Halloween Sugar Cookies

Prep Time

45 minutes

Yield

22 cookies

Bake Time

22 minutes

Ingredients

Cookies
  • 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. Clabber Girl® Baking Soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1-1/4 cup Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract

Royal Icing
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 Tbsp. meringue powder
  • Water
  • Dec-A-Cake® Black Food Color
  • 22 candy-coated chocolates

Directions

Cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
  3. In a mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy; about 4 minutes on high speed.
  4. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and blend on medium speed.
  5. Add the vanilla and blend.
  6. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until incorporated.
  7. Scoop out dough using a 3-tablespoon portion scoop. Leave 3 inches between each cookie.
  8. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Royal Icing
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder.
  2. Add water, very slowly, while stirring the mixture until you have reached a medium-thick consistency.
  3. Pour 1/4 of the icing into another bowl. Add black food coloring and stir to blend. Place in a piping bag with a small round tip attached.
  4. Frost a few cookies with the white royal icing. Before they dry, use the piping bag of black icing to draw concentric circles on the cookie.
  5. Use a toothpick to drag through the black lines, starting at the center of the circles, to create a spiderweb.
  6. Repeat with remaining cookies.
  7. When dry, place a small amount of white icing on one side of a piece of candy and place it on the cookie.
  8. If desired, use the black icing to draw eyes and legs.