Description
Celebrate Halloween with these delightful Halloween Royal Icing Cookies. Soft, buttery sugar cookies are perfectly baked and decorated with colorful, festive royal icing. The recipe includes a homemade royal icing that’s easy to pipe and dries to a smooth, hard finish, making these cookies ideal for fun and creative Halloween decorations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Assorted food coloring gels (for decorating)
Royal Icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 6 tablespoons warm water
- Gel food coloring as desired
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside for later.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. This step helps create a tender, airy texture in the cookies.
- Add Egg and Extracts: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until the mixture is smooth and fully combined, adding moisture and flavor to your dough.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Chill Dough: Divide the dough into two portions, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling firms the dough, making it easier to roll out and cut shapes.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Roll and Cut Dough: On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use Halloween-themed cookie cutters to cut out shapes for a festive twist.
- Arrange Cookies on Sheets: Place cookie shapes on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each to allow for slight spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden. This ensures a soft cookie with a slightly crisp edge. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack to prevent sogginess.
- Prepare Royal Icing: In a bowl, beat the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and warm water together. Start mixing on low speed, then increase to high for 5-7 minutes until the icing forms stiff peaks, indicating proper consistency for piping.
- Color the Icing: Divide the royal icing into separate bowls and add gel food coloring as desired for vibrant decorations.
- Decorate Cookies: Using piping bags fitted with small tips, decorate the cooled cookies with the colored icing. Allow the icing to dry completely before serving to ensure designs keep their shape.
Notes
- Make sure to chill the dough sufficiently; this helps prevent excessive spreading when baking.
- If the royal icing becomes too thick, add a teaspoon of warm water at a time to reach desired consistency.
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to avoid thinning out the icing.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- For more vibrant colors, let the decorated cookies dry overnight.
