These Halloween Sugar Cookies taste as delicious as they are adorable. You will have fun making these for kids, family, co-workers, or your next event. Have fun and get creative with the designs.
Decorating with royal icing can be challenging until you get the hang of it. Just remember to have fun and either way they will likely taste delicious!
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What You Need:
EQUIPTMENT
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Paddle Attachment
- Parchment Paper
- Cling Wrap
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatula
- Baking Sheet
- Piping bags
INGREDIENTS – COOKIES
- 411 grams unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, cold and cut into chunks
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
INGREDIENTS – ROYAL ICING
- 2 lbs or 907 grams (one bag) confectioner’s sugar
- 5 tbs or 53 grams meringue powder
- 2-3 tsps oil free extract or emulsion (optional)
- 1/2-3/4 cups warm water
Step 1: Preheat Oven to 350°
Move oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 350°. Line multiple baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: Make Cookie Dough
Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
Cut butter into cubes. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together until it comes together light and fluffy (approx. 2 minutes or less). Add sugar and continue to beat until incorporated. Do not over beat, you do not want it to get warm. Add the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
Switch the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides as needed. Be careful not to over beat.
Step 3: Rest Dough
Use your hands to work it into a ball for rolling. Roughly divide in half. Turn out on cling wrap. You can use right away or wrap tightly and let rest if you are making this ahead. Can rest for several hours if needed.
Step 4: Cut Shapes, Chill, and Bake
Place cling wrap down in rolling space, take rested dough ball, unwrap, and place on cling wrap, place another layer of cling wrap on top of dough and roll out in between the cling wrap pieces with a wood rolling pin to 1/4″ thick (this rolling pin will roll to correct thickness). Once rolled to your liking, remove top layer cling wrap and cut desired shapes. Try not to over handle dough. Place on parchment lined baking sheets.
Place in freezer for 5-10 minutes. Remove and immediately bake for 10-14 minutes, 8-12 minutes for smaller shapes. Ovens may vary so you will need to learn your oven. Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.
Let cookies cool completely before decorating. You can store in airtight container for several days at room temperature or freeze to decorate at later date.
Step 5: Make Royal Icing and Decorate
Using the paddle attachment, gently mix the sugar and meringue powder. Put mixer on its lowest setting and emulsion and slowly add the warm water. Start with adding a small amount at time as if you add to much it can become too runny and you’ll have to add more powdered sugar.
As a general rule of thumb, use toothpaste consistency for outlining, and honey consistency for flooding or filling in the shape. Once icing reaches desired consistency, turn mixer to medium speed and whip for 2-4 minutes until icing is thick and fluffy.
Seperate out into bowls and add gel food coloring to create desired colors. Line tall glass with piping bag and fill seperte piping bags with each icing color.
Cut the tip of your bag very small, you can always cut it bigger and you can use two bags for each color to create two different sizes for each color. The smaller one for outlining the section first and the thicker one for filling in. Test what works for you and the design you are trying to create.
We hope you love these Halloween Sugar Cookies. For more recipes and delicious inspiration, check out the Baking section of our blog here!
Perfect Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Paddle Attachment
- Parchment Paper
- Cling Wrap
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatula
- Baking sheet
- Piping bags
Ingredients
- 411 grams Unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) Salted butter, cold and cut into chunks
- 1 Large egg
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Move oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 350°. Line multiple baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
- Cut butter into cubes. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together until it comes together light and fluffy (approx. 2 minutes or less). Add sugar and continue to beat until incorporated. Do not over beat, you do not want it to get warm. Add the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Switch the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides as needed. Be careful not to over beat.
- Use your hands to work it into a ball for rolling. Roughly divide in half. Turn out on cling wrap. You can use right away or wrap tightly and let rest if you are making this ahead. Can rest for several hours if needed.
- Place cling wrap down in rolling space, place unwrapped dough ball on cling wrap, place another layer of cling wrap on top of dough and roll out in between the cling wrap pieces with a wood rolling pin to 1/4″ thick. Once rolled to your liking, remove top layer cling wrap and cut desired shapes. Try not to over handle dough. Place on parchment lined baking sheets.
- Place in freezer for 5-10 minutes. Remove and immediately bake for 10-14 minutes, 8-12 minutes for smaller shapes. Ovens may vary so you will need to learn your oven.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.
- Let cookies cool completely before decorating. You can store in airtight container for several days at room temperature or freeze to decorate at later date.
