Mmm bats are so tasty. These cookies LOOK like they’re just for kids but they’re slightly chewy and intensely chocolatey. Great for halloween (which, by the way, is now the second most popular holiday RIGHT under Christmas…what?) but shaped into anything else.. or just a round chocolately ball… great for any time of year! That’s right, if you just want some chocolate cookies then roll them into a ball and bake them. You could then use the circles to make ice cream sandwiches! The dough is super forgiving and easy to work with, trust me.

I found Halloween cookie cutters at Giant. Just sitting there in the check out line. I thought, hmm, bat cookies, love it. You could shape these into gingerbread men but then make them skeletons, if that’s what gets your back up. OR mummies, like Kevin from The Office. Happy Halloween!

PS, I made my bats vampire bats but THEN I gave them hearts, so they’re more like the Cullens. Yes, I am a twihard.

Bittersweet Bat Cookies

Cooking Light

Made almost 50 bats (not exact count because I ate a lot of batter)

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg

1 1/4 c. flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

3/4 c. dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Icing

1 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. meringue powder or powdered egg whites

1 tbsp. milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla

2 c. powdered sugar

1. Cream oil, butter and sugar with electric mixer (to cream means to beat until light and fluffy; do this for 3-5 minutes to achieve the best results).

2. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

3. In another bowl, whisk dry ingredients.

4. Add dry ingredients all at once and beat until JUST incorporated (over-beating will develop the gluten in the flour and make your cookies tough).

5. Lay two sheets of waxed, parchment, or plastic wrap on the counter and divide the dough between them. Cover the dough with a second sheet.

6. Roll out the dough to 1/4-1/2 in. thickness. I found that the thicker cookies were more fun to eat, but that’s just me.

7. Lay sheets in fridge and chill for about 45 minutes (or longer, if you have to go somewhere.. it will be fine for a day or two).

8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and take sheets out of fridge. Cut cookies with cutter of your choice, cutting the cookies close together (you want to re-roll your dough as little as possible; remember “tough cookies?”). Re-roll scraps as necessary.

9. Lay cookies on sheets covered with parchment paper, silpat, or cooking spray. They won’t grow TOO much but space them about 2 in. apart.

10. Bake cookies for 9 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on their sheets about five minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

11. For icing, combine water and meringue/egg whites in a large bowl with a fork. Add milk and vanilla and mix. Add powdered sugar and stir until combined. Dough should be stiffer than you think. It needs to be thin enough to squeeze through the tip of a bag but thick enough not to spread all over your cookie. Add water or powdered sugar to achieve the right consistency.

12. Spoon icing into a ziplock bag. Snip the very corner and use as a pastry bag, twisting down as you go. Decorate cooled cookies as you like. You may choose to make your vampire bats with or without hearts. Wink wink.

13. To keep cookies crisp, store slightly uncovered (like don’t put the lid all the way on your tupperware, or leave a ziplock bag slightly unzipped). For more soft, chewy cookies, store completely air-tight.

Bittersweet Bat Cookies

Cooking Light

Made almost 50 bats (not exact count because I ate a lot of batter)

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. canola oil

1 egg

1 1/4 c. flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

3/4 c. dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Icing

1 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. meringue powder or powdered egg whites

1 tbsp. milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla

2 c. powdered sugar

1. Cream oil, butter and sugar with electric mixer (to cream means to beat until light and fluffy; do this for 3-5 minutes to achieve the best results).

2. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

3. In another bowl, whisk dry ingredients.

4. Add dry ingredients all at once and beat until JUST incorporated (over-beating will develop the gluten in the flour and make your cookies tough).

5. Lay two sheets of waxed, parchment, or plastic wrap on the counter and divide the dough between them. Cover the dough with a second sheet.

6. Roll out the dough to 1/4-1/2 in. thickness. I found that the thicker cookies were more fun to eat, but that’s just me.

7. Lay sheets in fridge and chill for about 45 minutes (or longer, if you have to go somewhere.. it will be fine for a day or two).

8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and take sheets out of fridge. Cut cookies with cutter of your choice, cutting the cookies close together (you want to re-roll your dough as little as possible; remember “tough cookies?”). Re-roll scraps as necessary.

9. Lay cookies on sheets covered with parchment paper, silpat, or cooking spray. They won’t grow TOO much but space them about 2 in. apart.

10. Bake cookies for 9 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on their sheets about five minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

11. For icing, combine water and meringue/egg whites in a large bowl with a fork. Add milk and vanilla and mix. Add powdered sugar and stir until combined. Dough should be stiffer than you think. It needs to be thin enough to squeeze through the tip of a bag but thick enough not to spread all over your cookie. Add water or powdered sugar to achieve the right consistency.

12. Spoon icing into a ziplock bag. Snip the very corner and use as a pastry bag, twisting down as you go. Decorate cooled cookies as you like. You may choose to make your vampire bats with or without hearts. Wink wink.

13. To keep cookies crisp, store slightly uncovered (like don’t put the lid all the way on your tupperware, or leave a ziplock bag slightly unzipped). For more soft, chewy cookies, store completely air-tight.