Description
Celebrate Halloween with these spooky and delicious Halloween Cookies that are perfect for parties, trick-or-treating, or a festive treat at home. These cookies are buttery, soft, and decorated with fun Halloween-themed icing to delight kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 to 4 tablespoons buttermilk
For the Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring in orange, black, green, and purple
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add Egg and Extracts: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter-sugar mixture until well combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Add buttermilk one tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft but not sticky enough to roll out easily.
- Shape Cookies: Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass or your hand.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are golden. Be careful not to overbake for soft cookies.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare Icing: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth. Divide into several small bowls and tint each with food coloring for Halloween themes.
- Decorate: Use a spoon or piping bags to decorate the cooled cookies with Halloween-themed icing designs like pumpkins, ghosts, and bats. Let icing set before serving.
Notes
- For a thicker icing, add more powdered sugar; for thinner, add more milk.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- You can substitute buttermilk with a mix of milk and 1 teaspoon lemon juice if needed.
- Use gel food coloring for more vibrant decorations.
- Cookie dough can be chilled for 30 minutes before baking for slightly thicker cookies.