Okay, can I just say these bat wing chocolate pretzel mix cookies are absolutely the cutest Halloween treat I've made in years?
Last week, Emily came home from school talking about her friend's mom who made these amazing black bat cookies for their Halloween party. She kept going on and on about how they looked like real bat wings and had the most amazing peanut butter filling (you know how kids get when they're excited about food!).
Naturally, I had to figure out how to make them myself. After some trial and error in the kitchen – and maybe eating way too many "test cookies" – I came up with this recipe that combines rich chocolate cookies with a fluffy peanut butter filling that honestly tastes like candy.
What makes these different from regular Halloween cookies? The secret is adding just a touch of activated charcoal or black food coloring gel to get that deep, spooky black color that makes them look like actual bat wings. Plus, the sandwich-style design means you get twice the flavor in every bite!
Speaking of Halloween treats that kids go crazy for, my 4th of July Oreo Balls are equally popular (just swap the colors for different holidays).
Why You'll Love This Bat Wing Chocolate Pretzel Mix Recipe
- Quick and simple - Takes just 40 minutes from start to finish
- Kid-friendly - Emily can help with cutting and decorating
- Make-ahead friendly - Perfect for Halloween parties
- Customizable - Use any Halloween cookie cutter if you don't have a bat
- Rich chocolate flavor - Thanks to cocoa powder in the dough
- Crowd-pleaser - Makes 12 sandwich cookies, perfect for sharing
Bat Wing Chocolate Pretzel Mix Ingredients You'll Need
For The Bat Cookies:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon food grade activated charcoal or black food coloring gel (optional)
For The Peanut Butter Filling:
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons maple extract or maple syrup
Equipment You'll Need:
- Bat cookie cutter
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Edible googly eyes (optional but so fun!)
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
How To Make Perfect Bat Wing Chocolate Pretzel Mix Cookies
Preparing The Cookie Dough
- Get organized first - Measure all your ingredients and preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar - In a large bowl, mix softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Don't overthink this step!
- Add the wet ingredients - Mix in vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, and egg until everything's combined. The mixture should look smooth and creamy.
- Prepare the dry ingredients - In a separate bowl, whisk together baking soda, cocoa powder, and flour. This prevents lumps in your dough.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients - Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Here's where the magic happens - if you want really black bat cookies, add the activated charcoal or black food coloring gel now.
- Mix until just combined - Use a spoon to mix everything together. Don't overmix or your cookies will be tough.
Rolling And Cutting The Cookies
- Roll out the dough - Place dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll to ¼ inch thickness. This keeps the dough from sticking to your rolling pin.
- Cut your bat shapes - Use the bat cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Here's a tip I learned the hard way: lift the cutter straight up without twisting to keep those delicate bat wings intact!
- Arrange on baking sheet - Place cut cookies on your lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between each cookie.
Baking The Bat Wing Chocolate Pretzel Mix Cookies
- Bake for 10-12 minutes - Keep an eye on them! If they start browning too fast, cover with foil for the remaining time.
- Cool completely - Transfer cookies to a wire rack. This step is important - warm cookies will make your filling melt everywhere.
Making The Peanut Butter Filling
- Mix the filling ingredients - While cookies cool, combine peanut butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and maple extract in a medium bowl.
- Adjust consistency - Add extra cream one tablespoon at a time until you reach a smooth, spreadable texture.
Assembling Your Halloween Treats
- Create sandwich cookies - Spread filling on the flat side of one cookie, then top with another cookie. Press gently to secure.
- Add the finishing touches - If using edible eyes, add a tiny dot of filling as "glue" and place the eyes on top.
- Serve and enjoy - These are best eaten within a few hours of assembly for maximum freshness!
Storage Tips For Your Bat Wing Chocolate Pretzel Mix Cookies
Store your assembled sandwich cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They'll stay fresh for up to 5 days, though honestly, they never last that long in my house!
For longer storage, you can freeze the assembled cookies for up to 3 months. Just wrap them individually in plastic wrap first.
If you're making these for a party, I recommend baking the cookies a day ahead and assembling them the day of serving. The cookies actually get better overnight as the flavors develop.
Bat Wing Chocolate Pretzel Mix Cookie Variations And Tips
Want to switch things up? Here are some ideas I've tried:
- Different fillings - Try cream cheese frosting, vanilla buttercream, or even Nutella instead of peanut butter
- Cookie variations - Use any Halloween cookie cutter if you don't have a bat shape
- Color options - Skip the black coloring for brown chocolate cookies that are still delicious
- Make it spooky - Add orange sprinkles or Halloween-themed decorations
One thing I've learned from making these multiple times: fresh baking soda makes a huge difference. If your cookies come out flat, check the expiration date on your baking soda!
Frequently Asked Questions About Bat Wing Chocolate Pretzel Mix Cookies
Yes! The cookies will be brown from the cocoa powder and still delicious. The black coloring just makes them look more Halloween-themed.
Store the assembled sandwich cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Absolutely! Try cream cheese frosting, vanilla buttercream, or even Nutella for different flavor combinations.
You can use any Halloween-themed cookie cutter like pumpkins or ghosts, or even cut bat shapes by hand using a knife and a paper template.
Recipes You May Like
- Fudgy S'mores Brownies - Another chocolate treat that's perfect for fall gatherings
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies - When you want something sweet but not too many leftovers
- Cookie Monster Cookies - Fun, colorful cookies that kids absolutely love
Final Thoughts On These Bat Wing Chocolate Pretzel Mix Cookies
These Halloween bat wing chocolate pretzel mix cookies have become our go-to treat for October. Emily's friends always ask if I'm making them again, and honestly, how can you say no to that?
The combination of rich chocolate cookies and sweet peanut butter filling just works so well together. Plus, they look impressive but are actually really simple to make.
Whether you're bringing them to a Halloween party, making them for trick-or-treaters, or just want a fun weekend baking project with the kids, these cookies are sure to be a hit.
Don't forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again next Halloween!
Halloween Bat Wing Chocolate Pretzel Mix Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Get out and measure all of your ingredients. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together butter and sugar for 30 seconds with an electric mixer.
- Add in vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, and egg. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
- In a separate bowl whisk together baking soda, cocoa powder, and flour. Stir until blended.
- Slowly add dry ingredients into wet. Add drops of black food coloring gel or a heaping tablespoon of activated charcoal at this point to get black bats.
- Mix with a spoon until combined.
- Add dough to parchment paper and place a piece of parchment paper on top.
- Roll out dough with rolling pin. You will want the dough to be ¼ inch thick.
- Cut out dough with bat cookie cutter and place on lined cookie sheet.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes.
- While the cookies are baking, mix together peanut butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream and maple extract in a medium bowl.
- You can add an extra tablespoon of heavy cream until you have reached a creamy smooth texture.
- Remove cookies and place on rack to cool.
- Spread peanut butter filling to one side of a cooled cookie. Make a sandwich by adding another cookie on top.
- Continue until all cookies have filling inside them.
- Add a tiny drop of filling and place edible googly eyes on top, if desired.
- Serve and enjoy every bite!
