Spoon University Logo
News

Pillsbury Ghost & Pumpkin Sugar Cookies Are Back For Halloween

Since autumn is already here, grocery stores are displaying fall-themed items on tables and shelves. Even better than bakery cookies, arguably, are the Pillsbury Halloween sugar cookies. Both the ghost and pumpkin shapes are officially back in the refrigerated aisle. They’re easy to bake and eat, but sometimes, they’re difficult to find. Plus, Pillsbury is asking fans to help craft the next Halloween cookie shape. Simply enter your name, age, and idea into their website, and you just might see your design in stores next Halloween. When sharing your idea, you’ll be entered into a sweepstakes that will award 450 winners with 24 free cookie coupons. Sign us up!

How much are Pillsbury Halloween cookies?

As with most grocery products, it all depends on the store and location. In this analysis, I will use my location to calculate how much the Pillsbury pumpkin sugar cookie dough will be in different stores near me.

In the nearest Walmart, the cookie dough costs $3.68. In the nearest Safeway, the cookie dough costs $4.49. In the nearest Giant Food, the cookie dough costs $5.49.

Based on the data I collected, the average price is $4.55 with a price range of $3.68 and $5.49. If the cookie dough exceeds that range or even hits double digits, don’t bother getting them. You can recreate them at home with Spoon University’s copycat recipe.

TikTok is obsessed with these Pillsbury cookies.

What makes them so popular—besides their cute limited-edition shapes—is the cookie dough is safe to eat, according to Pillsbury in the description and on the back of the box. Some people don’t mind that and eat straight away; others prefer their cookie dough warm and baked thoroughly.

@cvaire

The @Pillsbury pumpkin cookies are back in stores 🎃🍪 #codeorange #cauldron #cookiedough #pillsburycookies #summerween

♬ original sound – Claire

People are more than excited to get the pumpkin and ghost sugar cookies. The second they hit the shelves, they might be swept up for the day. Fear not, as stores frequently restock these refrigerated cookie goodies.

@kinley.thomas

IVE BEEN TRYNA CATCH YOU BOYS ALL YEAR🎃🎃🎃 #pumpkinseason #pillsburycookies

♬ original sound – UGKDylan

You can upgrade your Pillsbury Halloween cookies.

The most common recipe is placing the pumpkin sugar cookie dough on top of a piece of chocolate chip cookie dough.

If you’re in the mood for cheesecake, then TikTok user @tabbycakes1313’s recipe can help.

This is for those who can’t eat gluten. TikTok user @kaylee.schilling posted a video with a gluten-free recipe of the limited edition cookie dough. 

@kaylee.schilling

Pillsbury copycat recipe for the pumpkin sugar cookies, but make it gluten free! 🍂🍁🎃 I’ve been so bummed out for years not being able to enjoy these nostalgic treats, now I can 😁 I’ll be real and say the process of rolling and forming was difficult, almost cried 😂 It takes some patience plus some trial and error. If you find your dough getting crumbly when trying to form, get a little bit of water on your hands. There will be some leftover dough, so set that aside in the fridge to make more cookies out of! INGREDIENTS: 2.5 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1.5 cup sugar 1 cup butter, softened 1 egg 2 tsp vanilla extract Orange food coloring Green food coloring DIRECTIONS: 1. Mix together dry ingredients, then egg, butter, and vanilla 2. Take 3/4 cup of dough, color orange and set aside in plastic wrap. Put it in the fridge to chill. Do the same with 1/4 cup of dough colored green. 3. Take rest of the dough and wrap, place it in the fridge for 10 minutes. 4. Take out colored dough. Gently roll orange dough into a log, then place a skewer on top to create an indent. 5. Roll out green dough into a skinny log, place in indent. 6. Take out original dough, roll flat. 7. Place log in the center of the rolled out dough, carefully wrap around the log. 8. Squeeze gently to make sure the colored dough and original dough form together. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer for 10 minutes. 9. Take dough out and slice thin pieces, place on baking sheet about 1″ apart. 10. Bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes, or until the sides begin to turn golden. 11. Remove cookies and let set for 10 minutes.

♬ Spooky – Classics IV

Pillsbury is basically a holiday necessity.

Pillsbury has other cookies that match the changing seasons and holidays.  For Thanksgiving, they have sugar cookies with a turkey on them. For Christmas, they have sugar cookies with Christmas trees, snowmen, and reindeer shapes. For spring and Easter, there’s a bunny and a decorative egg.

Living between Virginia's capital and the U.S. capital, Yaba has been a national contributing writer for Spoon University for over a year. She writes various topics and news items involving food and drinks. Outside of Spoon University, Yaba writes for Unheard Gems, a music blog dedicated to sharing the voices of independent musicians and artists.She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in December 2023.