Halloween Sugar Cookies

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Grab your kiddos, and make these tender cut-out cookies with crisp, golden-brown edges. These festive Halloween sugar cookies are sweet, buttery, and seriously adorable!

Baking is the perfect activity for a crisp October day! 

• Quick – As far as sugar cookie recipes go, this is a fast one! There’s no chilling time, and you can easily make the dough and royal icing in advance. 
• Method – This Halloween sugar cookie recipe uses reverse-creaming method, which guarantees soft, thin cookies. 
• Creative – Encourage your little ones to use their imagination when decorating, or let them follow my easy instructions for witch hats and black cats! 

With a room-temperature storage time of one week, these sugar cookies are perfect for school Halloween parties, bake sales, and boo baskets, too.  

Key Ingredient Notes:

For the cookies

• All-purpose flour – It’s crucial that the flour is properly measured, ideally using a kitchen scale. Use the spoon and level method if you don’t have a scale. Since I’ve only tested this recipe using all-purpose flour, I do not recommend any flour substitutions.  
• Sugar – The combination of granulated and brown sugar adds the perfect sweetness and a luscious texture. I’ve tested this recipe with both light and dark brown sugar, and both taste great! However, I prefer light brown sugar, because it yields lighter colored cookies that are easier to decorate. 
• Cornstarch contributes to the soft and tender texture. 
• Baking powder – Unlike other dessert recipes, this doesn’t cause the cookies to puff up or spread. Instead, it helps make them light and airy while still keeping them thin and crisp! For the best results, make sure it’s fresh. 
• Kosher salt – This is a type of coarse salt with large crystals and will enhance the overall flavor of the cookies. I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
• Unsalted butter is best, but salted will also work as long as you omit the added kosher salt. Keep the butter cold, only bringing it out 10-15 minutes prior to mixing your dough. 
• Egg – You’ll need one large egg brought up to room temperature. It’s best to weigh your cracked egg to ensure you use the correct size. 
• Vanilla extract – Always splurge on pure vanilla extract, or make your own DIY vanilla extract. 
• Almond extract – My secret ingredient for rounding out the flavor perfectly! You won’t taste an almond flavor when you add it, but you will notice if it’s missing!  

Key Equipment Notes:

• Piping bag – Tipless piping bags are easier to work with, but plastic baggies will also work. 
• Halloween cookie cutters – I recommend investing in a set. You’ll use them for years! 

How to make Halloween sugar cookies:

Before you get started, preheat your oven to 350°F, and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. 

1. Prepare the dough

• Mix the flour, sugars, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt in a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. 
• Add the butter, and mix on low speed for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is evenly moistened. The mixture should resemble wet sand! 
• Mix in the egg, vanilla, and almond extracts until just combined. This only takes about 30 seconds! The dough should be crumbly but also wet enough to stick together when squeezed in your hand. 
• Divide the dough into two equal parts, and knead it into smooth balls. 
• Place each dough ball between two parchment sheets, and roll the dough out into ¼-inch thick disks.  

2. Cut out and bake the cookies

• Cut out the cookies using Halloween cookie cutters. Arrange the cut-outs on the prepared baking sheets
• Gather the scraps of dough, roll it out again, and let it chill before cutting more cookies. Repeat this process until all the dough is used. 
• Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes, or until the edges start to turn light a light, golden color. 
• Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

3. Prepare the icing 

• Make a half batch of this royal icing recipe. You’ll be amazed by the flawless finish!  
• Divide the icing into four sections.
• Color with gel food coloring. Use any color or a combination of colors you like best. I made 120 grams of black, 100 grams of white, 50 grams of purple, and 30 grams of green! 
• Transfer the royal icing into tipless piping bags. 

Make-Ahead Tips:

I highly recommend making the dough in advance so you don’t feel rushed and can have lots of fun decorating! 

• Prepare the cookie dough. Instead of rolling it out flat, shape the dough into ½-inch thick disks, and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Or, place it in a ziplock plastic bag. 
• Refrigerate raw cookie dough for up to 3 days.
• Freeze raw cookie dough for up to 3 months. 
• Thaw frozen cookie dough in the refrigerator overnight. Let it warm up to room temperature for 15-30 minutes before shaping the cookies. 
• Royal icing can be made up to two weeks in advance! 

Sugar Cookie Storing Tips:

Decorated Halloween sugar cookies stay soft and fresh for days, thanks to the icing. Icing seals in the moisture, preventing the cookies from drying out. 

• Room temperature – Keep the decorated cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet until the icing has fully hardened, up to 48 hours. Place the cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper in between the layers. Store at room temperature for up to one week. 
• Freezer – Once the decorated cookies have fully set, they can be frozen for up to one month. 
• To thaw – Remove the container from the freezer, and leave it on the counter for 8-12 hours WITHOUT opening it. Keeping it closed will prevent condensation from forming, which causes the colors to run. 

Halloween Sugar Cookie FAQs:

More Halloween Recipes:

• Halloween Macaron Cake
• Mummy Meringue Cookies
• Halloween Macarons
• Meringue Ghosts