In today's post, I'm sharing The Best Spooky Skeleton Cookie Recipe for Halloween that you can use to create eerie and delicious cookies for the holiday. The addition of dark cocoa powder in this cut out cookie recipe gives the gingerbread man shaped cookies a dark, almost black color. The perfect Halloween treat!
These cookies are perfect for decorating with royal icing to make them look like spooky skeletons. The dark cookies provide a striking contrast to the white icing, giving the impression of skeleton bones. These are the best Halloween cookies! If you're looking for great ideas for Halloween, you came to the right place!
Why I Love These Easy Halloween Cookies
These black cocoa cut-out cookies are perfect for creating a dark, spooky treat and some Halloween fun.
Perfect for Halloween parties and are sure to be a hit with both kids and adults this time of year.
The use of black cocoa powder in the cookies gives them a unique and distinctive dark color, perfect for a Halloween-themed treat.
The contrast with white royal icing for the skeleton details makes them visually striking.
Get creative! You can have a lot of fun piping the skeleton details and giving each one its own personality. Older kids really enjoy this part.
Halloween is all about embracing the spooky and creepy, and skeleton cookies capture the essence of the spooky season.
These spooky cookies will add a fun and eerie touch to your Halloween party! Great way to get into the Halloween spirit.
Your party guests will love them. The best part is eating them. Enjoy your deliciously eerie skeleton cookies!
what you need
Ingredient Notes
• Cocoa Powder - We used the Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa powder for this recipe because we were in a rush and couldn't find the black cocoa powder. We added a little bit of black food coloring gel to the dough to make it a little extra black. If you have time, you can order black cocoa powder online. It tastes great and gives a nice black color.
• Black Food Coloring Gel - Make sure you get the gel type of food coloring. It is available in craft stores or large department stores on the baking aisle. You can also find it at some grocery stores. We used Wilton brand food coloring gel paste. A little bit goes a long way, so it doesn't affect the taste of the cookies.
• Meringue Powder - You will need meringue powder for the royal icing. This can also be found in craft stores or large department stores on the baking aisle. You can also find it at some grocery stores.
• Dark Brown Sugar - We used dark brown sugar to keep the color of the cookies as dark as possible. But if you can't find this, it's ok to use light brown sugar.
Scroll to bottom of page for full recipe card of these cute Halloween cookies.
How to make the best spooky skeleton cookie recipe for Halloween
1) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, dark cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2) Next, in a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and food coloring gel. Beat to incorporate. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients just until combined. Remove to the clean counter and knead a few times. It should be like Play-Doh.
3) Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic wrap and shape into a disk. Place the two wrapped dough disks in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll one disk of dough between two sheets of parchment paper until it's â…›" thick. Remove top sheet of parchment. Cut dough into gingerbread men. (You don't even need Halloween cookie cutters.) Remove excess dough, then slide the whole sheet onto a rimmed cookie sheet.
4) Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Bake time may vary depending on your oven. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Using a flat or offset spatula, transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat cutting and baking process with remaining dough.
5) Whisk together the meringue powder and powdered sugar and water. Keep whisking until thoroughly combined. Transfer icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (such as #3) and draw on some bones. Note: An easy way to fill the piping bag is to put it in a cup, then add the icing.
Quick Tips
• Chill the Dough: After mixing the cookie dough, chill it in the refrigerator for at least an hour. This makes it easier to roll out and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
• Roll Evenly: Roll out the cookie dough evenly to ensure that all your cookies are the same thickness. This helps them bake uniformly.
• Avoid Overbaking: Be cautious not to overbake the cookies, as they can become dry and lose their dark color. Watch for the edges to set and remove them from the oven promptly.
• Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating with royal icing. Warm cookies can cause the icing to melt.
• Keep Icing Covered: Royal icing can dry out quickly, so keep it covered when not in use. You can cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.
• Set the Icing: Allow the icing to set and harden completely before storing or stacking the cookies to avoid smudging the details.
Frequently asked questions
• What is black cocoa powder, and where can I find it? Black cocoa powder is a type of cocoa powder that has been processed to be very dark and rich in flavor. It's commonly used in dark chocolate recipes. You can often find it in specialty baking supply stores, online, or in some well-stocked supermarkets.
• Can I make the cookie dough in advance? Yes, you can prepare the cookie dough in advance and store it in the refrigerator for a day or two. This can be convenient for planning and managing your baking schedule.
• What size of skeleton cookie cutters should I use? We used a 3-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter for this recipe. The size of the cookie cutters is up to your preference. Smaller cutters create bite-sized cookies, while larger ones make more substantial cookies. Choose the size that suits your needs and the visual effect you want to achieve.
• How do I store The Best Spooky Skeleton Cookie Recipe for Halloween? Once you've decorated the most adorable Halloween cookies and they have fully dried, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Layer them between parchment paper to prevent sticking or smudging.
• How long will the royal icing take to set? The time it takes for royal icing to set can vary depending on the thickness of the icing and humidity. On average, it takes a few hours to harden, but for intricate designs, it may take longer.
• Can I freeze the cookie dough or baked cookies? Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough for longer storage. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer-safe container. You can also freeze baked and undecorated cookies, then decorate them when you're ready to use them.
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The Best Spooky Skeleton Cookie Recipe for Halloween
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- â…“ cup dark cocoa powder, plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened or two sticks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon black food coloring gel
For the icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons meringue powder
- 3 teaspoons water
Instructions
For the cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, dark cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Next, in a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and food coloring gel. Beat to incorporate. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients just until combined. Remove to the clean counter and knead a few times. It should be like Play-Doh.
- Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic wrap and shape into a disk. Place the two wrapped dough disks in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll one disk of dough between two sheets of parchment paper until it's â…›" thick. Remove top sheet of parchment. Cut dough into gingerbread men. Remove excess dough, then slide the whole sheet onto a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Using a flat or offset spatula, transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat cutting and baking process with remaining dough.
For the icing
- Whisk together the meringue powder and powdered sugar and water. Keep whisking until thoroughly combined. Transfer icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (such as #3) and draw on some bones.
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