Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I greatly appreciate your support!
Halloween is the time of year that sets sweet treats into motion! Whether you are having a fun Halloween party or just wanting to make homemade treats to hand out to neighbors, these sugar cookies will have them coming back for more! This sugar cookie recipe is super simple and it makes crunchy light cookies that become devoured in minutes! The icing mixes together very easily and is a great combination with the cookie.
The dough of the cookies is very easy to handle and they have a buttery flavor and texture. The shiny icing creates a smooth surface on the cookie and can be left plain or you can add sprinkles, candies or sugars. I got this cute Halloween Cookie Cutter set by Wilton and it came with a great assortment of cutters including a pumpkin, bat, cat, ghost, spider web and Frankenstein. I used leftover dough shaped in circles to make the eyeballs.
For the icing, you’ll want to color it in separate dishes or containers and then also place some of the icing into a piping bag with decorator tips (or ziplock bag with the end cut off). Pipe orange icing on top of the pumpkins, black icing on top of the cats and bats, green icing on top of the Frankensteins, and white icing on top of the ghosts, eyeballs and webs. You can also hold the cookie rough side up to the sky and dip the top of the cookie in the icing container and then use the edge of your finger to wipe the remainder off. Use the remaining icing to draw the details on eyes or create faces and lines as desired.
Here are the recipes:
INGREDIENTS:
Sugar Cookies
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 lb. unsalted butter (I also use salted and the flavor is delightful)
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs beaten, room temperature
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
Shiny Cookie Icing:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (I also use salted butter)
8 cups powdered sugar (no need to sift)
1/2 cup whole milk (and more as needed)
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup1
DIRECTIONS:
1. Sift the flour and salt together in bowl.
2. Cream butter with mixer on high until butter is smooth. Beat in the sugar at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time and add vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix completely.
3. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add in flour mixture. Completely mix together until dough comes together.
4. Gather up dough and divide in thirds. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 2 hours. The dough can be frozen for up to a month.
5. Once dough is chilled, heat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
6. Let the dough stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Work with one portion of dough at a time, rolling it out on floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick and then using cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Use a thin spatula to peel cookie up and lay onto parchment paper on pan. Arrange the cookies about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet. Keep gathering up scraps and kneading together, rolling out and cutting out cookies.
7. Bake in oven on middle rack and turn the pan for even baking if needed. Cook until the edges are barely browning, very light, for about 12-15 minutes. If you bake longer, the cookies will be more crisp. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 minutes. Remove cookies from pan and let cool completely. Once they are room temperature, they are ready to be iced or you can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
6. For icing, put the powdered sugar in a large bowl and heat the butter and milk together in a sauce pan just until the butter is starting to melt and the milk is steaming. Use a mixer on low speed and pour the milk/butter mixture into the powered sugar. Continue mixing until smooth and then add the light corn syrup and beat until smooth and shiny. Add more milk and blend until the consistency of the icing looks like paint. You may need to stop to scrape the bowl once or twice.
7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap until ready to use the icing. The icing can be made up to 5 days ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To use the icing after cooling, transfer it to a heat proof bowl and stir until warmed and smooth enough for dipping the cookies.
8. The icing can be colored with food coloring and coloring paste.
Makes about 70-80 sugar cookies
SWEETIE PIE AND CUPCAKES FAVORITE ITEMS
