Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Step 1: Cream it up: In a large bowl, cream together the white sugar and softened butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract, and the almond flavoring until beautifully combined.
- Step 2: Combine dry and wet: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Step 3: Chill out: Divide the dough into two portions, wrap each snugly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours, or overnight.
- Step 4: Get ready to bake: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Step 5: Roll and cut: On a work surface generously dusted with 2 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar, roll out one portion of chilled dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut out shapes and carefully transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.
- Step 6: Bake to perfection: Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden. Carefully transfer the hot cookies to wire racks to cool completely (around 20 minutes). Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Step 7: Whip up the icing: While cookies cool, make the white icing. In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup of confectioners' sugar and 2 teaspoons of milk until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons of light corn syrup and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth and glossy. Adjust consistency with more milk or corn syrup if needed.
- Step 8: Decorate the bones: Transfer the white icing to a piping bag fitted with a small, plain tip. Pipe a filled-out circle inside the head portion of each cookie for the skull base, then draw three horizontal lines for the ribs on the body. Allow this white icing to dry completely (about 2 hours, or overnight).
- Step 9: Add the final spooky touches: Once the white icing is completely dry, use black decorating gel to draw eyes, a nose, and a mouth on each skull. Let these details dry for about 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Customize your cookies by swapping almond flavoring for extra vanilla, orange, or lemon extract. For a chocolatey base, add 2-3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients, adjusting dough consistency with a bit more milk if needed. You can also color portions of the white icing or add black or orange nonpareils on the body before the white icing dries for extra Halloween flair. Any person-shaped cookie cutter will work! Chilling the dough thoroughly is crucial for preventing spread and maintaining crisp shapes. Using confectioners' sugar for dusting your rolling surface instead of regular flour gives a smoother finish and sweeter edge. Ensure icing consistency is pipeable but not too thin, adjusting with milk or confectioners' sugar as needed. Patience is key: allow the white icing to dry completely before applying black details to prevent bleeding. The dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept refrigerated. Baked but undecorated cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days, and then iced closer to your event. Store finished, completely dry cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days, with parchment between layers if stacking. Decorated cookies can also be frozen in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature before serving. If using store-bought sugar cookie dough, ensure it’s thoroughly chilled for best results.