Can I freeze decorated Halloween sugar cookies?

Yes! Once your cookies are fully dried, place them in a single layer between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. This is perfect if you’re planning your Halloween sugar cookies recipe ahead of a party. Just thaw at room temperature before serving.

How long does royal icing take to dry?

Royal icing for Halloween cookies usually needs 4–6 hours to set fully, though you can decorate in stages once the base layer is dry to the touch. For stacking or packaging, always let them dry overnight to avoid smudges.

Can I use store-bought dough instead of homemade?

Absolutely. While homemade dough gives the best flavor and texture, you can roll out store-bought sugar cookie dough, cut it into shapes, and decorate. It’s one of the best shortcuts for making easy decorated Halloween cookies on a busy schedule.

What are the easiest Halloween cookie decorating ideas for beginners?

Start with pumpkins, ghosts, and bats. Outline, flood, then add faces or sprinkles. Even simple shapes look festive. For kids, mummies with candy eyes or spiderwebs drawn with a toothpick are always fun and foolproof.

Halloween Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

Description

Soft, buttery cut-out sugar cookies decorated with colorful royal icing. These Halloween sugar cookies with royal icing are fun, festive, and perfect for spooky parties or baking with kids.

Ingredients

Scale

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
(Optional) 1 tsp pumpkin spice for seasonal flavor

Royal Icing:

3 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp meringue powder
5–6 tbsp water (adjust for consistency)
Gel food coloring (orange, black, green, purple)
Candy eyes, sprinkles, or edible glitter (optional)

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Instructions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla extract until combined.
In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin spice.
Gradually add dry ingredients to wet until dough forms.
Wrap dough in plastic and chill for 30–60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough on parchment paper to ¼-inch thickness.
Cut into pumpkin, ghost, or bat shapes with cookie cutters.
Bake on lined sheets for 8–10 minutes or until edges are just set. Cool completely.
Make icing: whisk powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until smooth. Divide into bowls and color.
Outline cookies with thick icing, flood with thinned icing, and decorate with details, sprinkles, or candy eyes.
Allow icing to dry 4–6 hours before stacking or packaging.

Notes

Dough can be made ahead and frozen for up to 2 months.
Royal icing consistency: thicker for outlines, thinner for flooding.
For kids, use squeeze bottles instead of piping bags for easier decorating.
Cookies stay fresh in airtight containers for up to 5 days.

Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus chilling)
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Dessert, Holiday Baking
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 140 kcal
Sugar: 12 g
Sodium: 50 mg
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Fiber: 0.5 g
Protein: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 20 mg