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Haunted House Cookies

These haunted house cookies are playful and slightly eerie treats perfect for Halloween. They start with a simple buttery dough that is rolled out, cut into spooky shapes, baked until golden, and then decorated with vibrant royal icing to create creepy, charming structures. The final cookies have a crisp edge with a soft, tender center, decorated to look like miniature haunted houses and ghosts.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 24
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Halloween
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 cups powdered sugar for icing
  • 2 egg whites egg whites for royal icing
  • Food coloring Food coloring black, green, purple

Equipment

  • Rolling pin
  • Cookie cutters
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Decorating brushes
  • Piping bags

Method
 

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and pale.
  2. Add the large egg and vanilla extract to the bowl, then beat until fully incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until the dough just comes together and is smooth.
  4. Divide the dough into two equal parts, wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten and make it easier to roll out.
  5. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Remove one dough ball from the fridge and place it on a floured surface. Roll it out gently to about ¼ inch thickness, turning the dough occasionally to keep it even.
  6. Use haunted house, ghost, or bat-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the rolled dough. Transfer the cutouts carefully onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  7. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just golden and slightly crisp. Keep an eye on them to prevent overbaking, which can make the cookies too hard.
  8. Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
  9. Meanwhile, prepare royal icing by mixing powdered sugar with egg whites until smooth and glossy. Divide the icing into bowls and tint with food coloring to create spooky hues like black, green, and purple.
  10. Use piping bags and decorating brushes to add spooky details such as windows, faces, or creepy accents onto each cookie. Let the decorated cookies set for at least 30 minutes to ensure the icing hardens and stays in place.
  11. Once the decorations are dry and glossy, arrange your haunted house cookies on a platter and enjoy their festive, spooky charm!

Notes

For extra spooky effects, use black food coloring in the royal icing and add edible glitter or sprinkles. Keep decorated cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness and crispness.