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Home » Course » Dessert » Halloween Sugar Cookies

Published: Sep 21, 2018 · Modified: Aug 19, 2022 by Veronika's Kitchen * This post may contain affiliate links

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Make these fun and spooky Halloween Sugar Cookies! They are made with classic soft cut out chocolate sugar cookies and decorated with simple sugar icing.

Cut out cookies, decorated with white, black, and orange halloween theme.

These cute Halloween Sugar Cookies are perfect to celebrate Halloween! Together with Halloween Rice Krispie Treats and Monster Cookies, they will be so much fun to create with your kids!

This recipe is based on my favorite Best Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe. To make them chocolate, I just reduced the amount of all-purpose flour and substituted it with cocoa powder.

Cut out cookies, decorated with white, black, and orange halloween theme.

How to make sugar cookies

To make it easier, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.

Start with beating room temperature unsalted butter with sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is fluffy and pale in color.

Then add an egg (room temperature) and vanilla extract and beat again until well combined.

Don’t forget to scrap the sides and the bottom of the mixing bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is well mixed.

For the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt), mix them together in a separate bowl, then add to the wet ingredients in two steps. Mix in between on low speed until well combined but try not to overmix.

You can slightly knead the dough with hands, make a ball/disk shape, and wrap it in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

It is very important to chill the dough, so it will be elastic and less sticky while rolling and cutting out the cookies. Plus, the cookies will keep the shape while baking.

Cut out chocolate sugar cookies on a wire rack.

When you roll out the dough it might be a bit sticky. You can use a little bit of all-purpose flour to prevent it from sticking to the roller or a counter. However, I have a different trick that always helps me. Put the dough between two sheets of parchment paper, then roll over the parchment paper. The paper will keep the dough smooth and will not stick.

After you cut out the cookies and put them on the baking sheet, put the sheet with the cookies back in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill. The reason I do it, is because while you are working the dough it warms up. Chilled dough will help your cookies to keep their shape.

It takes about 9-10 minutes to bake these cookies at 350°F. When you take them out of the oven, let them sit on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Cut out chocolate cookies, decorated with white, black, and orange halloween theme.

How to make sugar icing

To make this simple sugar icing, mix powdered sugar and vanilla extract together, then gradually add some milk until you get the right consistency.

Divide the icing in three different bowls and add food coloring.

Transfer the colored icing to the piping bags to decorate the cookies.

Cut out cookies, decorated with white, black, and orange halloween theme.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How to store?

You can store them in an air-tight container on the countertop for up to 1 week.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes! Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, then with foil and freeze for up to 1 month.

Can I freeze baked sugar cookies?

Yes! I prefer to freeze baked but NOT decorated cookies. You can put them in a freezer friendly air-tight container or a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Cut out cookies, decorated with white, black, and orange halloween theme.
Print Recipe
5 from 15 votes

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Make these fun and spooky Halloween Sugar Cookies! They are made with classic soft cut out chocolate sugar cookies and decorated with simple sugar icing.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 cookies
Calories: 313kcal
Author: Veronika’s Kitchen

Ingredients

Ingredients for Chocolate Sugar Cookies:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Ingredients for Icing:

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-3 teaspoons milk
  • food coloring

Instructions

How to make Chocolate Sugar Cookies.

  • In a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, beat unsalted butter with granulated sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is fluffy and pale in color.
  • Add an egg and vanilla extract and beat again until well combined.
  • Scrap the sides and the bottom of the mixing bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is well mixed.
  • Mix all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl, then add to the wet ingredients in two steps. Mix in between on low speed until well combined but try not to overmix.
  • Slightly knead the dough with hands, making a ball/disk shape, and wrap it in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight.
  • When ready to bake, take the dough out from refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes.
  • To roll out the dough, put the dough between two sheets of parchment paper, then roll over the parchment paper. The paper will keep the dough smooth and will not stick.
  • After you cut out the cookies and put them on the baking sheet, put the sheet with the cookies back in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill. Chilled dough will help your cookies to keep their shape.
  • Bake cookies for about 9-10 minutes at 350°F. When you take them out of the oven, let them sit on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

How to make icing.

  • Mix powdered sugar and vanilla extract together, then gradually add some milk until you get the desired consistency.
  • Divide the icing in three different bowls and add food coloring.
  • Transfer the colored icing to the piping bags to decorate the cookies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 369IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a review below. Or snap a photo and share it on Instagram; be sure to tag me @veronikaskitchen.

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Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. darlene geyer says

    September 19, 2022 at 5:42 pm

    These are really cute! How thick to you roll them?

    Reply
    • Veronika's Kitchen says

      September 27, 2022 at 3:03 pm

      Hi Darlene! I make the cookies 1/4-inch think.

      Reply
  2. Mackayla Franco says

    October 30, 2021 at 4:52 pm

    2-3 teaspoons of milk for 3 cups of powdered sugar?

    Reply
  3. Nathalie says

    October 30, 2020 at 5:58 pm

    5 stars
    I forgot to mention you have an awesome blog!

    Reply
    • Veronika's Kitchen says

      November 02, 2020 at 1:49 pm

      Oh, thank you so much!

      Reply
  4. Nathalie says

    October 30, 2020 at 5:54 pm

    5 stars
    This is by far the best recipe I have found! The dough was so easy to work with (I did have to convert measurements because I’m from The Netherlands, but al went perfect!). So happy with this recipe, will save it for the next time, thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Veronika's Kitchen says

      November 02, 2020 at 1:48 pm

      Yaay! Thank you, Nathalie! So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  5. Britta says

    October 17, 2020 at 3:20 pm

    Not sure why but the dough was quite dry so I had to add a bit of milk to get the right consistency. Taste pretty good though!

    Reply
    • Veronika's Kitchen says

      November 02, 2020 at 1:48 pm

      Hi Britta! The dough should be thick but not dry. Glad it worked out at the end!

      Reply
  6. Jacque Hastert says

    October 01, 2018 at 9:02 am

    5 stars
    I love Halloween and these would be the perfect fit for our kid-friendly Halloween party.

    Reply
  7. Holly says

    October 01, 2018 at 12:36 am

    5 stars
    These cookies are so fun!! Mine might not look as good as yours but I’m gonna give it a go!

    Reply
  8. Julie says

    September 30, 2018 at 11:09 pm

    These are so cute! I know they will be a huge hit with my son’s preschool class for their Halloween party.

    Reply
  9. Sri mallya says

    September 30, 2018 at 10:39 pm

    5 stars
    These are so cute. Perfect halloween treat. Thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply
  10. Anne Murphy says

    September 30, 2018 at 9:42 pm

    5 stars
    Those are so cute! And I love the idea of chocolate sugar cookies.

    Reply
  11. Emily Leary says

    September 30, 2018 at 5:31 pm

    5 stars
    These are so cute and totally effective! Thanks for the detailed recipe.

    Reply
  12. Sharon says

    September 30, 2018 at 4:48 pm

    5 stars
    These cookies are so cute and look easy enough to make! Perfect for Halloween parties.

    Reply
  13. Lorie says

    September 30, 2018 at 1:32 pm

    5 stars
    These are absolutely perfect! Literally the best way to celebrate Halloween if you ask me. Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
  14. Eileen Kelly says

    September 30, 2018 at 12:25 pm

    5 stars
    What a great Halloween recipe! I always bake with my youngest daughter and my niece! This will be a perfect recipe to make with them! Your instructions are so easy to follow.

    Reply
  15. Amanda Mason says

    September 29, 2018 at 5:58 pm

    5 stars
    These are absolutely adorable! Perfect for the Halloween season! I could never decorate as beautiful as you did – you did a GREAT job!!! My kiddos would really enjoy making these!!

    Reply
  16. lauren says

    September 28, 2018 at 9:17 pm

    5 stars
    So festive! We usually do sugar cookies and icing for Christmas, but with cocoa powder in the recipe that calls for early celebration for Halloween instead! Love all of your decorations, these cookies are almost too pretty to eat! (almost.)

    Reply
  17. Gloria says

    September 25, 2018 at 8:30 am

    5 stars
    Isn’t that funny. I was just telling my husband that I need to make some Halloween cookies for the grandkids. These look like fun…and I know I will be the best gramma ever!!

    Reply
  18. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says

    September 24, 2018 at 7:09 pm

    5 stars
    These are so cute! My husband actually requested me to make cookies like this, but I never knew how. Now I saw these I have no excuse!

    Reply
  19. Dawn says

    September 24, 2018 at 10:00 am

    5 stars
    How fun are these? I bet they’re just as much fun making them as eating them….though, I don’t know if my hand was be as steady as your to draw those faces – they’re perfect!

    Reply

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