Description
Add a festive touch to your Halloween celebrations with these adorable and delicious Jack-o’-Lantern cookies. Perfect for parties, trick-or-treaters, or just a fun baking project!
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Cookies:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Royal Icing:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons meringue powder
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 6–8 tablespoons water (divided)
- Orange food coloring
- Black food coloring
Instructions
- Make the Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Using a round cookie cutter (about 3 inches in diameter), cut out cookies. Re-roll scraps as needed.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Royal Icing: In a large bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, meringue powder, and cream of tartar.
- Gradually add 6 tablespoons of water, mixing until smooth and stiff. Add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed, to reach desired consistency for piping and flooding.
- Divide the icing into three bowls. Leave one white for the eyes and mouth. Color one bowl bright orange with food coloring. Color the last bowl black.
- Decorate the Cookies: Fit piping bags with small round tips.
- Outline the top half of each cookie with orange icing. Let it set slightly.
- Flood the outlined area with orange icing. Use a toothpick to spread the icing evenly and pop any air bubbles. Let dry completely.
- Once the orange icing is dry, use white icing to pipe the eyes and mouth, or use black icing for a bolder look.
- Allow the icing to dry completely before serving or stacking.
Notes
- For perfectly round cookies, chill the dough thoroughly before rolling and cutting.
- If you don’t have piping bags, you can use Ziploc bags with the corner snipped off.
- Royal icing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
- Get creative with your Jack-o’-lantern faces! You can add different expressions or even some spooky swirls.
Nutrition
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Protein: 2g