Halloween Sugar Cookies with Festive Frosting Recipe

If you’re looking for the perfect treat to celebrate the spooky season, you’ve got to try this Halloween Sugar Cookies with Festive Frosting Recipe. I absolutely love how these cookies turn out soft, buttery, and just the right amount of sweet, topped with bright, festive frosting that really brings Halloween spirit to life. Trust me, once you master these, they’ll become your go-to recipe every October—and maybe even beyond!

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Ingredients You’ll Need

These ingredients work together to create a rich, buttery sugar cookie dough that’s incredibly soft and easy to roll out. The frosting ingredients keep it light and creamy, perfect for smooth spreading and piping.

• Butter: Use room temperature butter for easy creaming with sugar, which helps create that fluffy dough we love.
• Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with the classic sugar cookie texture.
• Eggs: Room temperature eggs help bind the dough and keep it tender.
• Vanilla extract: Enhances the flavor with a warm, sweet note.
• Almond extract: Just a touch adds a subtle nuttiness that makes these cookies special.
• Sour cream: Keeps the cookies moist and soft – this is my secret ingredient!
• All-purpose flour: Provides structure – and you’ll want to sprinkle some on your workspace to prevent sticking while rolling.
• Baking soda and baking powder: Help the cookies rise just enough without spreading too thin.
• Sea salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances flavors.
• Powdered sugar: For that dreamy silky frosting texture.
• Heavy cream: Gives buttercream the perfect creamy consistency for spreading or piping.

Variations

I love how flexible this Halloween Sugar Cookies with Festive Frosting Recipe is. Whether you want to get creative with colors, shapes, or cater to dietary needs, there’s always a fun tweak to try.

• Gluten-Free Version: I experimented once with a gluten-free flour blend, and while the texture shifts slightly, the flavor remains delightful when you chill the dough well.
• Natural Food Coloring: For a more natural approach, I like using beet or turmeric powders to color the frosting—it won’t be as vivid but gives a lovely authentic touch.
• Spiced Variation: Adding a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the dough adds a cozy flavor twist that’s perfect for fall evenings.
• Vegan Adaptation: I swapped butter for vegan butter and used a flax egg once with decent results, but the texture changes a bit, so expect a slightly denser cookie.

How to Make Halloween Sugar Cookies with Festive Frosting Recipe

Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar Until Fluffy

Start by beating room temperature butter and granulated sugar together in a large bowl. You’ll want to do this for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture looks light and creamy. This is key because it traps air, giving you that lovely soft texture you’ll love biting into later. I use my stand mixer with the paddle attachment—it makes this step so simple!

Step 2: Mix in the Eggs and Extracts

Add your eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts along with the sour cream. The sour cream adds richness and moisture, which is why these cookies never come out dry. Trust me, this little addition is a game changer.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients and Add Gradually

In a separate bowl, mix your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Be careful to mix just until combined—over-mixing can make your cookies tough. I like to fold gently with a spatula toward the end to keep the dough tender.

Step 4: Chill the Dough

Divide the dough in two, wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. This resting time makes the dough easier to roll out and helps your cookies hold their shape better when baking. I usually chill mine overnight if I prep in advance—it just makes the dough even easier to handle.

Step 5: Roll Out and Cut into Festive Shapes

Preheat your oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface or pressed parchment paper, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. If it’s sticky, sprinkle a bit more flour, but don’t overdo it—you want the cookies to stay soft. Use your Halloween cookie cutters to craft pumpkins, ghosts, candy corns, or whatever spooky shapes you love.

Step 6: Bake and Cool

Bake the cookies for 8-9 minutes, just until the bottoms start to turn a light golden color. Be very careful not to overbake—these cookies are at their best soft and slightly chewy. After pulling them from the oven, let them rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 7: Make the Festive Frosting

In a medium bowl, beat together the softened butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Divide the frosting into 2-3 bowls. Keep one bowl white (for ghosts), add orange food coloring to the second bowl (for pumpkins), and if you’re feeling fancy, divide the last bowl again for yellow (perfect for candy corn details).

Step 8: Decorate Your Cookies

Once the cookies are fully cooled, spread or pipe the orange frosting onto pumpkin shapes. For ghosts, use the white frosting and top with candy eyes—you’ll see how adorably spooky they turn out. Candy corn cookies get a fun three-tone treatment: white on the tip, orange in the middle, and yellow on top. It’s a decorating moment I always look forward to, and kids just go nuts for it!

How to Serve Halloween Sugar Cookies with Festive Frosting Recipe

Garnishes

For me, candy eyes are the must-have garnish for ghosts—they add instant personality with minimal effort. I also like to sprinkle edible glitter or colored sugar on some cookies before the frosting sets, which adds a little sparkle and fun texture. It’s those small touches that turn simple cookies into festive showstoppers.

Side Dishes

These sugar cookies pair wonderfully with a warm cup of spiced apple cider or hot cocoa. For Halloween parties, I often serve them alongside a charcuterie board featuring mild cheeses and fruit for contrast—something about the sweet and savory together is just magic for guests.

Creative Ways to Present

I love arranging these cookies on a tiered cake stand decorated with mini pumpkins and fall leaves for a festive table centerpiece. Gift boxes lined with tissue paper and tied in black and orange ribbons make fantastic party favors or neighbor treats. One year, I even used cookie stamps to add subtle patterns on the dough before baking—such a fun twist!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I usually store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay fresh and soft for up to 4 days this way. If you live somewhere warm or humid, popping them in the fridge is fine, but bring them to room temp before serving for the best texture.

Freezing

You can freeze the unbaked dough or baked cookies. When freezing the dough, I roll it into discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling out. For baked cookies, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag once frozen—this stops them from sticking together.

Reheating

To bring cookies back to fresh-baked warmth, I like warming them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes. Just be careful not to overdo it, or they’ll lose softness. If they feel a bit dry, a quick dab of frosting or a side of milk always revives them beautifully.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

This Halloween Sugar Cookies with Festive Frosting Recipe has been a real crowd-pleaser in my house for years, especially with the little ones who love both decorating and snacking on these cute, soft cookies. I love how it’s simple enough for a weeknight baking session but also special enough for Halloween celebrations. I can’t wait for you to give it a try and see smiles light up your kitchen just like it does mine!

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