This Checkerboard Halloween Cookies recipe intertwines black cacao and purple sweet potato powder with vanilla in these not-too-sweet checkerboard pattern sugar cookies. These would be perfect as a Halloween party treat since the recipe makes so many and they are easy to store.
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My favorite spice company, Selefina Spices, asked me to highlight how their products can be used as natural dyes for Halloween treats. I was so excited because I had been eyeing their Black Cacao Powder and Purple Sweet Potato Powder. The colors are ultra vibrant, so I knew they would work perfectly to naturally color a dessert. I am still shocked at how little of the black cacao powder I had to use to achieve such a rich, jet black!
I used the base recipe from my Checkerboard Holiday Cookies. I love that with this recipe you can work with it a bunch to add the colors, yet it stays tender when baked. This can also be said for my Lemon Blueberry Cookies, which are dyed as well.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- This recipe makes quite a bit, so you’ll have plenty to share.
- The design is simple to make but visually impressive.
- This is a naturally dyed dessert.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour is the base of the cookie dough and provides a tender crumb.
- Powdered sugar and granulated sugar sweeten the dough.
- Eggs bind the dough and the reserved egg whites act as a glue when building the pattern.
- Kosher salt and vanilla extract balance the overall flavor profile.
- Baking powder gives a bit of rise to the cookies.
- Unsalted butter provides richness and flavor to the cookies.
- Purple sweet potato powder provides flavor and color.
- Black cacao powder provides flavor and color.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here’s how to customize these halloween checkerboard cookies to your liking:
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- More colors — to swap colors, but to keep it Halloween theme and naturally colored, try using matcha, mango powder or beetroot powder.
- Different pattern — instead of leaving some dough without color, you could color the vanilla portions and make the checkerboard pattern with the two colors together.
- Dairy free — swap for dairy-free butter.
- Larger cookies — instead of making two logs out of each color pairing for a total of four, make just two large logs by making 4x4 (16 squares) logs.
- Sandwich cookies — fill with buttercream and sandwich two cookies together to make sandwich cookies.
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to make checkerboard halloween cookies
Step 1: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and kosher salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for 3 minutes or with hand beaters for 4 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and sift in the powdered sugar. Beat for 2 minutes to cream together. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating to combine. Add the dry ingredients and beat just until incorporated. Divide the dough into four equal portions (should weigh about 386g each). Form two of the portions into a rectangle and wrap (separately) in plastic.
Step 2: Take the other two portions and place them in separate bowls. Add the black cacao powder to one of the portions. Mix with gloved hands or beaters until combined. Add the purple sweet potato powder to one of the portions. Mix with gloved hands or beaters until combined. Form the doughs into separate rectangles and wrap in plastic. Place all wrapped dough into the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour or overnight. Roll out each dough portion into 5x8-inch rectangles that are ½-inch thick. I like to use two ½-inch tall levelers as guides.
Step 3: Slice each dough portion into ½-inch wide strips. Using the reserved egg whites, use a pastry brush to swipe a bit of the egg white on the sides of a vanilla dough strip. Sandwich this vanilla strip in between two black cacao strips. Brush the top of this trio with more egg white “glue”. Sandwich a black cacao strip in between two vanilla strips. Place this trio on top of the first one. Brush the top of the trio with the glue. Repeat the first trio and place it on top of the second one. Repeat with the rest of the doughs to prepare two black cacao and vanilla checkerboard logs and two purple sweet potato and vanilla checkerboard logs. You should be able to get four logs total.
Step 4: Wrap each log tightly in plastic, gently pressing the strips together to minimize any air pockets, without ruining the shape. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or freeze for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut each log into ½-inch thick slices. Place cookies 2-inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Freeze for 10-20 minutes before baking if the dough becomes too warm. Bake for 13-14 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden brown.
Hot tips
- Do not skip chilling the dough. It will be easier to work with when cold and it is important for the dough’s hydration.
- Use a kitchen scale to measure out ingredients for the most accuracy.
- I used scraps of wood to make levelers. Use anything in your house you can find, or you can purchase a rolling pin with levelers built in.
Recipe FAQs
Store baked cookies in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Unbaked logs or cookies can be wrapped tightly in plastic and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Yes, you can absolutely use food coloring if you do not have the powders I used.
Technically, no, but I highly recommend it.
More recipes you'll love
Lastly, if you make this Checkerboard Halloween Cookies recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Checkerboard Halloween Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie dough
- 5 cups all-purpose flour (630g)
- 3 teaspoon baking powder (16g)
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature (1 lb, 452g)
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted (238g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (110g)
- 2 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks save the whites for later
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (10g)
- 3 tablespoon Selefina Black Cacao Powder
- 5 tablespoon Selefina Purple Sweet Potato Powder
Instructions
Do ahead
- The dough can be made the day before. Keep it in the refrigerator or freezer until needed.
Make the dough
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for 3 minutes or with hand beaters for 4 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and sift in the powdered sugar. Beat for 2 minutes to cream together.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, beating to combine. Add the dry ingredients and beat just until incorporated.
Divide the dough
- Divide the dough into four equal portions (should weigh about 386g each).
- Form two of the portions into a rectangle and wrap (separately) in plastic. Take the other two portions and place them in separate bowls.
Flavor and color the dough
- Add the black cacao powder to one of the portions. Mix with gloved hands or beaters until combined.
- Add the purple sweet potato powder to one of the portions. Mix with gloved hands or beaters until combined.
- Form the doughs into separate rectangles and wrap in plastic. Place all wrapped dough into the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour or overnight.
Roll out the dough
- Roll out each dough portion into 5x8-inch rectangles that are ½-inch thick. I like to use two ½-inch tall levelers as guides.
- Slice each dough portion into ½-inch wide strips.
Assemble the checkerboard pattern
- Using the reserved egg whites, use a pastry brush to swipe a bit of the egg white on the sides of a vanilla dough strip. Sandwich this vanilla strip in between two black cacao strips.
- Brush the top of this trio with more egg white “glue”.
- Sandwich a black cacao strip in between two vanilla strips. Place this trio on top of the first one. Brush the top of the trio with the glue.
- Repeat the first trio and place it on top of the second one.
- Repeat with the rest of the doughs to prepare two black cacao and vanilla checkerboard logs and two purple sweet potato and vanilla checkerboard logs. You should be able to get four logs total.
- Wrap each log tightly in plastic, gently pressing the strips together to minimize any air pockets, without ruining the shape.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or freeze for 30 minutes.
Prepare to bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut each log into ½-inch thick slices. Place cookies 2-inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Freeze for 10-20 minutes before baking if the dough becomes too warm.
- Bake for 13-14 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden brown.
