Keto Halloween Cookies
Published October 10, 2022 • Updated March 1, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Low carb Jack O' Lantern sandwich cookies filled with melted chocolate, about 2g net carbs each. I make these keto Halloween cookies every October and they hold their shape without egg or xanthan gum.
Halloween is one big sugar fest, and staying low carb through it takes some planning. These are my answer: Jack O’ Lantern sandwich cookies with a creamy chocolate center, about 2g net carbs per cookie. I’ve been making them every October since 2019, and they’re the one Halloween treat I never skip.
What makes these keto Halloween cookies different from most cutout cookie recipes is the base. It’s a shortbread dough, no egg, no xanthan gum. The structure comes entirely from cold butter and the right ratio of almond flour to coconut flour. I tested a lot of combinations before landing on this one, and the result is a buttery, delicate cookie that holds its shape through rolling, cutting, chilling, and baking.
The technique that makes these work is two-stage refrigeration. You chill the rolled dough before cutting shapes, then chill the cut shapes again before baking. That second chill is why these hold their pumpkin shape without any egg or binders. I skipped it once early on and the Jack O’ Lantern faces melted into shapeless blobs. Never again.
These are great as a weekend bake or a Halloween party project with kids. I roll and cut the shapes, then let my kids handle the assembly part with melted chocolate. They love watching the Jack O’ Lantern faces fill in with dark chocolate. If you’re building a full spread, pair them with ghost bundt cakes, Halloween peanut butter cup cookies, or sugar free candy corn for a full Halloween dessert table.
How to make Halloween cookies
- Make the shortbread dough by combining almond flour, coconut flour, and salt, then creaming that into softened butter, sweetener, and vanilla.
- Roll out between parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thick and refrigerate 20-30 minutes. This first chill firms everything up for clean cuts.
- Cut pumpkin shapes with a cookie cutter. Carve Jack O’ Lantern faces into half the cookies with a knife. Refrigerate again 15-20 minutes (this second chill prevents spreading).
- Bake at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes until edges turn golden. Let them cool completely before handling.
- Melt chocolate and spread on a solid pumpkin cookie, then press a face cookie on top.
Key ingredients and substitutions
- Almond flour + coconut flour: This combo gives you a buttery shortbread that tastes like a traditional cookie. I get asked about the coconut flour a lot, and no, these do not taste like coconut. I’ve made them for people who hate coconut and they had no idea.
- Butter: Softened, not melted. Creaming it with the sweetener builds the structure since there’s no egg in this dough.
- Sweetener: Any sugar-free sweetener that measures 1:1 with sugar works. I use a monkfruit erythritol blend. If you go with allulose, add about 2 tablespoons extra since it’s less sweet. My sugar cookies use the same shortbread base if you want to practice with a simpler shape first.
- Chocolate: Sugar free chocolate chips melt fast and spread easily. You can also use a hazelnut spread like ChocZero’s.
Explore 684+ keto recipe videos with step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks to make keto easy.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups almond flour -
1/4 cup coconut flour
-
1/4 teaspoon salt
-
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
-
1/2 cup sugar free sweetener
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1/4 cup sugar free chocolate chips
-
1 teaspoon coconut oil
-
pumpkin cookie cutters
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Mix dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, sift together almond flour, coconut flour, and salt. Set aside.
- Almond flour
- Coconut flour
- Salt
Cream butter and sweetener
In a separate bowl, cream together butter, sugar free sweetener and vanilla extract.
- Unsalted butter (softened)
- Sugar-free sweetener
- Vanilla extract
Finish the cookie dough
Using an electric mixer, slowly mix in dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Mix until smooth and combined.
Roll out dough
Place dough in between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out using a rolling pin until dough is ⅛ – ¼ inch thick. Place dough in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
Pumpkins & jack o' lanterns
Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and punch out pumpkin shapes using a pumpkin cookie cutter. Place each pumpkin onto a parchment lined baking tray. Using a knife, cut out a jack o lantern face in half of the cookies. Refrigerate again for 15-20 minutes.
Bake
Bake at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes or until edges start to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely. DO NOT try to handle the cookies before you have let them cool completely on the baking tray or else they will crumble and break. They are very soft after baking but will harden once they cool.
Chocolate face
In a small bowl, add chocolate chips and coconut oil. Melt by microwaving at 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Spread melted chocolate on the pumpkin cookie that is whole (no face) and place the jack o lantern cookie on top. Repeat with remaining cookies.
- Chocolate Chips (sugar free)
- Coconut oil
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
Your Macros. Your Recipes. Calculated in 60 Seconds.
Get personalized keto macros and instantly see which recipes fit your targets. No more guessing what to eat.
Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
How many net carbs are in each cookie?
Each sandwich cookie (two shortbread halves plus the chocolate filling) comes out to about 2g net carbs. I calculated this using a monkfruit erythritol blend as the sweetener. If you use allulose or a different brand, the count may shift slightly, but with this dough and filling ratio you're staying well under 3g per cookie.
Can I freeze the assembled sandwich cookies?
I've frozen these with the chocolate filling and they hold up fine. I lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan, freeze for about an hour, then transfer to a freezer bag with parchment between layers. They keep for about a month. When I thaw them, I leave them on the counter for 15-20 minutes. The shortbread texture stays intact, though the chocolate center gets a little softer than fresh.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
I make the dough a day or two ahead all the time. It actually rolls out cleaner after an overnight chill because the butter firms up completely. I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Just let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before rolling so it doesn't crack on you.
Can I use allulose instead of erythritol?
I've made these with allulose and they work, but you need about 2 tablespoons more than the recipe calls for since allulose is less sweet than erythritol blends. The one thing I noticed is that allulose browns a little faster, so I pull mine at closer to 6 minutes instead of 7. Keep an eye on the edges.
Why did my cookies spread?
The most common reason I see is skipping the second refrigeration step. This recipe has you chill twice: once after rolling and once after cutting shapes. That second chill is critical. When I've put warm, freshly cut cookies straight into the oven, they spread every time. I also make sure my butter is softened but not melted when I cream it. Melted butter makes the dough too loose to hold a shape.
Why did my cookies crumble when I picked them up?
I had this happen the first couple times I made these. The fix is patience. These cookies come out of the oven very soft and they feel like they'll never firm up. But if you leave them on the baking tray for a full 10-15 minutes, they harden as they cool and you can pick them up without any crumbling. I don't try to move them until they feel firm to the touch.
Can I make smaller or bigger cookies?
I've made these in three different sizes and they all work. Just adjust your bake time: smaller cookies need about 5 minutes, larger ones closer to 8-9 minutes. Watch the edges for that golden color. The net carbs per cookie will change with size, so keep that in mind if you're tracking closely.
On my fourth batch now and I finally figured out why the first few times the dough kept cracking when I rolled it out. Refrigerating for a full 30 minutes instead of rushing it makes a huge difference, it peels off the parchment cleanly and cuts way sharper. I also swapped the chocolate chips for melted Lily's dark chocolate and the filling got noticeably smoother and richer, more ganache-y than chip-y. That subtle crunch from the coconut flour is what keeps me coming back to these.
Yeah, cold dough is just more forgiving, full stop. And now I need to try the Lily's melted instead of chips.
This is my fourth or fifth time making these and I still can't get over how clean the shapes come out without any egg or xanthan gum. I roll the dough a little thinner than the recipe now, closer to 1/8 inch, and the edges get this almost snap to them after they cool. The Lily's chips melt down really smooth with the coconut oil for the filling. Not a special occasion cookie for me anymore.
1/8 inch, I haven't gone that thin but now I want to try it. The snap after cooling is what shortbread should do and I rarely get that at 1/4 inch. Not a special occasion cookie is the highest compliment.
Third batch this spring and I finally cracked the filling. Swapped the coconut oil for a teaspoon of coconut cream and it goes from hard chocolate to something closer to ganache (sets firm but doesn't shatter when you bite in). SO much better. The dough already had me at no egg, no xanthan gum, and actually holds its shape.
One teaspoon and it stops shattering. I've been using coconut oil every October and just living with the snap. Trying coconut cream on the next batch.