Frosted Halloween Sugar Cookies

Whether you're baking for Halloween parties, classroom treats or just because it's spooky season, these festive Halloween sugar cookies are the perfect way to get creative with decorating. The best part is they’re simple to make, easy to customize, and much fun to frost with kids or friends.

We love making festive Halloween treats. Here is a list of some simple desserts you might like to try: Halloween Brownies, Halloween Sugar Cookie Bars, Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies, Mummy Brownies, Halloween Crockpot Candy, Dirt and Worm Cups and Leftover Halloween Candy Cookies.

• Soft and Chewy Texture: The sugar cookie dough bakes up super soft with a slight golden brown edge; similar to Lofthouse cookies.
• No Rolling or Cutting: These are drop-style cookies, so there’s no need for a rolling pin or cookie cutters.
• Easy Frosting: The orange frosting spreads easily and sets with a smooth finish— no royal icing or piping bag required.
• Festive and Customizable: Use different colors, white icing, black icing or any Halloween sprinkles to match your Halloween party theme.
• Perfect for Any Age: These cute Halloween sugar cookies are fun to make and decorate with kids (or your inner child).

With just a quick trip to the grocery store, you will be ready to make these simple Halloween cookies.

See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.

• All-Purpose Flour: The base of the cookie, also called purpose flour, gives structure and softness.
• Sea Salt, Baking Soda, Baking Powder: For balance, lift and texture, while enhancing the flavour.
• Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the perfect texture.
• Unsalted Butter: Creates a light and fluffy sugar cookie. Also provides flavor and spreadability in the frosting.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: For a warm, classic sugar cookie flavor.
• Greek Yogurt: Adds moisture and tenderness without needing eggs.
• Icing Sugar (Powdered Sugar): For a smooth and fluffy frosting texture, while providing sweetness.
• Orange Food Coloring, Optional: Gives the frosting its classic Halloween vibe. I use gel food coloring to not thin my frosting too much.
• Halloween Sprinkles, Optional: A fun and spooky topping to finish off your festive Halloween sugar cookies.

For this easy recipe, you'll want to have on hand a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mixing bowl, baking sheets, parchment paper, measuring cups and spoons, offset spatula, spatula and a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop.

Looking to change it up or make do with what you have? The great thing about this easy sugar cookie recipe is that it's customizable.

• Almond Extract: Swap half the vanilla for almond extract for a deeper traditional sugar cookie flavor.
• Cream Cheese Frosting: For tangy richness, sub half the butter in the frosting with cream cheese.
• Chocolate Sugar Cookies: Add 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients for a chocolate twist.
• Black Frosting: Go bold and use black gel coloring for spooky Halloween sugar cookies with a dramatic edge.
• Pumpkin Sugar Cookies: Add a tiny bit of pumpkin spice to your sugar cookie dough for a seasonal twist.
• Sprinkle Swap: Use candy eyeballs, or any halloween colors to suite your style.

These festive sugar cookies come together easily with the help of a stand mixer and a few simple steps.

Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk all-purpose flour, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together sugar and softened butter for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed well.

Mix pure vanilla extract and Greek yogurt to the batter just until combined.

Add dry ingredients and mix for one minute.

Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, place rolled balls at least 1 ½ inches apart on your lined baking sheet as they will spread.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges start to get golden. Repeat on a cool baking sheet until all your dough is used up.

Cool fully then start your frosting.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add icing sugar and butter and cream together until smooth. If you want a slightly lighter, slightly thinner frosting add up to 1 tablespoon of milk, adding 1 teaspoon at a time (I added 1 full tablespoon).

Add orange food coloring and mix again until fully incorporated.

Generously add about 2-3 tablespoons of frosting and spread over cooled cookies with an offset spatula.

Add any Halloween sprinkles desired (note: you will want to lightly press them in or place your sprinkles on a shallow plate and dip with light pressure to adhere).

Hint: Use room temperature ingredients for the best results. Make sure your butter is softened, and your yogurt is not cold.

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Here are some ways to store this easy cookie recipe.

• Room Temperature: Store frosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
• Refrigerator: For longer storage, place in a sealed container with plastic wrap between layers for up to 7 days.
• Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cookies in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Frost after thawing.

• Halloween Treats: Leftover Halloween candy cookies, mummy brownies, Halloween Rice Krispie treats, mummy hot dogs, Halloween brownies, chocolate cake mix cookies, Halloween Crockpot candy, Halloween sugar cookie bars.
• Spooky Drinks: Halloween sangria, Witches' brew punch, alien brain haemorrhage shot.
• Seasonal Cocktails: Crockpot spiked apple cider, apple cider sangria, apple pie shot, apple cider mimosa, apple cider old fashioned, cranberry shrub cocktail, apple cider Moscow mule.
• Fall Beverages: Pumpkin cold foam, pumpkin chai latte, iced pumpkin spice latte, Starbucks pumpkin spice latte, caramel mocha, espresso Irish coffee, iced apple crisp macchiato, Crockpot hot chocolate.

Here are some of our best tips to help you make the best easy Halloween sugar cookies.

• Use a Cookie Scoop: Using a cookie scoop ensures a uniform cookie size and even bake time.
• Avoid Overmixing: Mixing just until combined gives you delicious and light sugar cookies with the perfect texture.
• Cool Before Frosting: Frosting will melt on warm cookies, cool them completely for the best results.
• Mini Cookies: For a smaller bite-sized cookie, use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop and bake at 350F for 7 minutes.

Do you have questions about making our Halloween sugar cookie recipe?

While you could use royal icing, these cookies do to bake with a flat top that is more ideal for detailed decorating.

Nope! This is a no-chill sugar cookie recipe, perfect for quick baking.

This dough is best for drop cookies. For cutouts, try a rolled-out dough with a floured surface and Halloween cookie cutters.

Yes, you can bake cookies ahead of time and freeze them unfrosted. Just thaw, frost and decorate when you're ready.

Gel food colouring works best, it gives vibrant icing colors with just a tiny bit.

Check out some more of our recipes you will want to try!

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