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Completely cooled cookies being decorated with tinted frosting using piping bags and a knife on the white marble cooktop. The colorful Halloween designs are coming to life.

Halloween Sugar Cookies Recipe

These Halloween Sugar Cookies are perfect for your festive holiday celebrations! With a soft, buttery base and fun Halloween-themed shapes, these cookies are easy to make and decorate. The colorful frosting adds a fun touch, making them a hit with kids and adults alike.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 2 dozen
Calories 182 kcal

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Electric mixer
  • Rolling Pin
  • Halloween-shaped cookie cutters (2 1/2-inch)
  • Baking sheets
  • Wire racks
  • Piping bags (optional)

Ingredients
  

For the Cookies:

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Frosting:

  • 3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons water
  • Optional: Yellow orange, green, and black paste food coloring

Instructions
 

Prepare the Cookie Dough:

  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and well-blended.
    A glass mixing bowl on the white marble cooktop, where softened butter and sugar are being creamed together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
  • Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
    The large glass bowl on the white marble cooktop with the egg and vanilla extract being mixed into the creamed butter and sugar until well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, mixing until combined.
    A separate glass bowl on the white marble cooktop, where flour, baking powder, and salt are being whisked together. The dry ingredients are gradually being added to the butter mixture, forming a smooth dough.
  • Divide the dough into two portions and shape each into a disk. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until the dough is firm enough to roll.
    The cookie dough divided into two portions, shaped into disks, and wrapped in plastic wrap on the white marble cooktop. The disks are ready to be refrigerated for 1 hour to firm up.

Roll and Cut the Cookies:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
  • Using floured Halloween-themed cookie cutters, cut out shapes and place them 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
    One portion of chilled dough being rolled out to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface over the white marble cooktop. Halloween-themed cookie cutters are being used to cut out spooky shapes.

Bake the Cookies:

  • Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown.
    Shaped cookies placed 2 inches apart on a baking sheet, ready to bake in the oven on the white marble cooktop. The cookies will be baked until the edges are lightly golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Make the Frosting:

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar and shortening together.
  • Gradually add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
    The frosting divided into several smaller bowls on the white marble cooktop, each bowl tinted with yellow, orange, green, and black food coloring, ready for decorating the cookies.
  • Divide the frosting into separate bowls and tint with your desired colors using paste food coloring.

Decorate the Cookies:

  • Once the cookies are completely cool, decorate them with the tinted frosting using piping bags or a knife for spreading.
    Completely cooled cookies being decorated with tinted frosting using piping bags and a knife on the white marble cooktop. The colorful Halloween designs are coming to life.
  • Allow the frosting to set before serving or storing.