Peanut Butter Frankenstein Cookies: The Ultimate Butterfinger Halloween Treat
Get ready for a monstrously delicious Halloween with these adorable Peanut Butter Frankenstein Cookies! Combining the irresistible crunch of BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size candy bars with classic peanut butter cookies, these treats are dipped in vibrant green almond bark and decorated to resemble everyone’s favorite reanimated monster. They’re a fantastic activity to make with kids, perfect for Halloween parties, school treat bags, or simply enjoying a spooky night in.
Halloween might still be a little way off, but as any seasoned treat-maker knows, it’s never too early to start planning your spooky season snacks. I’m a firm believer that having all your ingredients ready makes you far more likely to get into the kitchen and create something special. That’s why I’m thrilled to share this incredibly easy Halloween cookie idea that you can whip up with just a few pantry staples and, of course, those iconic BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size candy bars!
These aren’t just any Halloween cookies; they’re a delightful fusion of flavors and textures. Imagine a soft, chewy peanut butter cookie base, topped with a crisp, chocolatey Butterfinger bar, all coated in sweet green “Frankenstein” goodness. It’s a treat that looks impressive but is surprisingly simple to assemble, making it ideal for busy parents and aspiring young chefs alike.
Whether you’re hosting a ghoulish gathering, preparing treats for a classroom party, or just want to add some festive flair to your snack time, these Frankenstein cookies are sure to be a hit. Their vibrant green color, googly candy eyes, and playful stitched mouths instantly evoke the spirit of Halloween, making them as fun to look at as they are to eat. Plus, who can resist the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate, elevated with that unique Butterfinger crunch?
What You Need for these Easy Frankenstein Cookies:
To create your batch of spooky-sweet Frankenstein cookies, you’ll need two main components: the irresistible peanut butter cookie base and the decorated BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size toppers. Here’s a quick rundown of the essential ingredients:
- Peanut Butter Cookies: (A homemade recipe is provided below, but you can also use a store-bought mix for convenience.)
- BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size candy bars: These are the stars of our Frankenstein creation!
- Almond Bark (White): This will be melted and colored green for our monster’s skin. It melts smoothly and sets quickly.
- Green Food Coloring: Gel food coloring works best for achieving a vibrant, consistent color without thinning the almond bark too much.
- Candy Eyeballs (Mini): Essential for bringing our Frankenstein monsters to life!
- Optional: A small amount of additional white almond bark for piping mouths and stitches.
Materials
BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size
Candy Eyeballs (Mini)
Food Coloring
Whether you want to prepare these delightful monster treats before Halloween to serve at parties, or individually package them using fun Halloween treat bag toppers for classroom giveaways, these candy-packed Frankenstein cookies are guaranteed to satisfy all the little (and big!) monsters. After all, what do most trick-or-treaters truly want? More candy, of course!
How to Make these Easy Butterfinger Frankenstein Cookies:
Creating these festive Frankenstein cookies is a two-part process: first, you’ll decorate the Butterfinger candy bars, and then you’ll bake the peanut butter cookies and combine them. Don’t worry, both steps are straightforward and designed for maximum fun and minimal fuss. You can find a complete printable recipe card with all instructions and ingredient measurements further down this page.
Step 1: Melt Almond Bark & Color
Begin by carefully melting 3 squares of white almond bark in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second increments at 50% power, stirring well after each interval, until the bark is completely smooth and melted. Be patient to prevent scorching. Once melted, stir in 1-2 drops of green food coloring. Gel food coloring is recommended for a vibrant, consistent color. Continue stirring until you achieve your desired shade of monster green. After coloring, stir the almond bark for another 10-15 seconds. This helps to slightly cool it down, which is crucial for the next step. You don’t want it blazing hot when it comes into contact with the candy bars, as this can cause the chocolate in the Butterfingers to melt prematurely.
Step 2: Unwrap Candy Bars
While your almond bark is cooling slightly, unwrap all your BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size candy bars. Lay them out on a piece of wax paper or parchment paper. This preparation step ensures a smooth workflow once you start dipping, and the paper will prevent sticking as they set.
Step 3: Cover Candy Bars with Almond Bark
This step requires a delicate touch to avoid melting the candy bar. Place one BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size candy bar on the top of a fork, holding it over your bowl of melted green almond bark. Use a spoon to generously drizzle the green almond bark over the entire candy bar, ensuring it’s completely covered. Gently tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to shake off any *excess* almond bark, but be careful not to tap too much! You want a nice, thick layer of coating. Tapping too vigorously can expose the chocolate underneath or cause the candy bar to melt. Immediately transfer the coated candy bar to the wax or parchment paper.
Step 4: Add Candy Eyeballs & Pipe Mouth
Work quickly after dipping each candy bar! Before the almond bark hardens, gently press two mini candy eyeballs into the top half of each green-coated Butterfinger, positioning them to look like Frankenstein’s eyes. Once all your monsters have their eyes, you may need to refrigerate them for 10-15 minutes to help the coating fully harden. For the finishing touch, melt one additional square of white almond bark. Spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (or a Ziploc bag with a tiny corner snipped off). Pipe on a stitched mouth for your Frankenstein monsters. Get creative with zig-zags and small lines for stitches! For a “Bride of Frankenstein” variation, pipe two squiggly lines on the chocolate (undipped) half of the bar to resemble her iconic hair.
Step 5: Make Cookie Dough & Bake
While your Frankenstein toppers are chilling, prepare your peanut butter cookie dough using the recipe provided below. Once the dough is mixed, roll it into oval-shaped balls (about 3 tablespoons each) and slightly flatten them before placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake according to the recipe instructions. The cookies will appear slightly underdone when you pull them from the oven, but they will continue to bake on the hot baking sheet. This ensures a soft, chewy texture. Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, gently but firmly press one of your decorated Frankenstein BUTTERFINGER® bars into the center of each warm cookie. The warmth of the cookie will help the candy bar adhere.
Step 6: Allow to Harden & Serve
After pressing the candy bars into the warm cookies, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. For the chocolate coating on the Butterfingers to fully re-harden, you might want to transfer the cookies to the refrigerator for an additional 15-30 minutes. Once set, they are ready to serve and enjoy! These festive treats are perfect for a Halloween party table, arranged on a platter, or wrapped individually for party favors or classroom treats. Check out our archives for some free Halloween treat bag printables that would be perfect for gifting these little monsters!
Seriously, does it get any better than the glorious combination of peanut butter cookies and more peanut butter (thanks to the Butterfinger’s nougat center)? I’m going to confidently say no, it absolutely does not! You all know how much I adore a good peanut butter cookie, and when it comes to my favorite holiday, Halloween just isn’t complete without a few BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size candy bars making their way into my home. The addition of the green chocolate shell and the adorable Frankenstein faces only makes them more irresistible.
With their captivating charm and utterly delicious flavor, these Frankenstein cookies have a mysterious way of disappearing from the plate surprisingly fast. So be sure to make a double batch if you’re expecting a crowd!
Frequently Asked Questions:
The key here is to avoid direct submersion into hot almond bark. Instead, place the BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size candy bar on a fork and use a spoon to drizzle the melted almond bark over it. This method provides coverage without exposing the candy bar to excessive heat, which could cause the inner chocolate to melt. Also, ensure your almond bark has cooled slightly after melting by stirring it for 10-15 seconds.
Candy eyeballs are widely available during the Halloween season! You can typically find them at most craft stores like Hobby Lobby & Michaels, in the baking aisle of larger supermarkets, or through online retailers. For this particular project, you’ll want to purchase the mini eyeballs on Amazon to best fit the fun size candy bars.
Absolutely! Candy melts are a great alternative to almond bark. They come in a wide variety of colors, so you might even find green ones directly, saving you a step with food coloring. Just follow the same melting and drizzling instructions, being mindful of temperature.
Once the chocolate has fully hardened, store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. If your kitchen is particularly warm, or to keep the chocolate firm, you can store them in the refrigerator, but allow them to come to room temperature briefly before serving for the best texture.
The provided recipe is for delicious homemade peanut butter cookies, which we highly recommend! However, if you’re short on time, using a high-quality store-bought peanut butter cookie dough or even a mix is a perfectly acceptable shortcut. Just ensure you bake them according to package directions, then press the decorated Butterfingers onto them while they’re still warm from the oven.
Easy Butterfinger Frankenstein Cookies
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Ingredients
Peanut Butter Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter i.e. 1 stick
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
For Topping:
- 4 Squares White Almond Bark
- Green Food Coloring
- Candy Eyeballs
- 12-14 NESTLÉ® BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size candy bars
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Instructions
Before making cookies, prep Frankenstein BUTTERFINGER® toppers:
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Melt 3 squares of almond bark in the microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments until melted and smooth. Stir between each increment to prevent scorching.
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Once fully melted, stir in 1-2 drops of green food coloring until you achieve a vibrant, consistent green shade. Stir the almond bark for an additional 10-15 seconds to slightly cool it down. This prevents the candy bars from melting when coated.
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Unwrap a BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size candy bar and place it on a fork, holding it over the bowl of green almond bark. Use a spoon to generously drizzle the almond bark over the top of the candy bar, ensuring full coverage. Gently tap the fork to remove only excess almond bark; aim for a thick layer. Transfer the coated bar onto wax paper or parchment. Immediately press two candy eyeballs into the top half of each candy bar before the bark hardens.
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Optional: To add a mouth and stitches, melt 1 square of white almond bark. Spoon it into a piping bag (or a plastic bag with a tiny corner snipped off) and pipe on a stitched mouth and any desired scars. For a “Bride of Frankenstein,” pipe two squiggly lines on the undipped chocolate half for her hair.
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Place the decorated candy bars in the refrigerator to fully harden while you prepare and bake the cookies.
To Make Cookies:
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Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
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In a small glass bowl, melt unsalted butter (½ cup, or 1 stick) in the microwave. Pour the melted butter into a large mixing bowl.
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Add granulated sugar (¼ cup), packed light brown sugar (½ cup), and creamy peanut butter (½ cup) to the melted butter. Mix with an electric mixer for about 10 seconds until well combined.
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Incorporate 1 large egg and 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for about 20 seconds until smooth and creamy.
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Reduce mixer speed to low. Add ½ teaspoon of baking soda and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix for approximately 10 seconds.
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Gradually add all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups), about half a cup at a time, mixing only until the flour is just incorporated (10-20 seconds). Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can lead to tough cookies.
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Scoop the dough into approximately 3-tablespoon sized balls. Lightly flatten each ball slightly before placing them on your prepared cookie sheet.
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Bake at 350℉ (175°C) for 8 minutes. The cookies may look slightly underdone, but they will continue to set and firm up on the hot baking sheet once removed from the oven. (Note: Oven temperatures vary, so use your judgment; if they appear severely underbaked, bake for an additional minute.)
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Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, take one of your chilled, dipped BUTTERFINGER® Fun Size candy bars and gently press it into the center of each warm cookie. Allow the cookies to continue cooling on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before carefully transferring them. For the chocolate on the candy bars to fully harden again, place the assembled cookies in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Nutrition
This post was created in partnership with BUTTERFINGER®. All content, templates, and opinions are that of my own. Thank you to my sponsors who help keep this blog & free printables running!
For more delicious BUTTERFINGER® recipes and inspiration, hop on over to their Pinterest page! We hope you and your family have a wonderfully spooky and sweet Halloween season with these delightful Frankenstein cookies!