These fun pumpkin oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips are a Halloween tradition in my family. We shape them like pumpkins and decorate them like Jack-o-lanterns with candy faces and they are always a hit.
These cookies are delicious on their own. They are loaded with pumpkin, oatmeal, a hint of cinnamon and chocolate chips.
They have a nice chew and the icing almost makes them taste like an oatmeal cream pie. But what really makes them cute are the candy faces!
I have made them as drop cookies before and covered them with a bit of cream cheese frosting and they were delicious that way as well, but there is just something about a candy face that makes them even better!
I first shared this on the blog in 2015. But I thought I would bring it back to the front to remind you about how wonderful they are. Plus that gave Little Dude and I a fun project to work on, we love decorating cookies, cakes and cupcakes together.
Our Family’s History With This Recipe
My mom started making these cookies for us back in 1984. Do you remember those days before food blogs and Pinterest?
She used to find new recipe ideas in the newspaper and that is exactly where this is from. She still has the newspaper page with this and a few other recipes on it. Now it wouldn’t be October without them!
We thought Little Dude would have fun putting candy on the pumpkins. He did have fun, but most of the candy went into his mouth!
I suppose all of those grand ideas of my kid always eating healthy and not having junk are shot. At least he eats well most of the time!
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The fun part about these cookies, is you can let your imaginations run wild on the decorations. They don’t always have to make sense, they just have to taste good!
Of course one of his pumpkins got a little out of control with a huge mound of frosting and lots of candy. He was really looking forward to eating it, even if it took him three sitting to get through it!
Tips and Tricks
The dough is on the soft side, that makes them easier to shape, but it does also mean they spread a bit while baking. Be sure to leave some space between the cookies on the tray.
I definitely recommend making these cookies on the bigger side, it gives you more room to decorate and have fun. If you want smaller cookies, be sure to buy mini candies and chocolate chips so you can get a face on there.
Make sure to cool the cookies on the trays for a while. This will give them a chance to firm up a bit before you move them. Once they cool, they are much more sturdy.
We like using candy corn, M&Ms, chocolate chips and red hots to decorate our cookies but get creative and use what you like. A nice stiff buttercream is a good option to hold the candy on and hold its shape.
Storage
Store you cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage freeze undecorated cookies for up to 3 months.
More Fun Halloween Recipes:
Shrimp on the Brain Dip is a fun cracker spread that looks like a brain and tastes like a million bucks. The creamy shrimp base and cocktail sauce blood are a site to behold for sure!
Frankenstein pudding cups are another fun one for the kids to help with. If you like dirt pudding, you will love these fun treats.
Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup old fashioned oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- For decorating: crusting buttercream or frosting tubes and assorted candies and chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon & salt. Set aside.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup old fashioned oatmeal, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth. Gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy.1 cup butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add egg, and vanilla, mix well.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and pumpkin to the butter mixture. Mix well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips.1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Shape into pumpkin shapes on greased or parchment paper lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the cookie. They will still be soft and you don’t want them to brown too much around the edges. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once completely cooled, decorate with frosting and candies.
Video
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This is such a brilliant idea! I would love to do this with my nieces and nephews 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this with us at #SaucySaturdays!
They are so much fun to decorate with the little ones!
These are the cutest Halloween cookies Carlee.
Thanks for sharing the recipe to make them at Cooking and Crafting with J & J.
We really enjoy making them every year!
Great idea and perfect for the round up! Thanks so much for including me! I am honored to be in the mix with you. Thank you for all your hard work organizing it! I love these cookies and they are going to be a BIG hit at my kids school party!
Thanks so much Jennifer! It has been so much fun working together to get this ready. I hope the kids love them!
Your cookies are creative and cute, they would be a big hit.
Fridays Blog Booster Party #26
Thanks for bringing cookies,
Kathleen
What a wonderful family recipe! I love recipes that take you back to when you were a kid. So sweet that you have that from your Mi Mi. I don't have a good oatmeal cookie recipe so I cannot wait to try this one!
We are definitely a family whose celebrations center around food. We love to try new things, but there are some things that we just have to do year after year. This is one of those! I hope you love them if you try them!
Another cute Halloween idea from you Carlee. Thanks for sharing at #anythinggoes. Have a lovely week.
Thank you so much, Sue! These are a definite favorite!
These cookies are adorable! Such a clever and cute idea. Pinned!
Thank you so much!
Love these cookies. And I love the fact that the recipe was passed down in your family !!! You are right too, the faces add something !!! LOL
It definitely wouldn't be October without these cookies! It is fun to have a few recipes like this that are just part of a holiday or season. They always bring back good memories!
Carlee, your Halloween cookies, turned out So Cute!! My kids would have so much making these! Pinned! Enjoy your weekend!
Thank you, Christine! We always have a lot of fun making them. It just wouldn't be fall without them.
Oh, daughter of mine. You always have some kind of tricks up your sleeve. This was quite the birthday surprise. Thank you.
I hope you are having a great birthday!