09/13/2025
🍪 Halloween Sugar Cookies
🧁 Ingredients
For the cookies:
2 ¾ cups (345g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional but recommended)
For the icing (easy royal icing):
2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
2–3 tablespoons milk (adjust for thickness)
1 tablespoon light corn syrup (adds shine)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Gel food coloring (orange, black, green, purple — Halloween classics)
Sprinkles, candy eyes, etc.
👨🍳 Instructions
Step 1: Make the dough
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).
Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
Gradually mix in dry ingredients until combined.
Divide dough in two, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Step 2: Roll and cut shapes
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch (0.6 cm) thickness.
Use Halloween-themed cookie cutters (pumpkins, ghosts, bats, etc.) to cut shapes.
Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, 1 inch apart.
Step 3: Bake
Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until edges are just barely golden.
Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
🎨 Decorating
Make the icing:
Mix powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, corn syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
If too thick, add a bit more milk (1 tsp at a time). If too runny, add more sugar.
Divide into bowls and add food coloring.
Transfer to piping bags or ziplock bags with tips cut off for decorating.
Tips:
Outline with a thicker icing, then “flood” the inside with thinner icing.
Use sprinkles, candy eyes, or colored sugar for decoration.
Let cookies dry for several hours or overnight before stacking.
🕷️ Ideas for Halloween Themes
👻 Ghosts with white icing and black eyes
🎃 Jack-o’-lanterns with orange and green icing
🕸️ Spiderwebs using white icing on black cookies
🧙♀️ Witch hats and cauldrons with purple and green
🦇 Bats with black icing and candy eyes