Halloween Sugar Cookies

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Trick-or-treat just got a whole lot sweeter. These Halloween Sugar Cookies are soft, buttery, and filled with creamy whipped cream cheese frosting for the ultimate spooky treat. They’re so good, you’ll want to make them year-round with whatever cookie cutter fits the season.

If you’re in the baking mood, don’t miss these fall favorites: Caramel Pumpkin Brownie Skillet, Pumpkin Cobbler, or Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes.

Halloween sugar cookies | The Food Cafe

Why You’ll Love These Halloween Cookies

• No chill time — mix, cut, and bake right away.
• Perfectly festive — customize with sprinkles and color.
• Soft and chewy — with a thick cream cheese filling.
• Holiday flexible — swap the cutter for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or Easter!

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies

• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Frosting

• 2 (16 oz) containers whipped cream cheese frosting
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, divided
• Orange and black gel food coloring
• Orange sugar sprinkles

How to make homemade sugar cookies

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl cream butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add sour cream and half of the dry ingredients. Mix for 1 minute. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
4. Roll dough out on a floured surface and cut out sugar cookies. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and let cool.

How to decorate sugar cookies

Once you have made your sugar cookie dough, roll it out too desired thickness of cookies.  Using a pumpkin cookie cutter (or cookie cutter of choice) cut out your pumpkin sugar cookies and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Once you have all your cookies cut out, place the cookie cutter back over the cut out and top it with sugar sprinkle. Press the sugar into the cookies with your fingers or the back of a spoon.  Make sure to only add the sugar sprinkles to every other cookie, the plain cookies will be getting frosted. 

Bake cookies for 6-8 minutes in a 400 degree oven (make sure not to over cook) and allow to cool.  While cookies are cooling make your frosting.  I like to use the gel food coloring in black and orange. Mix one container of whipped cream cheese frosting with powdered sugar and a tsp of food coloring.  Place in a piping bag or use a spatula or spoon to frost all the cookies WITHOUT the sugar sprinkles. Gently add the sugared pumpkin tops to the frosted cookies and push together. Serve and enjoy. 

Should you refrigerate sugar cookie dough before baking?

Refrigerating the dough helps prevent the cookie from spreading while baking.  Also using parchment paper can help hold the shape of your cookies.

However, if you’re  in a hurry you don’t need to wait, at least for this recipe.

How do you store cookies with frosting?

Store cookies in an airtight container lined with parchment paper for up to one week.

How do you stop cookies from spreading?

If you line your cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat your cookies will be able to retain their shape. If you use butter or nonstick spray the cookies will be more likely too spread since the surface is greasy.

So this Fall make your Halloween sugar cookies extra delicious and stack them up filled with whipped cream cheese frosting.  They make the perfect party treats that will bring out all the ghost and goblins in your neighborhood.

Should sugar cookies be soft or crispy?

The way your sugar cookies turn out can depend on the temperature of your oven.

Some ovens run hotter than others, so it’s good to know when to turn the temperature up or down.

But overall, I think it is personal preference.  I know my daughter loves soft sugar cookies, but my husband likes his a bit crispier.

Hopefully your family will not have a split decision.  If makes for cooking craziness trying to accomadate both soft and crispy.

Nutrition Info (Estimated Per Cookie)

• Calories: 205
• Carbs: 21g
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 13g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Cholesterol: 44mg
• Sodium: 263mg
• Potassium: 24mg
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 17g
• Vitamin A: 414 IU
• Vitamin C: 1mg
• Calcium: 14mg
• Iron: 1mg

Join the Conversation

Love seasonal bakes that are big on flavor and fun? Try these next:

• Sugar cookie fruit pizza
• Chocolate dipped cake pops
• Rocky road fudge
• Texas sheet cake
• White chocolate chex mix

Tag me on Instagram @shannon_ladywarrior and show off your spooky creations!