add 1-2 extra minutes. Nothing beats fresh-baked cookies in November when you’re over pumpkin spice everything.

Reviving stale cookies: Did they somehow get left out? No worries! Place them in a 300°F oven for 3 minutes with a cup of water in the rack below. The steam works miracles—they’ll taste freshly baked again. Or crumble them over vanilla ice cream for an instant Halloween sundae.

Sourdough Halloween Cookies FAQs

Over the years, I've gotten tons of questions about these cookies—some from panicked bakers mid-recipe! Here are the answers to everything you might wonder about these spooky treats. (And yes, I've made every mistake possible so you don't have to!)

Can I use active sourdough starter instead of discard?
Absolutely! Active starter works just fine—your cookies might puff up slightly more from the live yeast, but they'll still taste amazing. Just don't expect that dramatic sourdough tang unless your starter is nice and ripe.

How do I make these cookies vegan?
Easy swap: use vegan butter sticks (not tub margarine) and replace the eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water per egg). Skip the peanut butter chips or find dairy-free ones. They'll be slightly cakier but still delicious!

Why add cornstarch? It seems weird for cookies...
Trust me, it's the secret weapon! Cornstarch gives that soft, bakery-style texture by preventing too much gluten formation. It's like a little insurance policy against tough cookies. Plus, it helps them stay chewy for days.

Can I halve the recipe?
Of course! Just divide everything exactly in half—except the egg. Use 1 whole egg (not half) and reduce the white sugar slightly if needed. The dough might be stickier, so chill it longer before scooping.

Help! My cookies spread too much—what went wrong?
Three likely culprits: 1) Butter was too warm (should be melted but cooled), 2) Dough wasn't chilled enough (30 min minimum!), or 3) Your baking sheet was still hot from the last batch. Always use cool pans for even baking.

Nutritional Information

Okay, let's be real—these cookies are Halloween treats, not health food! But since I know some folks like to track (or at least pretend to before eating three), here’s the scoop. Remember: These are rough estimates based on standard ingredients—your exact numbers might wiggle a bit depending on brands and how generously you sprinkle those chips!

Per cookie (assuming 24 cookies per batch):

• Calories: ~180
• Carbs: ~22g (including 12g sugars)
• Fat: ~9g (5g saturated)
• Protein: ~2g

Want to lighten them up? Try reducing the chips by 25% or swapping half the butter with applesauce (but expect cakier texture). Honestly though? October comes once a year—enjoy every crumb!