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You can make the cutest Halloween sugar cookies with this easy Halloween sugar cookie recipe. These cut-out cookies are soft, chewy and perfect for Spooky Season!
Aren’t these the cutest Halloween cookies ever?! I’ve made other cookies for Halloween before, but we decided to take things up a notch this year with by making cut-out cookies. The cookie dough recipe is the best — we also use it for Christmas and Easter cut outs, and it does not disappoint! We also use meringue powder for the easiest royal icing ever!
Why you’ll love these Halloween Cookies!
The dough is super easy to work with — doesn’t spread and holds its shape!
The cookies are soft and chewy with a delicious blend of vanilla and almond flavors.
You can decorate them with a simple glaze, frosting or get as creative as you like!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you need. Full amounts are listed in the printable recipe card below.
Butter — I always use salted butter, but you can use unsalted
White sugar — for sweetness
Almond and vanilla extract — for flavor
Egg — use large not extra large
Flour — all purpose
Sea Salt — or kosher salt
Baking soda — helps the dough rise
How to Make Halloween Sugar Cookies
First, you cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Use a stand mixer or a hand mixer for this part. Mix in the wet ingredients, then gradually add the dry ingredients, and mix until you have a soft dough. Roll out over plastic wrap, then wrap up and chill the sugar cookie dough for a few hours or overnight.
When you are ready to bake, simply use Halloween cookie cutters to make cut-outs in the dough. Then, place on lined cookie sheets (I recommend parchment paper or silicone mats) and bake. When they are cool, you can decorate however you want.
How to Decorate
I love cookies decorated with royal icing, but it can be tricky to work with. So, I absolutely recommend using meringue powder for the best-looking bakery-style cookies. We add corn syrup for shine and almond and vanilla extracts for flavoring in addition to the royal icing recipe on the package.
For perfect looking cookies, use tipless piping bags and a cookie scribe. You can also use plastic baggies and toothpicks if you don’t have those materials on hand.
To achieve a layered effect for details on skull and pumpkin sugar cookies, spread on a light layer of black royal icing onto the cookie, let it dry completely, and then layer on your second coat of icing. And always add cocoa powder to black royal icing first to prevent adding too much food gel and staining teeth!
Don’t have any decorating skills? Just add sanding sugar on top of the icing for an easy, but cute decorated sugar cookie.
Recipe Tips
Make sure to fully beat the sugar and butter together to prevent spreading.
Always chill the dough. This makes cutting the shapes easy, and it helps stop spreading.
Do not over bake. Bake cookies until they no longer look wet and the edges are slightly brown.
Add one tablespoon of corn syrup to your icing to make it shiny and soft.
When making black icing, mix in some cocoa powder before adding black food gel to prevent using too much.
Storage
Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay soft and fresh for a week or more. You can freeze undecorated cookies for up to 3 months for best taste.
More Halloween Treats
If you love Halloween recipes as much as we do, try our easy marshmallow pops or cake pops or this fun graveyard cake or these easy nutter butter ghosts or Oreo pumpkins and ice cream next!
Halloween Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth
- Add in the granulated sugar and mix together until fully combined, light and fluffy. This will take at least 5 minutes
- Mix in the egg, almond extract and vanilla extract
- Add in the salt, baking powder and half of the flour. Mix well
- Add in the rest of the flour and mix until fully combined. To avoid overworking the dough, finish mixing with a rubber spatula
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts
- Place each portion onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to approximately ⅜ inch thick
- Cover rolled out dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight
- After the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350℉
- Unwrap the chilled dough and use cookie cutters to cut out cookie shapes
- Place cut out cookies 2 inches apart onto a prepared baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Bake for 10-14 minutes or until cookies are no longer oily looking and have lightly browned edges
- Let cookies cool completely before decorating
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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