Holiday sugar cookies are so fun to make. Everyone is always making Christmas cookies, why not Halloween Sugar Cookies? I’ve been kicking off the holiday baking season with these for the past few years with my kids, so it’s tradition now, and they look forward to it as soon as October hits. This recipe has been perfected to make sugar cookies that look and taste like just something you’d find special at a café or bakery. Thick, buttery, with a hint of vanilla and icing that sets just enough to make cute decorations with.
Here’s how it’s done
Step 1: Setting yourself up for success
Before you start making the cookies, you’ll need to set your butter out to soften to room temperature. This step is crucial! Don’t skip it or try to work around it by softening it quickly in the microwave. The right dough consistency depends on it. Okay, now that we have that out of the way, let’s make some dough! This recipe will make thick, firm, but soft cookies.
Step 2: Gather the ingredients
This recipe is really simple. Seven basic ingredients and comes together quickly. Most of the time it takes to make these sugar cookies is chilling and decorating! Grab your softened butter, two large eggs, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. I used powdered vanilla, but you can absolutely use extract. Oh! And cookie cutters! I got mine at Michaels years ago, but these look fun, too.
Step 3: make the dough
Here’s the most important step. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add then add the egg, salt, vanilla, and salt and mix until well combine. Add the flour all at once and stir in until smooth. What you want to see here is a thick dough that balls up and sticks together easily; not too sticky or thin.
Step 4: Roll the dough + chill
Start by laying out a sheet of parchment or wax paper about the size of a baking sheet to roll the dough on. Divide the dough in half, sprinkle a little flour onto the surface, and roll one half of the dough out to 1/4″ thickness. Don’t worry about the shape, just the thickness, ensuring the whole surface is even. Set this aside and repeat the process with the second half of the dough. Stack the layers with parchment in between, set on a baking sheet and refrigerate to chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
Step 5: cut out shapes and bake
Working with one portion of the dough at a time, cut the cookies out with cutters and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment or silicone baking mat. Roll the dough scraps and continue to cut out cookies until your baking sheets are full. Roll any excess and refrigerate. Bake at 350° for about 8-10 minutes until the tops of the cookies are set and just before they start to brown on the edges.
Cookies are baked evenly – taken out of the oven just before browning on the edges.
step 6: make the icing
Set the cookies aside to cool and make the icing. I like to make a big batch and divide it into bowls and add different colors, so start by placing the powdered sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt in a bowl. Add heavy cream or milk one tablespoon at a time and stir until smooth. If icing seems too thin, add more powdered sugar, too thick, add more heavy cream.
Step 7: Ice the cookies
Divide the icing into small bowls, and add a few drops of food coloring. For these cookies, I just did orange and black, leaving one white. It will harden up, so you do need to work quickly, but it won’t get so hard that it “snaps” when you bite into it. The icing is perfectly sweet and compliments the richness of the sugar cookies. I like to use the back of a spoon to spread it to the edges, and a small squeeze bottle for the details. Add some googly eyes and sprinkles to really make them cute!
Let me know how it goes! Save this recipe to bake other holiday-inspired sugar cookies, too! These are always the biggest hit in my Christmas cookie exchanges and gift boxes.
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Easy Halloween Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Cookie Sheet
- Cookie Cutters
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 2 Sticks Softened Butter (16 Tbsp)
- 2/3 Cup Finely Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Powder
- 2 1/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
Icing
- 2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Powder (optional)
- 3 Tbsp Heavy Cream
Instructions
- Soften butter to room temperature.
- In a mixing bowl or with a mixer, beat butter and sugar together until very fluffy and well blended. Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat until well combined.
- Gradually stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt into the butter mixture until blended and smooth.
- Divide dough in half. Place each half on parchment or wax paper with a little flour and roll out to 1/4" thick, getting it as even as you can on all sides.
- Keeping the paper in place, transfer to a baking sheet, layer the two halves on top of each other, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350° and line cookie sheets.
- Working with one portion of the dough at a time, cut out the cookies using your cutters and transfer to the cookie sheet with a spatula. Roll out the scraps to use the rest of the dough. Don't let it get too soft!
- Bake for about 10 minutes. The baking time will depend on how large your cookie shapes are, so try to group the same shapes together and watch for the cookies to look just done. Pull them right as they start to brown on the edges or just before, and let the cookies finish baking on the warm cookie sheet for about 10 minutes out of the oven.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. To a medium-sized mixing bowl, add powdered sugar, vanilla powder (optional), and a pinch of salt if desired. Stir to combine. Add heavy cream and stir until smooth and creamy. Stick with it! It will take a bit of stirring before becoming creamy. If it seems too thick, add more milk or cream, 1 tsp at a time. If it's too watery, add a bit more powdered sugar until you get a thick but spreadable consistency. Work quickly, as the icing will set.
- Ice and decorate the cookies! This is the fun part. Get creative, you can't go wrong!
Notes
Let me know how it turns out! I’d love to hear. And if you take a pictures, tag me on Instagram @thebetterhomemade! It would be so fun for me to see. If you enjoyed making these Easy Halloween Sugar Cookies and would like to try making more Fall inspired cookies, check out more recipes here!
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