Halloween Sugar Cookie Recipe
This Halloween Sugar Cookie Recipe makes the perfect treat for your next Halloween party or night out. These cookies are a HUGE family favorite and have a special place in our collection of Popular Cookie Recipes!
Whether you’re at a spooky party, trick-or-treating, or just enjoying the evening with family and friends, these cookies are a fun and tasty addition to the ghoulish festivities.
Our Favorite Baking Spices
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Instead of sugar in granulated form, this recipe requires powdered sugar. I am completely convinced the difference in sugar texture is why we love it. Their versatility is top notch as well. You can eat them without icing and they will still taste delicious!
Why You Should Make This Halloween Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients For These Halloween Sugar Cookies
Wondering what you need to make these cookies? Read on to find out!
- All Purpose Flour: We like to use the King Arthur brand. However, any other brand will suffice.
- Baking Soda: This ingredient is essential to the recipe. Do not skip it.
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of Tartar helps with lifting and giving texture to the cookies
- Unsalted Butter: Our family is huge fans of the Kerrygold brand. However, you definitely can use another brand if needed.
- Confectioners Sugar (aka Powdered Sugar): It is believed this ingredient is the reason why it is so popular. Do not skip it.
- Eggs: They are a baking staple and will aid in the texture of the cookies.
- Vanilla and Almond Extracts: We enjoy Savory Spice’s Madagascar Vanilla Extract and Pure Almond Extract.
- Light Karo Corn Syrup: If you choose to make the frosting in this recipe, this syrup gives it a glossy shine.
Tips for Making These Sugar Halloween Cookies
- Chill the dough: Make sure the dough is chilled for at least an hour before baking. We like to leave it in the fridge overnight. The more it stays cold, the more it will keep it’s shape when baking.
- Cut them out: Use cute cookie cutters (ghosts, bats, witches, etc.. ) to create different shapes and sizes.
- Decorate: These cookies taste great without icing, however, they also taste super yummy with it as well. You can use the icing in this recipe or a pre-made one. Make sure to decorate your cookies after frosting for a spooky look.
What Tools Are Recommended To Decorate These Halloween Sugar Cookies?
There are a numerous ways you can decorate these cookies. You can cut them out with Halloween related cookie cutters and ice them using homemade icing or pre-made cookie icing. Decorate them with Halloween cookie sprinkles or other Halloween related decorative gel.
Can I Freeze These Halloween Cookies?
There are two ways you can freeze these delicious cookies. They can be created (minus the icing and decorations), brought to room temperature, and then frozen in freezer bags. You can also make the dough, place it in a plastic freezer bag, and place in the fridge for up to 30 days. To make cookies after freezing, defrost the dough and continue with the rest of the recipe.
Do The Sugar Cookie Ingredients Need to Be at Room Temperature?
To ensure proper texture and form, make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature. When ingredients are at room temperature, it makes it easier to control the overall form.
More of Our Favorite Halloween Cookie Recipes
Check out a few of our favorite Halloween Cookie Recipes from our site and our friends if you are looking for recipes like the one above:
- Sugar Cookie Witch Fingers
- Halloween Spider Cookies
- Witch Hats and Broomsticks
- 30 Halloween Cookies for a Spooky Good Time
- Oreo Spider Cookies
Helpful Kitchen Tools
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Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose flour (plus more for rolling)
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. Cream of Tartar
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 egg (room temperature)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract (divided)
Icing Ingredients:
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 2 tsp. milk (or more if desired)
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 2 tsp. Light Karo syrup
- Food coloring (if desired)
- Cookie decorations (sugar crystals, dots, etc..) (if desired)
Equipment You’ll Need
Instructions
To Make Cookies:
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, baking soda, and Cream of Tartar until well combined. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, mix the softened unsalted butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat until well mixed.
- Add the flour mixture, a little at a time, to the butter and egg mixture. Blending well.
- Form dough into a ball and wrap in saran wrap. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out portions of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes (about 1/2 inch thickness).
- Place cut out cookies on cookie sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes. Cookies are done baking when they are just barely starting to turn brown on bottom. Let them sit on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Place each one individually on a wire rack to finish cooling.
To Make Icing:
- In a medium bowl, mix the confectioners sugar, milk, almond extract, and light Karo syrup until well blended. Add extra milk until desired consistency is reached.
- Color the icing with food coloring if desired.
- Frost cookies and decorate with desired decor. Let cookies sit on wire rack over night for the icing to set.