Easy Halloween Sugar Cookies – Buttery and Festive
These Easy Halloween Sugar Cookies are buttery, soft, tender, and perfect for decorating with festive Halloween icing and sprinkles. Make pumpkins, ghosts, bats, and witch hats for a fun homemade Halloween treat.
Ingredients
Halloween Sugar Cookies
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Halloween Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Food coloring such as orange, black, purple, green, and white
- ¼ cup Halloween sprinkles
- 24 candy eyes optional
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until creamy and smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough into portions, flatten into disks, wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes until firm.
- Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Keep the dough evenly thick for consistent baking.
- Cut the dough into Halloween shapes such as pumpkins, ghosts, bats, and witch hats. Place the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the edges are lightly golden. Avoid overbaking.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Mix the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt to make the icing. Divide it into bowls and add your favorite Halloween food colors.
- Decorate the cooled cookies with colorful icing, Halloween sprinkles, and candy eyes. Let the decorations set before serving.
Notes
- Chill the dough: Chilling helps the dough become easier to roll and helps the Halloween shapes hold their form while baking.
- Avoid overbaking: Bake just until the cookies are set and the edges are lightly golden. Overbaking can make them dry.
- Cool completely: Let the cookies cool completely before adding icing so the decorations stay smooth and in place.
- Easy decorating: Use orange, black, purple, green, and white icing for a classic Halloween look. Add sprinkles or candy eyes for extra fun.
- Make ahead: The cookie dough can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until you're ready to roll, cut, and bake.
- Storage: Keep decorated cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to protect the icing.
- Freezing: Freeze undecorated cookies in a freezer-safe container for longer storage. Thaw completely before decorating.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 195 kcal
- Total Fat: 8.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.9 g
- Cholesterol: 29 mg
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 27.5 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.5 g
- Total Sugars: 17.5 g
- Protein: 1.8 g