Halloween is the perfect time to get creative in the kitchen, and nothing says festive fun like Halloween Sugar Cookies. These cookies are soft, buttery, and hold their shape beautifully, making them perfect for cutting into spooky shapes like pumpkins, ghosts, bats, and witches’ hats.
Decorated with colorful icing and sprinkles, they’re a hit with kids and adults alike. Whether you’re baking them for a Halloween party, trick-or-treat bags, or a fun family activity, these sugar cookies will bring plenty of spooky sweetness to your celebration.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Perfectly Soft – Tender on the inside, slightly crisp on the edges.
- Hold Their Shape – Great for cookie cutters and decorating.
- Festive & Fun – Ideal for kids’ activities and Halloween parties.
- Customizable – Decorate with royal icing, buttercream, or sprinkles.
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the icing (optional):
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring (orange, black, green, purple)
- Halloween sprinkles
Instructions
Step 1: Make the dough
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture until dough forms.
Step 2: Chill
Divide dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (this helps prevent spreading).
Step 3: Roll & cut
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use Halloween cookie cutters to cut shapes and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 4: Bake
Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Let cookies cool completely before decorating.
Step 5: Decorate
Mix icing ingredients until smooth, adjusting milk for desired consistency. Divide into bowls and tint with food coloring. Spread or pipe onto cooled cookies, then decorate with sprinkles.
Tips for the Best Halloween Sugar Cookies
- Chill the dough – Prevents spreading and helps cookies keep their shape.
- Don’t overbake – They should be just lightly golden on the edges.
- Plan ahead – Make cookies one day, decorate the next for easier prep.
- Use gel food coloring – For vibrant Halloween shades.
Fun Decorating Ideas
- 🎃 Pumpkins – Orange icing with green stems and black jack-o’-lantern faces.
- 👻 Ghosts – White icing with candy eyes or black dots.
- 🦇 Bats – Black icing with purple sprinkles.
- 🧙 Witches’ Hats – Black icing with orange buckle details.
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store decorated cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze undecorated cookies for up to 2 months; thaw before decorating.
Final Thoughts
These Halloween Sugar Cookies are buttery, soft, and so much fun to decorate. Whether you’re making them for kids, a party, or just a seasonal treat, they’ll add spooky sweetness to your Halloween celebrations. 👻✨
Print
Halloween Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (or vegan butter)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free 1:1 blend)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• Food coloring (orange, black, purple)
• Halloween sprinkles, icing, candy eyes (for decorating)
Optional: Easy powdered sugar icing
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tbsp milk or almond milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 mins).
- Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Divide dough into bowls and tint with Halloween colors if desired (or keep plain for decorating later).
- Wrap dough in plastic and chill 30 minutes (makes rolling easier).
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out dough on a floured surface to ¼-inch thickness.
- Use Halloween-shaped cutters (bats, ghosts, pumpkins, witches) to cut cookies.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 8–10 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.
- Let cool completely before decorating.
- Decorate! Use icing to pipe details, then add sprinkles, candy eyes, or draw spooky faces.
💡 Great for kids’ parties—turn it into a fun decorating activity!
PREP TIME & NUTRITION :
Prep Time : 30 mins (plus chilling) , Cook Time : 10 mins , Total Time : 1 hr , Servings : 24 cookies , Calories : 90 , Net Carbs: 12g , Fats: 5g , Protein: 1g