Easy Halloween Sugar Cookies

Halloween is all about tricks and treats, so you may as well treat yourself this spooky season with these Easy Halloween Sugar Cookies paired with a royal icing recipe. This small batch sugar cookie recipe yields 8 to 12 buttery, soft sugar cookies that are perfect for parties or treat bags.

• Small Batch: This recipe includes a small batch version of classic, buttery sugar cookies with a small batch recipe of royal icing to reduce any waste. I love this recipe for a quick treat and activity for kids without creating too much dough.
• Customizable: You can customize the shape of cookies using any cookie cutters of your choice, making this recipe perfect for Christmas, Valentine’s, or any celebration!
• Flavour: No one wants a sugar cookie that lacks flavour and tastes like plain flour. But my sugar cookie recipe combines vanilla and almond extract to create a dough that’s anything but bland. By using both extracts, I ensure the flavours meld beautifully with the butter, resulting in an incredibly delicious cookie.
• Simple Ingredients: All the ingredients for the dough are common pantry staples, allowing you to whip up a batch of sugar cookies at any time. You can even enjoy them plain without adding royal icing (I’m totally guilty of doing that).
• Easy and Fun: Decorating sugar cookies is one of my favourite ways to get creative and have fun with kids. No need to be a pro—just roll up your sleeves and let your imagination run wild!

• Flour – This recipe uses all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder – Gives the cookie a softer, cakier texture, and the leavening agent reacts to help the cookie slightly rise.
• Salt – Use a table salt or kosher salt.
• Granulated sugar – For sweetness and creating a nice crumb texture.
• Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter to prevent the cookies from becoming too salty, but if you opt for salted butter, simply skip adding any extra salt. Ensure the butter is at room temperature to avoid lumps in the dough. I usually leave mine out on the counter for about two hours but, if you’re short on time, soften it by microwaving in 10-second intervals until it’s soft enough to press your finger through easily.
• Egg yolk – Since it’s a small batch recipe you only need one room-temperature egg yolk to bind everything.
• Vanilla and Almond extract – I like to use both vanilla and almond extract to avoid having a tasteless sugar cookie. You can use lemon, peppermint or orange extract as well.  

• Powdered sugar – Sift your powdered sugar to prevent any lumps in the icing.
• Meringue powder – This helps the royal icing set and stay stable. Meringue powder makes the process easier since it eliminates the need for egg whites and extra whipping time.
• Vanilla and Almond extract – Adds flavour or the icing will taste super bland.
• Warm water – To control the consistency of royal icing.

Step 1 + Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside. With a stand mixer or handheld mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix in the egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract on low to medium speed until well combined.

Step 3 + Step 4: Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough might look slightly crumbly but that’s okay. Transfer it onto a piece of plastic wrap, press it together into a disk, and wrap it tightly. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Step 5 + Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the dough on a silicone mat or parchment paper, then cover it with another sheet of parchment. Roll the dough to about 1/2 or 1/4 inch thick (thicker cookies are softer and thinner cookies are crispier). Peel off the top parchment, cut out your cookies, and use a knife or spatula to transfer them to the baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely before icing.

Step 1: In a stand mixer, combine sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 2 tablespoons of warm water, along with the vanilla and almond extract. Mix on low for 1 minute, then increase to medium speed until stiff peaks form.

Step 2: Divide the royal icing into four bowls, but set aside just 2 tablespoons in one of them. Add a few drops of gel food colouring to the bowls—I used orange, black, and green, leaving one plain white. Stir the colours in, and add water 1/2 teaspoon at a time until you get the consistency you want. Transfer the icing into piping bags and cut a small hole at the tip.

• For the bat, outline the shape with black icing, then flood the cookie with more icing. Use a toothpick to spread it evenly. Add candy eyes, and let the cookie dry for a few minutes before drawing on fangs.
• For a pumpkin cookie, outline the shape with orange icing, then fill it in. Use a toothpick to spread the icing evenly. Let it dry for 20 minutes. Once dry, use green icing to add the stem and vines, and black icing to draw a face.
• For the ghost, outline and fill the shape with white icing. Let it rest for 20 minutes, then use black icing to add eyes and a mouth.

• Use a food scale for accurate measurements.
• Avoid overmixing the dough.
• Lay the dough between two layers of parchment paper (one underneath and one on top), or you can add a silicone sheet on the bottom. This makes it easier to roll out and eliminates the mess of using a floured surface.
• Clean your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with vinegar to remove any excess oils before making the royal icing.

• For any leftover royal icing, tape the tips of the piping bags and place them in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
• These cookies can be kept in a sealed container for up to 5 days.