Halloween Bandaid Cookies
How fun are these bandaid cookies?! They’re a little bit gory, a little bit cute, and they’re sure to be a huge talking point at any Halloween party. They’re also ready in less than 10 minutes and there’s no baking required, making them a great project to try with little ones. You’ll need just three ingredients — vanilla wafers, white frosting, and strawberry jelly.
(If you’re planning a Halloween get together and you want some more ideas for treats, check out my spooky marshmallow ghost cookies and my Lofthouse-inspired sugar cookies too!)
Ingredients
If you want to skip straight to the printable recipe card, you’ll find it towards the bottom of this post!
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White frosting: This is your “bandage pad”. Any white frosting will work — store-bought, homemade, buttercream, cream cheese, whatever you’ve got. Just make sure it’s thick enough to hold its shape and not slide off the cookie.
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Vanilla wafers: These are the base of your creepy creation. Their color and shape make them look weirdly similar to actual bandaids (in the best/worst way). Nilla Wafers are the classic, but any oval or rectangular vanilla cookie will do the trick.
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Strawberry jelly: Your official “dot of blood”. Go with a seedless jelly or jam so it looks nice and smooth. Raspberry works too — as long as it’s red and gooey, you’re good.
How To Make Halloween Bandaid Cookies
- Lay out your cookies: Place your cookies on a sheet of parchment paper or a plate — whatever makes assembly easy. You’re about to turn these innocent little biscuits into something deliciously disturbing.
- Add the “bandage”: Using a butter knife, spread about 1/4 teaspoon of white frosting in the center of each cookie. Aim for a small square, about 1 inch wide. If your cookies have ridges or lines, use those as a guide to line up your frosting box nice and neat.
- Add the “blood”: Now for the gross part (aka the fun part). Place a tiny dot of strawberry jelly right in the middle of your frosting square — roughly a third the size of a Skittle. It doesn’t have to be exact, but keep it small enough so it looks like a realistic drop of blood, not a jelly explosion.
- Serve and creep people out: Serve immediately for the freshest look — and if you really want to sell the gag, pop a box of (unused!) bandaids next to the tray. It’s gross. It’s hilarious. It’s Halloween.
Storage
These are best served fresh — no storing, no refrigerating, no waiting around. If you try to make them too far ahead, the cookies can turn soft and the frosting and jelly might bleed (and not in the fun, Halloween way). For best results, assemble them just before serving and enjoy the spooky wow-factor while they’re crisp and creepy.
Recipe Notes & Tips
It only takes the tiniest dab of frosting and jelly for each cookie, so one standard jar of each will go a long way — easily enough to cover multiple packs of cookies. Perfect if you’re making a big batch for a party or classroom treat table.
I found the Great Value vanilla wafers from Walmart worked especially well — the color is oddly close to actual bandaids (I know, weird flex), and they’re super budget-friendly. You can crank out a spooky tray of cookies without spending much at all.
No need to wait for the frosting to set before adding the jelly — just spread and dot as you go. The frosting will hold everything in place just fine.
Want to get kids involved? Let them be in charge of the “blood drops”. It’s slightly chaotic but endlessly fun — and a little mess only adds to the horror vibe.
Serving Ideas
These bandaid cookies are a guaranteed conversation starter at any Halloween bash. Serve them on a tray lined with parchment, a Halloween-themed platter, or even a sterile-looking metal tray if you’re going all in on the creepy hospital vibe. Want to lean into the joke? Add a (clean!) box of bandaids next to the cookies or slap a fake “first aid” label on the tray. They’re perfect for Halloween parties, classroom events, or just to gross out your friends in the best possible way. Bonus points if you serve them alongside other creepy treats like witch finger cookies or “blood” punch.
Halloween Bandaid Cookies
Ingredients
- White frosting
- Vanilla wafers
- Strawberry jelly
Instructions
- Lay out your cookies: Place your cookies on a sheet of parchment paper or a plate — whatever makes assembly easy. You’re about to turn these innocent little biscuits into something deliciously disturbing.
- Add the "bandage": Using a butter knife, spread about 1/4 teaspoon of white frosting in the center of each cookie. Aim for a small square, about 1 inch wide. If your cookies have ridges or lines, use those as a guide to line up your frosting box nice and neat.
- Add the "blood": Now for the gross part (aka the fun part). Place a tiny dot of strawberry jelly right in the middle of your frosting square — roughly a third the size of a Skittle. It doesn’t have to be exact, but keep it small enough so it looks like a realistic drop of blood, not a jelly explosion.
- Serve and creep people out.: Serve immediately for the freshest look — and if you really want to sell the gag, pop a box of (unused!) bandaids next to the tray. It’s gross. It’s hilarious. It’s Halloween.
These Halloween bandaid cookies are the perfect mix of creepy, clever, and ridiculously easy. They’re the kind of treat that makes people laugh and squirm — which, let’s be honest, is what Halloween snacks are all about. Whip up a batch right before your party, let the gross-out reactions roll in, and enjoy being the weirdo who brought edible medical supplies to the dessert table.
