Halloween is super fun… the costumes, the decorations, the pumpkin carving, and of course, all the spooky treats. And these Vegan Halloween Spiderweb Cookies might just be my new favorite way to celebrate. They’re festive & chocolatey, made extra spooky with a deep black color, then finished with simple vanilla icing spiderwebs.
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And if you’re vegan, don’t worry—you won’t be missing out on any of the Halloween fun here. These cookies are completely vegan and, trust me, those spiderwebs are much easier to make than they look! Let me show you how to bake one of the best vegan Halloween cookies you’ve ever had. 🕸️🎃
Why You’ll Love These Halloween Cookies
Allergy-friendly. Amid all those holiday celebrations, food allergies are a major concern for many people. The good news is that, along with being plant-based, these Halloween cookies are also nut-free, gluten-free, and egg-free, so everyone can enjoy them!
Simple ingredients. You’ll find everything in your pantry for both the cookies and the spiderweb design 🕸️
Family-friendly fun. Decorating these cookies is an activity everyone can get in on! I especially love letting the kids pipe the icing and create their own spiderwebs; perfectly neat webs definitely aren’t required here.
Ingredients for Spiderweb Cookies
For the Chocolate Cookies
- Vegan butter. Go for a good-quality vegan butter that you actually like the flavor of. Stick-style butter is my preference for baking since tub varieties can have a higher water content. Let it soften at room temperature before getting started.
- Brown sugar. It brings moisture and chewiness to the cookies, plus a subtle caramel flavor that works really well with the cocoa.
- Granulated sugar. Helps the cookies develop subtly crisp edges. We only need a small amount here, though.
- Unsweetened applesauce. Our easy egg replacement 😉 Applesauce adds moisture and helps bind the dough (don’t worry, the cookies will not taste like apples even one bit).
- Vanilla extract. Chocolate and vanilla are always better together 🤍
- Black gel food coloring. Here’s where the Halloween magic happens. I recommend gel rather than liquid food coloring, because it gives you a much deeper black without adding extra liquid to the dough. Start with a little and add more until you’re happy with the black food color.
- All-purpose flour. For soft cookies, measuring the flour correctly really matters. I always spoon it into the measuring cup and level off the top rather than dipping the cup straight into the bag.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa Powder works amazingly, but if you have a different variety in your pantry, feel free to use it. We've done some research on cocoa powder and we included the resource.
- Baking soda. Just enough to help the cookies spread and give them a softer texture.
- Salt. Don’t skip it, ever. Salt will make the chocolate flavor stand out more.
- Plant-based milk. You may not need this at all. I only add it if the dough feels too dry. Start with 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft and easy to work with. Almond, soy, or oat milk will all work well.
For the Vanilla Spiderweb Icing
- Powdered sugar. Wholesome Sweeteners makes powdered sugar that’s corn-free, and that’s the brand that I use to make the icing for these vegan chocolate cookies.
- Plant-based milk. Add this gradually because a tiny bit can change the consistency quite a lot. You want the icing thick enough to hold the spiderweb design, but loose enough to pipe easily.
- Vanilla extract. Half a teaspoon gives the simple icing a much nicer flavor.
How to Make Chocolate Halloween Cookies
1. Make the Dough
Beat the vegan butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy. Mix in the applesauce, vanilla, and ½ teaspoon black gel food coloring.
Next, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, & salt. Mix just until a soft dough forms. Add more black gel coloring as needed to reach a deep black color. If the dough is dry, mix in plant-based milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
Now, cover and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Bake the cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop into 12 balls and place about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each cookie with your palm.
Bake for 10–12 min, until the edges are set and the centers are still a little soft. Cool for 5 mins on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.
3. Make the Spiderwebs
Whisk the powdered sugar, plant-based milk, and vanilla until thick but pipeable.
Transfer to a zip-top bag (or piping bag) and snip off a tiny corner. Pipe 3–4 circles onto each cooled cookie. Drag a toothpick from the center outward several times to create the spiderweb.
Let the icing set for about 20 minutes.
Substitutions & Variations
- Try a different egg replacer if you don’t have applesauce. Pumpkin puree works great, and it also fits the Halloween theme perfectly.
- Substitute your all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free variety that’s designed to replace regular flour cup for cup. That way, your vegan Halloween treats will also be gluten-free!
- You can also change the icing color. White webs look striking against the black cookies, but purple, orange, or neon-green icing would be fun too. Just add a tiny amount of gel food coloring to the finished icing.
- Go overboard with the creepy element. Pop a mini organic Justin’s peanut butter cup over the cookie, then pipe little legs around it for a more realistic spider effect. Bonus points if you also stick edible eyes on the spider’s chocolate body 👻
Tips & Tricks
- Use gel coloring. Gel gives you a much darker black without adding a lot of extra liquid to the dough.
- Check that it’s vegan. Food-coloring ingredients and manufacturing can vary by brand, so readers should check the label if that’s important to them.
- Make the dough darker than you think. Cocoa already gives us a dark base, so we shouldn’t need an enormous amount of coloring. Start with ½ teaspoon and increase gradually.
- Don’t overbake. The centers should still be soft when the cookies come out. They’ll finish setting as they cool.
- Keep the icing thick. A thicker icing will hold those thin spiderweb lines much better.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–5 days.
FAQs
I don’t recommend it. You’ll usually need much more liquid coloring to get a deep black, and all that extra moisture can affect the cookie dough.
You may have waited too long before dragging the toothpick through the icing. Work on one cookie at a time so the icing is still wet. Also, don’t stress about perfectly even webs because a little wonkiness actually looks pretty cute for Halloween.
The cookies were probably still warm. Let them cool completely before decorating, or the heat can thin the icing and ruin your spiderweb design.
Your spiderweb cookies will stay fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight jar. You can also prepare the dough in advance and store it in the fridge for 3 days.
If the icing method sounds too artsy, you can melt white chocolate chips in a bowl, then, with the help of a spoon, drizzle it all over the cookie to create a spiderweb effect.
Tip: Place your cookies on wax paper beforehand (it’s gonna get messy!) and let the chocolate dry completely before storing.
Final Words
A little spooky, a lot chocolatey, and way too fun to decorate, these easy Halloween cookies surely deserve a spot in your October plans.
Happy Halloween & happy baking 🍪😋
More fun Halloween treats
- Chocolate pumpkin fudge
- Pumpkin cinnamon rolls
- Vegan pumpkin bread
- perfect vegan brownies
- cozy pumpkin chili
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup vegan butter softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Black gel food coloring
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 –2 tablespoon plant-based milk as needed
Vanilla Spiderweb Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ –2 tablespoon plant-based milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Beat the vegan butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy. Mix in the applesauce, vanilla, and ½ teaspoon black gel food coloring.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until a soft dough forms. Add more black gel coloring as needed to reach a deep black color. If the dough is dry, mix in plant-based milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Cover and chill for 30 min.
Bake the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop into 12 balls and place about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each cookie with your palm.
- Bake for 10–12 min, until the edges are set and the centers are still slightly soft. Cool for 5 min on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Make the Spiderwebs
- Whisk the powdered sugar, plant-based milk, and vanilla until thick but pipeable.
- Transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag and snip off a tiny corner. Pipe 3–4 circles onto each cooled cookie. Drag a toothpick from the center outward several times to create the spiderweb. Let the icing set for about 20 min.
Notes
- Cocoa powder: Unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder will both work. The cocoa gives the cookies a dark chocolate base so you need much less black food coloring.
- Don’t overbake: The cookies should look set around the edges but slightly soft in the center when removed from the oven. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Icing consistency: Keep the icing thick enough to hold its shape when piped. If it spreads too quickly, add a little more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick to pipe, add plant-based milk ½ teaspoon at a time.
- Spiderwebs: Pipe several circles of icing onto each completely cooled cookie, then immediately drag a toothpick from the center toward the outside edge to create the web design.
- Storage: Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Let the icing fully set before stacking.
Hi, we’re Shayne and Kristina! I’m the chef and editor here at My Darling Vegan, and Kristina is the photographer and writer. Together we’re carrying on this space with the same focus on easy, flavorful vegan recipes that anyone can enjoy at home. Check out our
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