These Oreo bat cookies are an easy Halloween treat made with soft chocolate cake mix cookies, Reese’s peanut butter cups, Oreo wings, and candy eyes. They look festive without requiring cookie cutters or complicated decorating skills.
I love Halloween recipes where decorating is part of the fun. A Reese’s cup becomes the bat’s body, two Oreo cookie halves create the wings, and a pair of candy eyes brings each little bat to life. Before you know it, you have a whole tray of Oreo bats staring back at you!
The combination is delicious, too. Each bite has soft, fudgy chocolate cookies, creamy peanut butter, and crunchy Oreo cookies. If you need easy Halloween dessert ideas to make at home, these bats are simple enough for a family baking afternoon and cute enough for a party.
Ingredients for Oreo Bat Cookies
These Oreo bat cookies come together with a handful of simple ingredients, each adding something special.
- Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge cake mix: Creates the rich chocolate cookie base while keeping the recipe quick and easy.
- Vegetable oil: Adds moisture and gives the cookies a soft, tender texture.
- Large eggs: Bind the dough together and provide enough structure to support the toppings.
- Reese’s peanut butter cups: Form the bat bodies while adding a creamy peanut butter and chocolate center.
- Oreo cookies: Cut in half; they create the dark, crunchy wings that give the Oreo bats their signature look.
- Candy eyes: Give each bat a cute, playful Halloween expression.
- Chocolate candy melts: Use as edible glue to attach the wings and eyes; chocolate chips or chocolate frosting also work.
How to Make Oreo Bat Cookies
These Oreo bat cookies are easy to make and come together in just a few simple steps. Unwrap the Reese’s cups and have the Oreo halves ready so you can assemble the bats while the cookies are still slightly warm.
Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Make the cookie dough: Add the dry cake mix, vegetable oil, and eggs to a large bowl. Stir until evenly combined and a thick chocolate cookie dough forms. Do not prepare the cake mix as directed on the box.
Chill the dough: Cover and refrigerate the dough for 20 to 30 minutes. Chilling makes the sticky dough easier to handle and helps reduce spreading during baking.
Shape and bake: Divide the chilled dough into 16 portions and place them on the prepared baking sheet with space between each cookie. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
Add the Reese’s cups: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. While they’re still warm, gently press one Reese’s peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Don’t push it all the way through. The warmth helps soften the bottom of the cup, so it stays in place.
Melt the chocolate: Place the chocolate candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth. You can also use melted chocolate chips.
Make the Oreo wings: Dab a little melted chocolate onto the edge of each Oreo half. Place one on either side of the Reese’s cup to create the bat wings.
Add the eyes: Dab a tiny amount of melted chocolate onto the back of each candy eye and place two near the center of each bat.
Let the bats set: Allow the cookies to sit for about 30 minutes so the chocolate can firm up. If you’re short on time, refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes. They’re also delicious when slightly warm!
Pro Tips for Easy Halloween Oreo Bats
These simple tips will help your Oreo bat cookies turn out perfectly and make decorating them even easier.
Chilling the dough is worth the wait. Cake mix cookie dough can be soft and sticky, and refrigeration makes it easier to portion while helping the cookies stay thick enough to support the decorations.
Use a sharp, thin knife to cut each Oreo cookie in half. Some may crack, so keep a few extra Oreo cookies nearby. The wings don’t need to be perfectly even; slightly different shapes give the bats some personality.
Let the baked cookies rest for about five minutes before adding the Reese’s cups. They should be warm enough to soften the bottom of the chocolate cup without completely melting it.
When attaching the wings and eyes, you only need a small dab of melted chocolate. Think of it as edible glue. Using too much can make the finished bats messy.
Storing and Reheating Oreo Bat Cookies
Once your Halloween Oreo bats have completely set, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. If you need to stack the cookies, place parchment paper between the layers to protect the wings and candy eyes.
If your home is warm, keep them in the refrigerator to keep the chocolate firm. Let chilled cookies sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
I don’t recommend reheating assembled bat Oreo cookies because the Reese’s cups and decorations can melt. If you prefer a warm cookie, enjoy one shortly after decorating.
Easy Oreo Bat Cookie Variations
These Oreo cookie bats are easy to customize.
Halloween Oreos with orange filling can add a pop of seasonal color, while other Oreo flavors can change the taste without affecting the basic design.
For even more chocolate flavor, stir some mini chocolate chips into the dough. A little chocolate chip texture works nicely, but don’t add too many or the surface may become too uneven for the Reese’s cup.
You can also replace the Reese’s cups with another round chocolate candy. If you need a peanut-free option, choose an appropriate alternative and carefully check all ingredient labels for allergens.
No matter which version you make, the basic bat Oreo idea stays simple: a chocolate cookie base, a candy body, Oreo wings, and two funny little eyes.
What to Serve With Halloween Bat Cookies
These Halloween bat cookies fit perfectly on a spooky dessert table alongside brownies, cupcakes, popcorn, or other Halloween sweets.
Cold milk or hot chocolate is especially good with their rich chocolate-and-peanut-butter flavor.
For a party, arrange the bat cookies Oreo style across a dark serving platter so the wings and eyes stand out. You can scatter a few Oreo crumbs or extra candy eyes around the platter for an easy Halloween presentation.
They also make fun Halloween treats for a family movie night. Kids will love the little bat faces, while the familiar chocolate, Oreo, and peanut butter flavors appeal just as much to adults.
Final Thoughts
These Oreo bat cookies prove that Halloween baking doesn’t need to be complicated. Cake mix makes the chocolate cookie base easy, while Reese’s cups, Oreo cookies, and candy eyes transform each one into a cute little bat.
My favorite part is seeing them come together. One minute, you have ordinary chocolate cookies cooling on the counter; a few minutes later, there’s a whole family of wide-eyed bats looking back at you. That little transformation makes this recipe especially fun to make around Halloween.
Whether you call them bat Oreo cookies, Halloween Oreo bats, Halloween cookies bat treats, or simply bat Halloween treats, they’re festive, chocolatey, and easy to make. These bat treats are almost as fun to assemble as they are to eat.
FAQs
Yes. You can prepare Oreo bats for Halloween a day or two ahead. Let the chocolate set completely before storing them in an airtight container, with parchment paper between layers to protect the decorations.
Yes. Melted chocolate chips work well for attaching the Oreo wings and candy eyes. Candy melts generally set a little firmer, but either option works. Chocolate frosting can also be used.
Use a sharp, thin knife to carefully cut each Oreo in half. Some may break, so keep a few extra cookies nearby. The wings don’t need to match perfectly for your bat cookies to look cute.
Chilling makes the dough easier to handle and helps prevent excessive spreading. Thicker cookies also provide a sturdier base for the Reese’s cup and Oreo wings.
Not usually. Oreo bat Halloween treats can stay in an airtight container at a cool room temperature. Refrigerate them if your kitchen is warm enough to soften the chocolate.
Oreo Bat Cookies Made With Cake Mix and Reese’s Cups
Ingredients
- 13.25 oz Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge cake mix do not follow preparations on box
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 16 Reese’s peanut butter cups
- 16 Oreo cookies cut in half
- 32 candy eyes
- 1 tablespoon chocolate candy melts you can also use chocolate chips or frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Make the cookie dough: Add the dry cake mix, vegetable oil, and eggs to a large bowl. Stir until evenly combined and a thick chocolate cookie dough forms. Do not prepare the cake mix according to the box directions.
- Chill the dough: Cover and refrigerate the dough for 20 to 30 minutes. Chilling makes the sticky dough easier to handle and helps reduce spreading during baking.
- Shape and bake: Divide the chilled dough into 16 portions and place them on the prepared baking sheet with space between each cookie. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
- Add the Reese’s cups: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. While they’re still warm, gently press one Reese’s peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Don’t push it all the way through. The warmth helps soften the bottom of the cup, so it stays in place.
- Melt the chocolate: Place the chocolate candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth. Melted chocolate chips can also be used.
- Make the Oreo wings: Dab a little melted chocolate onto the edge of each Oreo half. Place one on either side of the Reese’s cup to create the bat wings.
- Add the eyes: Dab a tiny amount of melted chocolate onto the back of each candy eye and place two near the center of each bat.
- Let the bats set: Allow the cookies to sit for about 30 minutes so the chocolate can firm up. If you’re short on time, place them in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. They’re also delicious when slightly warm!
