These Chocolate Eyeball Cookies start with a box of chocolate cake mix and get a spooky little finishing touch from marshmallow eyeballs! They’re an easy Halloween treat to make when you want something fun without spending all afternoon decorating cookies.
I love letting a cake mix do some of the work for me. For these cookies, you just add eggs and oil, scoop the dough, and bake. The marshmallow eyeballs handle the decorating!
I’m sharing these cookies for Halloween Treats Week. They’re just the kind of simple, slightly spooky recipe I love making for Halloween.
ATTENTION! – I normally say that most of the time it doesn’t matter what kind of brand you use for recipes. HOWEVER… when it comes to cake mix cookies, I’ve found that the brand does indeed matter. I like to use Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines, and I’ve found that cheaper off-brand cake mixes just don’t taste great when made into cake cookies.
What You’ll Need
- Chocolate cake mix: This recipe uses a 15.25-ounce box. You’ll use the dry mix, not prepare it according to the box directions.
- Eggs: Two large eggs help bring the cookie dough together.
- Vegetable oil: You’ll need ½ cup.
- Marshmallow eyeballs: One for each cookie. These get added after baking.
How to Make Chocolate Eyeball Cookies
Mix the cookie dough
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix the dry chocolate cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil together until a thick dough forms.
Scoop and bake
Divide the dough into approximately 18 portions and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
Add the eyeballs
Gently press a marshmallow eyeball into the center of each cookie while the cookies are still warm. Press just enough to nestle it into the top.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
I found these particular marshmallow eyeballs at Wal-Mart but you could use any large eyeball candies.
Tips for Making Chocolate Eyeball Cookies
- Check your cake mix size. The ingredient amounts here are written for a 15.25-ounce box.
- Skip the directions on the cake-mix box. For these cookies, you’re adding only the two eggs and ½ cup oil listed in this recipe.
- Keep the dough portions similar in size. This helps the cookies bake evenly. I a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon.
- Have the eyeballs ready. You’ll want to add them while the cookies are still warm and soft enough to press into.
- Add the marshmallow eyeballs after baking. They don’t go into the oven with the cookie dough.
Can I Make These Ahead?
Yes! Make the cookies the day before you need them and let them cool completely before storing. Keep them in a single layer if possible so the marshmallow eyeballs don’t get squished.
How to Store Chocolate Eyeball Cookies
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Follow any storage directions on the marshmallow-eyeball package, too.
Chocolate Eyeball Cookies
Chocolate Eyeball Cookies
These Chocolate Eyeball Cookies start with a box of chocolate cake mix and get a spooky little finishing touch from marshmallow eyeballs! They’re an easy Halloween treat to make when you want something fun without spending all afternoon decorating cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 12 marshmallow eyeballs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil until a thick dough forms.
- Divide the dough into approximately 12 portions. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Gently press a marshmallow eyeball into each warm cookie.
- Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use a 15.25-ounce box of cake mix. Do not prepare the cake batter according to the package directions.
- Add the marshmallow eyeballs after baking, while the cookies are still warm.
- Yield and baking time may vary with cookie size.
- Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
If you make this recipe, snap a picture and share it on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #semihomemaderecipes & #shoppinbuggyrecipes
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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
Welcome to 2026’s #HalloweenTreatsWeek event!
This is our 9th year doing #HalloweenTreatsWeek … has it really been 9 years? Wow!
#HalloweenTreatsWeek is a Halloween blogging event that is hosted by Angie from Big Bear’s Wife every October. This event is an online, week-long event that is filled with some amazingly wicked Halloween treats and recipes from some fantastic Halloween-loving bloggers!
Make sure to check out all of the fun Halloween recipes that we’re sharing this week!
Today’s Recipes:
- Graveyard Boo-Nana Pudding Cups from Big Bear’s Wife
- Chocolate Eyeball Cookies from Shoppin’ Buggy Recipes
- Mini Melting Witch Cookies Cakes from Southern Halloween Queen
- Empress Gin & Tonic from Art of Natural Living
- Graveyard Brownies from Jen Around the World
- Skull Raspberry Crumble Bars from The Spiffy Cookie
- Pumpkin Patch Brownies from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Werewolf Sliders from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Black Magic Beluga Lentil Salad from Magical Ingredients
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