Description
These Gingerbread Halloween Skeleton Cookies combine classic spiced gingerbread flavors with a fun seasonal twist. Perfectly soft yet slightly crisp, these cookies are decorated with a simple royal icing to create skeleton designs, making them ideal for Halloween celebrations and cozy fall baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Gingerbread Cookies
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons molasses, unsulphured
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Royal Icing
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons milk, any kind
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Gingerbread Dough: In a small mixing bowl, add the butter and brown sugar. Using a handheld mixer at medium speed, beat until smooth and creamy. Add the egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla extract, beating until well incorporated, noting the batter may appear slightly curdled, which is normal.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle or sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt over the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until no dry streaks remain and the dough is well combined.
- Chill the Dough: Transfer the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and gently shape into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and dough to firm up for easier handling.
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the rack in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for non-stick baking.
- Roll and Cut the Cookies: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to a ¼ inch thickness, or thicker if you prefer a softer cookie. Use a skeleton or Halloween-themed cookie cutter to cut shapes, placing cookies at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Re-roll scraps once or twice for additional cookies.
- Chill Cut-Out Cookies if Needed: If the dough becomes too warm and soft while rolling and cutting, place the baking sheets with cookies in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes before baking to prevent spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set. For crispier cookies, extend baking by 1 to 2 minutes. After baking, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer cookies directly to the wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Royal Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon of milk until the sugar is moistened. Add additional milk a teaspoon at a time until you achieve the desired consistency for decorating.
- Decorate the Cookies: Use the royal icing to decorate cooled cookies as desired, creating spooky skeleton designs perfect for Halloween festivities.
Notes
- Serving Size: The number of cookies depends on the thickness of rolled dough and size of cookie cutters.
- Larger Batch: This recipe is tested as a small batch; doubling is possible but may require adjustments.
- Refrigerate Cut-Out Cookies: To minimize spreading, chill cookies before baking.
- Bake One Sheet at a Time: Ensures even baking and better texture.
- Crispy Cookies: For crunchier texture, bake 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Royal Icing: This is a simplified royal icing recipe without egg whites; traditional versions include egg whites or meringue powder.
- Storing and Freezing: Cookies can be stored covered at room temperature up to 5 days or frozen tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Freezing Dough: Dough can be frozen tightly wrapped for up to 3 months and thawed in the refrigerator before use.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 4.5g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
