Description
These Skeleton Sugar Cookies are festive, fun, and perfect for Halloween or any spooky celebration. Made from a buttery, soft sugar cookie dough and decorated with royal icing and colorful sprinkles, these cookies combine the classic sweetness of sugar cookies with spooky skeleton designs to delight guests of all ages.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (226 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Royal Icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 6-8 tablespoons water
- Black food coloring
- Colorful sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and seasoning.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, ensuring a smooth cookie texture.
- Add wet ingredients: Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and optional almond extract into the creamed butter mixture until fully combined, adding moisture and flavor to the dough.
- Combine dough: Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Divide the dough into two portions, flatten each into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cookie removal and cleanup.
- Roll and cut shapes: Roll out chilled dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Use skeleton-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes carefully and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are lightly golden, indicating they are done but still soft inside.
- Cool cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes to firm up, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely before decorating.
- Prepare royal icing and decorate: Mix powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water to make royal icing. Add black food coloring to a portion for spooky details. Decorate the cooled cookies with the icing as desired and allow the icing to dry completely for 4 to 6 hours.
- Add sprinkles: Once the icing is hardened, add colorful sprinkles to finish decorating and add a festive touch to your skeleton cookies.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened but not melted for the best creaming results.
- Refrigerating the dough will prevent excessive spreading during baking and make it easier to cut shapes.
- For a more intense black color in icing, add food coloring gradually until desired shade is reached.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats to avoid cookies sticking to baking sheets.
- Royal icing needs ample drying time to harden, so plan ahead before serving or packaging the cookies.
- Almond extract is optional but adds a nice flavor depth if you like a subtle nutty taste.
