Spooky Ghost Sugar Cookies (Print-Friendly Version)
Whimsical ghost-shaped sugar cookies with tips for shaping, icing, and decorating festive Halloween treats.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 -
375 g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
02 -
5 g baking powder
03 -
2.5 g kosher salt
04 -
227 g unsalted butter, softened
05 -
200 g granulated sugar
06 -
1 large egg
07 -
15 ml milk
08 -
5 ml pure vanilla extract
→ Icing
09 -
360 g powdered sugar
10 -
60 ml light corn syrup
11 -
60 ml milk, plus extra for thinning
12 -
1.25 ml almond extract or vanilla extract
13 -
Black food coloring
# How to Make It:
01 -
In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until uniformly combined.
02 -
In a separate large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla extract; mix until fully incorporated.
03 -
Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
04 -
Preheat oven to 175°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll chilled dough to approximately 3 mm thickness. Use a ghost-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies, re-rolling scraps as necessary.
05 -
Carefully transfer cut cookies to prepared baking sheets. Place trays in the freezer for 10 minutes to prevent spreading during baking.
06 -
Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
07 -
In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, light corn syrup, milk, and almond or vanilla extract. Stir until smooth and glossy.
08 -
Place approximately one quarter of the icing in a small bowl and blend in black food coloring to reach desired shade.
09 -
Transfer about half of the remaining white icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Carefully pipe icing around the edges of each cooled cookie.
10 -
Thin the rest of the white icing with additional milk, adding 5 ml at a time, until it is just pourable but not runny. Transfer to a piping bag and fill in the centers of each cookie, using a toothpick to spread and smooth. Eliminate any air bubbles as needed. Allow icing to set for 15 minutes.
11 -
Place black icing in a clean piping bag with a small round tip. Pipe eyes and mouths onto cookies to create ghost faces.
12 -
Once icing is fully set, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
# Additional Tips:
01 -
Chilling the dough and freezing the cut shapes before baking help maintain sharp edges for decorative cookies.
02 -
Adjust icing consistency gradually by adding minimal amounts of milk to achieve the perfect flooding texture.