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spooky halloween buttercream cookies

Halloween Buttercream Cookies

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cookies

Equipment

  • 2 Mixing bowl
  • 1 hand mixer or stand mixer
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Silicone spatula
  • 1 Measuring cups set
  • 1 Measuring spoons set
  • 2 Baking sheet
  • 2 silicone baking mat or sheet parchment paper
  • 1 Cooling rack
  • 1 Rolling Pin
  • 2 Cookie cutter Halloween shapes
  • 3 piping bag
  • 3 small round piping tip

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk as needed
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened (for buttercream)
  • 2 3/4 cup powdered sugar sifted (for buttercream)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for buttercream
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt for buttercream
  • 1-2 tablespoon heavy cream as needed (for buttercream)
  • 1/4 teaspoon gel food coloring assorted Halloween colors
  • 2 tablespoon Halloween sprinkles optional

Instructions
 

  • Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt in a mixing bowl and set aside.
  • Beat softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing on low just until a soft dough forms.
  • If dough seems crumbly, mix in up to 1 tablespoon milk until it comes together and is smooth.
  • Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap, and chill for 45 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment.
  • Roll one dough disc on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness.
  • Cut Halloween shapes with cookie cutters, rerolling scraps once, and transfer to prepared sheets spacing 1 inch apart.
  • Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes until edges are set and just barely golden.
  • Cool cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely for about 25 minutes more.
  • For buttercream, beat softened butter until creamy, then gradually beat in sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt.
  • Add 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream as needed and whip on medium-high for 1-2 minutes until light and spreadable.
  • Divide buttercream into bowls and tint with gel food coloring to desired Halloween shades.
  • Fill piping bags fitted with small round tips and decorate cooled cookies with colored buttercream.
  • Add Halloween sprinkles if using and let the buttercream set for 20-30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Chilling prevents spreading and keeps edges sharp, so don’t skip it, and roll the dough evenly using guides or two ruler stacks to maintain a 1/4-inch thickness. Pull cookies when centers look matte, not browned, to keep them soft. Use gel colors to avoid thinning the buttercream, and if it gets too soft, chill it for 5-10 minutes. For clean piping, keep tips small (round #2–#4) and outline before flooding with a slightly softer buttercream. Store decorated cookies in a single layer until set, then layer with parchment in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze undecorated cookies up to 2 months. Adjust consistency with a teaspoon of cream to loosen or a tablespoon of powdered sugar to stiffen.
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