Halloween Sugar Cookies That The Kids Will Love To Make

If there’s one dessert that is versatile and fits every single holiday and occasion, it’s the sugar cookie. Why? Because you can choose the shape and with a myriad of different decorating options, they fit anywhere! They are also a great way to get kids involved. Here are some Halloween sugar cookies that everyone will love!

One of the most important parts of baking sugar cookies is the cookie cutters themselves. If you have a few different shapes to choose from, you’re in business! This set from Wilton is a great bargain and will give you plenty of options to choose from. In addition to some awesome cookie cutters, it’s a good idea to have sprinkles on hand. This set comes with six different types of sprinkles to meet your sprinkle needs. Lastly, googly eyes are a must.

The frosting is the other decision you’ve got to make. If you want to have solid frosting that has a good sheen and hardens nicely, then royal icing is a must. The best way to have kids help with this is to have older children and adults do the base layer. Once the cookies have dried, have littles either ice and add sprinkles/decorations or simply draw with a food-grade pen like these. If you want kids to have a little more involvement, then buttercream is your best buddy. It’s easy enough for littles to frost and decorate all at once.

Halloween Sugar Cookies That The Kids Will Love To Make

Recipe 01: Best Sugar Cookie Dough

Ingredients:

• 1 c. room temperature butter
• 1 c. confectioners’ sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. salt

Process:

Begin by making the dough. For best results, it should be refrigerated for at least two hours, so no need to preheat your oven. Start by creaming the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer (like this one) for at least two minutes. When the mixture is nice and fluffy, add in the egg, vanilla extra, seeds scraped from the bean, and lemon zest and continue to mix until combined. Then slowly add the flour and salt until the dough is just mixed. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

When the dough has chilled, you’re ready for the next step! Heat up your oven to 375F and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper. Then flour your countertop and roll the dough out to about 1/4″ thickness. Now you’re ready to cut out your shapes! Place each cut cookie onto the baking sheets about 1″ apart. Bake each batch for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should be cooked but not browned at all. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool for about five minutes before moving to a wire rack. When cookies are cooled, decorate!

Recipe 02: Basic Royal Icing

Ingredients:

• 4 c. confectioners’ sugar
• 3 Tbsp. meringue powder
• 8-10 Tbsp. room temperature water
• gel coloring (like this)

Process:

Begin by putting the whisk attachment on your stand mixer. Then beat all the ingredients together slowly until incorporated before whipping on high for about five minutes. The consistency you’re looking for is pretty simple: if the icing falls off the whisk and melts back into the bowl within 15 seconds, you’re ready. If it doesn’t add water about a tablespoon at a time. If the mixture is too thin and watery, add powdered sugar until it clings and then melts.

This icing dries in about an hour to two hours. If you want to speed up the process, pop your cookies in the fridge for an hour before frosting.

Recipe 03: Basic Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 c. softened butter
• 4 c. powdered sugar, divided
• 4-6 Tbsp. cream, divided
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. coconut extract
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• gel food coloring

Process:

In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 2-3 minutes until it’s nice and fluffy. Next, add in half the sugar and 2 Tbsp. cream and slowly beat until combined. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Then add the remaining powdered sugar and 2 more Tbps. of cream while continuing to beat until light and fluffy. Last, add the salt, vanilla, coconut, and almond extracts and beat until well combined. If needed, add another 1-2 Tbsp. cream until your desired consistency is reached. To color, add a little of a gel coloring until you have the correct consistency.

Now that you’ve got your basics: cookies, frosting, and decorations, it’s a good idea to make sure you have the right tools. Piping bags aren’t necessary for buttercream icing, but they definitely do help. Grab a set of bags and tips here for all your decorating needs. Now the sky is the limit!! I Hope you enjoy these Halloween sugar cookies!