Halloween Sugar Cookies Recipe - Cooking With Karli (2024)

Halloween Sugar cookies are a super soft vanilla sugar cookie base simply decorated like a pumpkin. This beginner friendly recipe is one that even the kids will love!

These Halloween Decorated Sugar Cookies are so fun!

One of the most amazing parts of frosted sugar cookies is knowing that even if you think you are the worst decorator in the world, the cookie will still taste amazing.. ugly cookies still taste great! But look at those cookies? You can decorate like that, no problem!

Don’t feel like cutting out all of the different Halloween shapes or do you not own any cutters? Either way, it’s okay! With sugar cookie bars you cook them on a flat sheet and cut. Imagine putting them into small rectangles and frosting to look like Frankenstein or coloring a spooky Halloween scene.

Halloween Sugar Cookie Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a look at the ingredients you’re going to want to have on hand to make your sugar cookies!

• Butter
• White sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Egg
• Flour
• Baking powder
• Sugar Cookie Frosting

Really, really. Just these six simple, everyday ingredients to make the best sugar cookie you’ll ever have! The cookie remains soft and chewy but is sturdy enough to handle all the frosting! The exact measurements and steps to take are all shared in the recipe card below!

How to Make Halloween Sugar Cookies

1. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar together for 3 minutes.
2. Then scrape the sides with a spatula and add in vanilla and egg, continue mixing until combined.
3. Add in the flour and the baking powder.
4. Slowly mix it, getting a little faster as the dough comes together. You’ll notice that the results are similar to playdoh. If needed, you can add a little flour or water to help get the dough to the right consistency.

Turn your dough onto a floured counter and roll it out until its about ¼ inch thick. Keep in mind that these cookies will not grow or shrink during the baking process, so however thick you make them, is how thick they will be when finished baking.

Now take your Halloween cookie cutters and press out shapes, transferring the cookies to a silicone lined cookie sheet, or one lined with parchment paper for easy clean-up.

After that, bake for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees until the tops are no longer glossy and look slightly puffy. The cookies should stay pale, don’t let them turn golden brown!

TIP: After you’ve rolled and cut out the first batch of cookies and you are going for round two, wet your hands slightly before kneading the dough back into a ball before rolling the dough out again. The little bit of extra water cancels out the flour used when rolling the dough out to bring it back to the right consistency.

How to decorate Sugar Cookies for Halloween

To decorate these cookies I simply made a batch of my Sugar Cookie frosting and colored the majority of the frosting orange and colored a small portion green for the stem.

I placed the frosting in a piping bag equipped with a small round piping tip. I outlined the pumpkin (with the orange frosting) and then slowly filled in the pumpkin with vertical lines.I then added the stem with the green color to finish them off!

Halloween Sugar Cookie Recipe make ahead instructions

Let’s say you want to make the dough in advance to cut down on prep time later, place your raw cookie dough in a sealed container, zipper topped bag or a bowl with plastic wrap and shove it in the fridge overnight.

Then when you’re ready to use, give it a few minutes to thaw, so it’s not as hard to roll the dough out. Just roll it out like usual. The dough sometimes dries out slightly when refrigerated, so you may need to knead in a tsp or so of water to get the consistency right again.

Halloween Sugar Cookies Recipe tips

What to do when sugar cookie dough is too dry

Unfortunately, this happens, but it’s not the end of the world! When after making your dough, you find that it is still a little too dry, just add water to your dough about 1 teaspoon at a time. Mixing thoroughly after each addition. It may take a few tries, but it can be brought back from the dead.

Alternatively, adding flour in small amounts could help when your dough is too wet. Remember, you are looking for a playdoh like consistency.

What are some key tips in ensuring a successful sugar cookie?

One of the best things about these sugar cookies is how EASY they are. Perfect for making with little (or big) beginner bakers, you are guaranteed a yummy treat.

That being said, there are a few things you can do to make sure they are the best they can be.

1. Remember that these cookies will not spread, so the thickness you roll your dough to will be your finished thickness!
2. After you’ve rolled out your first batch of cookies and are going to roll out your second, wet your hands slightly and knead the dough back into a ball before re-rolling. This will help keep the texture of your sugar cookies exactly how you want it!
3. Don’t overbake! We want these cookies to stay nice and soft, so remove your cookies while they are still pale but no longer glossy. We do NOT want them to turn golden brown or it will be dry cookie city.

Sugar Cookies Halloween FAQs

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