Halloween Skeleton Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined, about 2 minutes. Divide the dough in half; pat each piece into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
• Roll out each dough disk between 2 sheets of parchment paper until 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the dough into shapes using a 4 1/2-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared pans. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies. (If the dough is too soft, freeze 10 minutes before cutting.) Refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are set but still soft, 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Make the icing: Beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and water in a bowl with a mixer on high speed until smooth and thick. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner. Pipe skulls and bones onto the cookies. Let set 30 minutes.
• To decorate the cookies, first make the outline of the skull, eyes, nose, mouth and bones. Then thin some icing with a little water and pipe into the outline of the skull; use a toothpick to help.

Steps:

• Beat butter, sugar and dry pudding mix in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs. Mix all remaining ingredients except icing. Gradually add to pudding mixture, beating well after each addition. Refrigerate 15 min.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Place dough between 2 sheets of parchment or waxed paper; roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into halloween shapes with 3- to 4-inch cookie cutters, rolling dough scraps as necessary. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 10 to 12 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand on baking sheets 3 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely. Decorate with icing to resemble skeletons as shown in photo.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until easy to handle. , On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. gingerbread boy cookie cutter. Place on greased baking sheets. , Bake at 375° for 7-8 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For icing, in a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Cut a small hole in the corner of a resealable plastic bag; fill with icing. Pipe skeleton bones on cookies.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• In medium bowl, stir together cookie mix, flour and cocoa. Add butter and egg; stir until soft dough forms. On work surface sprinkled with flour, roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 4-inch gingerbread cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack to cool completely.
• In medium bowl, beat meringue powder and cold water with electric mixer on medium speed until peaks form. Gradually beat in powdered sugar about 1 minute or until soft peaks form. Place in 12-inch piping bag fitted with #3 tip. Pipe skeleton design on cookies. Let sit about 5 minutes or until icing is set.