I might be wrong, but I have a funny feeling that a lot of us aren’t going to be trick-or-treating this year for Halloween. I agree; it sucks. But we can try to bring the Halloween spirit home with these easy Halloween cookie recipes.

Baking with your kids can be a lot of fun. But let’s be honest: It can also be super stressful. That’s why you want to use super easy recipes for Halloween baking with your little ones.

While there are a million super cute Halloween cookies on Pinterest, let’s be honest: Most of us can’t pull off those perfectly decorated cookies. And when we’re trying for perfection and can’t pull it off, it just gets everyone involved stressed out.

RELATED: Stress-free cooking and baking with kids

Why should we expect our kids to make Pinterest-worthy cookies if we can’t? That’s why I prefer cookies that, quite frankly, you really can’t screw up.

Looking for the perfect kitchen tools for little hands? Check out this post for everything your little baker needs.

RELATED: Best kitchen tools for kids

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So if you’re looking for alternative Halloween activities to trick-or-treating, I’ve scoured the internet for 13 easy-to-follow recipes for Halloween cookies, perfect for your little ghouls and goblins (And if you’re looking only for no-bake cookies, check out this post for 11 cookies you could easily switch to a Halloween theme).

Cookies to decorate for Halloween

Whether or not you choose to decorate these cookies with icing, your kids will have fun cutting out shapes with you.

(By the way, make sure you get these super cute Halloween cookie cutters before you start baking.)

Sour cream sugar cookies

If you’re like me, most sugar cookies are too sweet for you. That’s why these sour cream sugar cookies are so fantastic. Plus, these are easy to roll and cut out.

Get the recipe here.

Easy chocolate cookies

With only 4 ingredients, these cookies are easy to make, leaving plenty of time for kids to decorate as they please.

Find the recipe here.

High altitude sugar cookies

Did you realize that baking at high altitudes can lead to some disappointing cookies? Me neither!

But this recipe has been adjusted so you can have great cookies even when you live up in the mountains.

Get the recipe here.

Creative cookies

If you’re wanting cookies that are fun and different, look no further.

White chocolate Halloween ghosts

Candy, cookies… I think you could go either way with these. They’re quick, easy, and cute! Just get some candy eyes and tiny chocolate chips to make eyes and mouths and let your kids go.

Check out the recipe here.

Ghost dip cookies

Want to make things even easier? Get a pack of Nutter Butters, some white melting chocolate, and a small tube of black icing. Bam! Ghost dip cookies.

Get the recipe here.

Lump of coal cookies

I know, lumps of coal usually reminds you of getting coal in your stocking.

But do you remember when Charlie Brown kept getting rocks in his candy sack during trick-or-treat? I can totally see using these “lumps of coal” as rocks to gift family kids.

Plus, the aesthetic of these cookies means you don’t have to worry about whether your kids can make them perfectly or not.

Get the recipe here.

Chocolate mint stained glass cookies

There’s a little window through each of these cookies that is filled with mint candy (don’t worry, you don’t have to melt sugar on a stovetop for this. There are all sorts of creative monsters you could make with these cookies for Halloween!

Get the recipe here.

Easy vegan and/or gluten free Halloween Cookies for kids

If someone in your family has dietary restrictions, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered.

Cinnamon sweet potato cookies

These beauties are vegan, gluten-free, and only have 3 ingredients. With their warm cinnamon, they’re perfect for fall.

Plus, these cookies are super healthy (perfect even for babies doing baby led weaning).

Get the recipe here.

Vegan coconut almond butter cookies

These warm, cozy cookies can easily be made gluten free. Plus, there’s no chilling or rolling dough, so your kids can get in there as quick as possible. Get the recipe here.

Vegan chocolate no-bake cookies

If your family loves chocolate, these no-bakes are a super-easy option that avoids burning little fingers. I can imagine decorating the tops of these with orange, purple, and white icing for Halloween.

Get the recipe here.

Cookies with candy

Love chocolate chips or other treats in your cookies? Try making these with your littles.

Soft Monster cookies

It’s a perfect name for Halloween cookies! These cookies have peanut butter, chocolate chips, and oats. I can envision using Reese’s pieces instead of M&M’s if you want a more festive vibe for these cookies.

Get the recipe here.

Unicorn chip cookies

Who says Halloween always has to be spooky? If your little one likes to dress up with rainbows and unicorns, these cookies could be perfect.

Get the recipe here.

Easy 5-ingredient Rollo cookies

If your kids love gooey, melted Rollos, then these cookies are for you! And the great thing is, this recipe tells you what pitfalls to avoid so you and your kids have a smooth baking experience.

Get the recipe here.

Conclusions on making Halloween cookies with your kids

My goal here was to find cookies that didn’t give you or your kids a ton of stress on whether or not they look “right.” Halloween is definitely going to be different in 2020, so let’s make the most of it. Have fun baking these Halloween cookies with your kids!

Samantha Radford has a PhD in Chemistry from Emory University (Atlanta, GA). She is Certified Lactation Counselor and exposure scientist who focuses on maternal-child health. Samantha also studies the effect of exposure to hormones induced by personal experiences, for example, cortisol in babies who are stressed or oxytocin in mothers bonding to their infants. Through the years, Samantha has expanded her academic and personal studies to how exposures to different parenting styles affect the mental and physical health of children as they grow to adulthood.