Description
These Gingerbread Halloween Skeleton Cookies are a festive treat perfect for celebrating the spooky season. Made with warm gingerbread spices and molasses, these cookies are rolled out, cut into fun skeleton shapes, baked until crisp yet chewy, and decorated with a simple homemade royal icing for a delightful Halloween decoration and flavor.
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, beat the softened butter and light brown sugar using a handheld mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla extract and continue beating until fully combined, though the mixture may look slightly curdled.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift or sprinkle 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 forms.
- Chill the Dough: Transfer the dough onto plastic wrap and shape into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the rack in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll and Cut Dough: Remove dough from fridge, place on a lightly floured surface, and roll out to about ¼ inch thickness (thicker for softer cookies). Use skeleton-shaped cookie cutters to cut cookies, spacing them at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Re-roll scraps once or twice for more cookies.
- Refrigerate Cut Cookies Before Baking: Refrigerate cut-out cookies before baking to prevent spreading. If the dough softens while working, chill both baking sheets for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set. For crispier cookies, bake 1-2 minutes longer. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool completely.
- Make Royal Icing: In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon milk together until sugar is moistened. Add more milk a teaspoon at a time to achieve desired consistency for decorating.
- Decorate Cookies: Once cooled, use the royal icing to decorate the skeleton cookies for a fun Halloween touch.
Notes
- Serving size and yield may vary based on cookie size and thickness.
- This recipe is tested as a small batch; doubling quantities may require recipe adjustments.
- Refrigerate cut-out cookies before baking to minimize spreading.
- Bake one sheet at a time for even baking results.
- For crispier cookies, extend bake time by 1 to 2 minutes.
- The royal icing is a simplified version without egg whites or meringue powder used in traditional recipes.
- Store baked cookies covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze tightly wrapped for up to 3 months.
- Freeze the dough tightly wrapped for up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator before rolling and cutting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1.2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
