Remember those childhood Halloweens? The crisp air, the rustling leaves, the excitement of dressing up and knocking on doors for candy? While those days might be a sweet memory, the magic of Halloween can still fill your kitchen, even without hours of elaborate baking. Today, I’m sharing a recipe for the most adorable, yet spooktacular, Halloween Ghost Cookies that will bring back all those nostalgic feelings. These little friendly apparitions are incredibly simple to whip up, making them the perfect project for a cozy fall afternoon with family, or a last-minute party treat. If you’re looking for another quick, sweet idea, you might also love making an effortless no-bake marshmallow slice! Trust me, these cookies are so charming and delightful, they’re almost scary how easy they are!
Why You’ll Love Halloween Ghost Cookies
- Fast
- Easy
- Giftable
- Crowd-pleasing
Ingredients
Gather your simple pantry staples, and let’s get baking! You’ll probably have most of these on hand already, which makes these cookies even more convenient.
- 1 cup butter: Make sure it’s softened to room temperature. This helps it cream beautifully with the sugar for that light, fluffy texture.
- 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar: Also known as powdered sugar, this fine sugar is key for both the dough and that smooth, glossy icing.
- 1 egg: Your trusty binder, bringing everything together.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: The soul of almost any sweet treat! Don’t skimp on good quality vanilla.
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour: Our main dry ingredient, giving structure to your ghost cookies.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda: Helps these cookies get a little lift.
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar: This works with baking soda to give your cookies a lovely, slightly chewy texture.
- ¼ teaspoon salt: A pinch of salt enhances all the other flavors.
Icing:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar: For that perfectly white, smooth ghost coating.
- 2 teaspoons milk, plus more if needed: Just a touch to get the right consistency. Whole milk works great.
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup, or more as needed: This is my secret weapon for super shiny, smooth icing that sets up nicely.
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract: A hint of vanilla in the icing is always a good idea.
- 1 (12 ounce) package miniature semisweet chocolate chips: These are for the adorable ghost eyes!
How to Make Halloween Ghost Cookies
Let’s get those hands a little floury and make some magic! Follow these steps, and you’ll have a tray of ghostly delights in no time.
- First things first, grab a big mixing bowl and your electric mixer. Beat your softened butter until it’s lovely and creamy. Then, gradually add the 1 ½ cups of confectioners’ sugar, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. This is where you incorporate air, making your cookies tender. Next, beat in the egg and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until everything is well combined and smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Now, slowly add this flour mixture to your wet butter mixture. Mix just until everything comes together – try not to overmix, as that can make your cookies tough. Once combined, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and pop it into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This chilling step is super important; it helps the butter firm up, preventing your cookies from spreading too much in the oven, and makes the dough much easier to handle when rolling.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to a cozy 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Lightly dust your work surface with a little flour. Take out your chilled dough and roll it out into a thin circle. Now for the fun part: cutting out your ghosts! You’ll want a tulip-shaped cookie cutter. If your cutter has a stem, just use a small knife to carefully trim it off, leaving you with that perfect ghost-like shape. Arrange your cut-out cookies on ungreased baking sheets, giving them a little space.
- Bake in your preheated oven for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly browned. Keep a close eye on them; cookie thickness can vary, so yours might bake a little faster or slower. Once they’re done, carefully remove them from the baking sheets and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. This usually takes about 15 minutes. Patience is a virtue here – hot cookies will melt your icing! If you’re looking for more general wisdom on mastering the art of perfect cookies, I’ve got a whole guide for you!
- While your cookies are cooling, let’s make that dreamy ghost icing! In a small bowl, stir together the 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar and the 2 teaspoons of milk until it’s nice and smooth. Then, beat in the corn syrup and the ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract until your icing is perfectly smooth and glossy. If it feels a bit too thick to pipe, add a tiny bit more corn syrup, just a quarter teaspoon at a time, until you reach a good consistency. You want it to flow, but not run off the cookie.
- Spoon your beautiful white icing into a piping bag fitted with a small, plain tip. Now, for decorating your friendly ghosts! Pipe a border around the edge of each cookie, then fill in the middle completely with icing. Before the icing sets, quickly grab two miniature chocolate chips and gently press them into the wet icing for the ghost’s eyes. Once all your cookies are decorated, let them stand for about an hour, or until the icing is completely dry and set. Then, they’re ready to be devoured!
Substitutions & Additions
These ghost cookies are fantastic as is, but here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing!
- Dough Shortcuts: If you’re really short on time, you can absolutely use a store-bought sugar cookie dough roll. Just make sure it’s one that holds its shape well when baked.
- Flavor Twists: A tiny splash of almond extract or even a little lemon zest in the cookie dough can add a lovely subtle flavor. For the icing, a hint of peppermint extract would be festive, or if you prefer a richer flavor, you could try a creamy vanilla buttercream instead of the traditional glaze.
- Decorating Fun: Get wild with your ghost faces! Use edible food markers to draw different expressions, or try mini candy eyeballs for an extra spooky touch. A sprinkle of edible glitter on the wet icing would give your ghosts a magical shimmer. You could even tint some of the icing with a drop of food coloring for a spooky green or purple ghost!
- Chocolate Alternatives: If you don’t have miniature chocolate chips, you can use regular chocolate chips (just cut them in half), or even little dots of black icing applied with a toothpick for the eyes.
Tips for Success
Even though these cookies are super easy, a few tricks can help ensure yours turn out perfectly spooky and delicious every time!
- Chill, Baby, Chill: Seriously, don’t skip the chilling step for the dough. It makes a huge difference in preventing your cookies from spreading into formless blobs. If you’re in a hurry, you can pop it in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes instead.
- Flour Lightly: When rolling out your dough, use just enough flour to prevent sticking. Too much flour can make your cookies tough.
- Don’t Overbake: Sugar cookies can go from perfectly baked to too crisp very quickly. Watch for those lightly browned edges, and remember they’ll continue to set a bit as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Icing Consistency is Key: This is probably the trickiest part. For outlining, you want it a little thicker, and for filling (or “flooding”), a touch thinner. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more milk or corn syrup. If it’s too thin, whisk in a bit more confectioners’ sugar.
- Practice Makes Perfect: If you’re new to piping, don’t worry! You can practice on a piece of parchment paper first. It’s okay if your first few ghosts aren’t perfectly symmetrical; they’ll still be delicious!
How to Store Halloween Ghost Cookies
Once your adorable ghost cookies are all decorated and the icing is dry, you’ll want to store them properly to keep them fresh and delicious.
Place your cooled and fully set cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for about 3-5 days. If you need them to last a little longer, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, you can freeze undecorated cookies for up to 2-3 months. Just thaw, decorate, and enjoy!
FAQs
Got a few questions bubbling up? Let me try to answer them for you!
Can I use store-bought cookie dough?
Absolutely! Using a refrigerated sugar cookie dough roll is a fantastic shortcut. Just make sure it’s a type that’s known to hold its shape well for cut-out cookies.
Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes, you sure can! The dough can be made up to 2-3 days in advance and stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. In fact, sometimes a longer chill makes the dough even easier to work with.
What if my icing is too thick or too thin?
No problem! If your icing is too thick, add more milk or corn syrup, a quarter teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, gradually whisk in more confectioners’ sugar until it thickens up.
Can kids help with this recipe?
Definitely! This is a fantastic recipe for getting kids involved. They can help with mixing, rolling the dough (with supervision), cutting out the shapes, and, of course, sticking on those cute chocolate chip eyes!
For more delicious recipes and kitchen inspiration, be sure to follow us on Pinterest!
Halloween Ghost Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Step 1: Make the Dough. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add 1 ½ cups of confectioners’ sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until well combined and smooth.
- Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients & Chill. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Slowly add this flour mixture to the wet butter mixture, mixing just until everything comes together. Do not overmix. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or 20-30 minutes in the freezer).
- Step 3: Preheat Oven. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Step 4: Roll & Cut. Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Roll out the chilled dough into a thin circle. Using a tulip-shaped cookie cutter, cut out ghost shapes (trimming the stem with a small knife if necessary). Arrange the cut-out cookies on ungreased baking sheets, leaving a little space between them.
- Step 5: Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly browned. Carefully remove from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks to cool completely (about 15 minutes).
- Step 6: Prepare Icing. While cookies cool, make the icing. In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar and 2 teaspoons of milk until smooth. Beat in the corn syrup and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract until the icing is perfectly smooth and glossy. If too thick, add a tiny bit more corn syrup (a quarter teaspoon at a time) until the desired consistency is reached.
- Step 7: Decorate & Set. Spoon the white icing into a piping bag fitted with a small, plain tip. Pipe a border around the edge of each cookie, then fill in the middle completely. Before the icing sets, quickly press two miniature chocolate chips into the wet icing for the ghost’s eyes. Let the decorated cookies stand for about an hour, or until the icing is completely dry and set, before serving.
Notes
- Chill, Baby, Chill: Do not skip the chilling step; it prevents spreading. If in a hurry, freeze for 20-30 minutes.
- Flour Lightly: Use just enough flour when rolling to prevent sticking, as too much can make cookies tough.
- Don’t Overbake: Watch for lightly browned edges; cookies continue to set as they cool.
- Icing Consistency is Key: Adjust with more milk/corn syrup (if too thick) or confectioners’ sugar (if too thin) to get the right flow for outlining and flooding.
- Practice Makes Perfect: Practice piping on parchment paper if new.
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