Description
Soft, buttery sugar cookies shaped like friendly ghosts, topped with smooth, glossy royal icing for the perfect spooky-sweet Halloween treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp meringue powder
- 9–10 tbsp water
- Black food coloring (for eyes/mouths)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix until combined.
- Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until dough forms. Divide in half, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut ghost shapes with a cookie cutter, dipping cutter in flour between cuts.
- Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill again for 10–15 minutes.
- Bake 8–10 minutes, until edges are just set. Cool completely before decorating.
- To make royal icing, whisk powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until thick but pipeable. Tint a small portion black for faces.
- Outline ghosts with thicker icing, then flood with thinner icing. Use a toothpick to spread icing and pop bubbles.
- Add eyes and mouths once the base icing is partially set. Let cookies dry several hours or overnight before stacking or packaging.
Notes
Chilling dough twice prevents spreading. Use squeeze bottles for kid-friendly decorating. Avoid freezing decorated cookies unless fully necessary to prevent icing damage.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg