Spooky & Sweet: DIY Skeleton Halloween Cookies
If you’re looking for a spooky and delicious Halloween treat, these Skeleton Halloween cookies are just what you need! They’re made with a rich, chocolatey cookie base, and decorated with royal icing to create fun skeletons and mummies. Perfect for a Halloween party or a festive treat at home, these cookies are as fun to make as they are to eat.
Skeleton Halloween cookies
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just getting started with cookie decorating, these Skeleton Halloween Cookies are simple and straightforward. Using gingerbread cookie cutters and basic piping skills, you can create some seriously impressive cookies that look like they came straight from a bakery. Plus, the candy eyeballs add that perfect eerie touch that will have everyone talking!
Inspired by the spooky season, these cookies are ideal for a Halloween dessert table or as a fun activity with the kids. The combination of a soft, cocoa-flavored cookie with sweet royal icing is irresistible, and once you add the creepy skeleton designs, you’ve got a Halloween hit on your hands!
For more delicious Halloween treats, don’t forget to try our Mummy Cookies, Mummy brownies, and our Halloween Marshmallow Pops.
What You Will Love About These Skeleton Halloween Cookies
People will love this Halloween Skeleton Cookies recipe because it’s both festive and fun! The rich chocolate cookie base satisfies any sweet tooth, while the simple yet spooky skeleton and mummy designs make them a show-stopping treat at any Halloween gathering. Plus, the decorating process is creative and easy, making it a great activity to enjoy with family or friends, and the results are as delicious as they are adorable!
What will I need to make these Halloween cookies?
You will need the following ingredients:
- Butter
- Sugar
- clear vanilla
- almond extract
- Egg
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- Salt
- unsweetened cocoa
- powdered sugar
- whole milk
- light corn syrup
- candy eyeballs
You will need the following supplies:
- stand mixer (or hand mixer)
- mixing bowls
- cookie sheets
- parchment paper
- plastic wrap
- cooling racks
- piping bag
- #1 piping tips.
How to Make Halloween Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer add the butter and granulated sugar and beat until creamy (about 5 minutes).
- Add the egg, 1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla, and almond extract. Beat again until mixed well.
- In another large mixing bowl add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Mix with a whisk.
- Add the dry ingredients in batches, to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Take half of the batter and spoon it onto plastic wrap. Once wrapped in the plastic wrap, flatten into a disc and refrigerate. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Place the batter discs into your refrigerator and cool for 2 hours (or more).
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Take one of the discs of cookie dough and unwrap it. Place on a liberally floured surface, and roll out with a floured rolling pin. Roll out the dough to between 1/8” and 1/4” thick.
- Using a gingerbread cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can and lay them out on the cookie sheet. Re-roll out the remaining dough and cut more cookies out until there’s no dough left.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Repeat with the second disc of cookie dough.
- In another large mixing bowl add the sifted powdered sugar, whole milk, light corn syrup, and remaining clear vanilla. Mix well until you get the perfect consistency for the royal icing. When you drizzle the icing back onto itself it should hold its shape a little before melting back into the icing.
- Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a Wilton #1 piping tip and coupler.
- Carefully pipe the icing onto a completely cooled cookie. When making the skeletons I start withdrawing a hole which will be the open mouth. Then pipe around it for the skull. Use a toothpick where necessary to help fill in. Then add two eyeballs to each skull.
- For the mummies, it’s really easy, pipe out the lines (not too close together or they will bleed into each other and be less distinguishable. Then add the eyeballs.
- Allow the cookies to dry for a few hours, the royal icing will harden nicely.
Tips & Tricks
- Chill the Dough: Be sure to refrigerate the dough for at least two hours. This makes it easier to roll out and helps the cookies hold their shape when baking.
- Flour the Surface: When rolling out the dough, use plenty of flour on your surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking. This ensures clean and sharp cookie shapes.
- Get Creative with Royal Icing: If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a ziplock bag with a small tip cut off. Also, practice your skeleton designs on parchment paper before applying to cookies for perfect results.
- Drying Time: Let the cookies fully dry after piping the icing—this will allow the designs to harden and keep the skeletons looking neat and defined.
- Personalize the Decorations: You can use edible ink pens to add more details or switch up colors to match your Halloween theme.
FAQs about cheesecloth
Halloween Cookies
These Halloween cookies are sure to be a hit this year as you transform chocolate sugar cookies into Halloween masterpieces that everyone will love! These are perfect for parties or to make a bunch and let the kids decorate!
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Butter, unsalted, room temperature
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract, divided
- 1/4 Teaspoon Almond Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- 2 Cups + 2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Natural Cocoa
- 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 3 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 1/4 Cup Whole Milk
- 2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
- Candy Eyeballs
- Edible ink pens (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer add the butter and granulated sugar and beat until creamy (about 5 minutes).
- Add the egg, 1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla, and almond extract. Beat again until mixed well.
- In another large mixing bowl add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Mix with a whisk.
- Add the dry ingredients in batches, to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Take half of the batter and spoon it onto plastic wrap. Once wrapped in the plastic wrap, flatten into a disc and refrigerate. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Place the batter discs into your refrigerator and cool for 2 hours (or more).
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Take one of the discs of cookie dough and unwrap it. Place on a liberally floured surface, and roll out with a floured rolling pin. Roll out the dough to between 1/8” and 1/4” thick.
- Using a gingerbread cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can and lay them out on the cookie sheet. Re-roll out the remaining dough and cut more cookies out until there’s no dough left.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Repeat with the second disc of cookie dough.
- In another large mixing bowl add the sifted powdered sugar, whole milk, light corn syrup, and remaining clear vanilla. Mix well until you get the perfect consistency for the royal icing. When you drizzle the icing back onto itself it should hold its shape a little before melting back into the icing.
- Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a Wilton #1 piping tip and coupler.
- Carefully pipe the icing onto a completely cooled cookie. When making the skeletons I start withdrawing a hole which will be the open mouth. Then pipe around it for the skull. Use a toothpick where necessary to help fill in. Then add two eyeballs to each skull.
- For the mummies, it’s really easy, pipe out the lines (not too close together or they will bleed into each other and be less distinguishable. Then add the eyeballs.
- Allow the cookies to dry for a few hours, the royal icing will harden nicely.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 116Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 59mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 0gSugar: 16gProtein: 1g
I’m Melissa, the imaginative force behind Sparkles to Sprinkles, where creativity comes to life, and sprinkles of joy are scattered generously. Melissa is a proud Jersey girl who found love with a New York boy. As a mom to four wonderful boys and a few fur babies, her journey into the world of blogging began after making the life-changing decision to stay home and raise her children. Previously a dedicated workaholic, Melissa’s blog became her creative outlet and passion project. Inspired by her mother-in-law, a masterful cook renowned for her delicious home-cooked meals and legendary holiday feasts (think mouthwatering sausage stuffing), Melissa honed her culinary skills through a combination of family recipes and countless cooking classes. She often attended these classes with her son Michael, who shared her enthusiasm for cooking from a young age. Melissa’s love for learning extends beyond familiar cuisines, as she enjoys exploring international recipes in hands-on cooking classes. Her blog features a diverse array of recipes, showcasing her expertise with various kitchen appliances such as the Instant Pot, air fryer, Slow Cooker, Ninja Foodi, Instant Vortex Plus, and more. Join Melissa on her culinary adventures as she shares tried-and-true family favorites alongside exciting new discoveries!
