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Spiced Halloween Sugar Cookies

These festive sugar cookies are flavored with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, offering a cozy autumnal flavor. The dough is rolled out, cut into fun Halloween shapes, and baked until lightly golden, resulting in crisp edges and a tender center perfect for decorating or serving plain. Their cheerful, seasonally themed appearance makes them a delightful treat for spooky gatherings or festive celebrations.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 24
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 80
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened Ensure butter is softened but not melted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar Can substitute with brown sugar for richer flavor
  • 1 large egg Room temperature for easier mixing
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour Sifted for lightness
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Electric mixer or whisk
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Sifter
  • Rolling pin
  • Halloween cookie cutters
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Cooling rack

Method
 

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar using an electric mixer or whisk until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, about 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture, then beat until fully combined, about 1 minute.
  3. In a separate sifter or bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed or folding gently until the dough just comes together and looks uniform.
  5. Divide the dough in half, shape into disks, wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to relax the dough.
  6. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Remove one dough disk from the fridge and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness, ensuring an even surface.
  8. Use Halloween-themed cookie cutters to cut out shapes, pressing firmly to get clean edges. Transfer the cutouts to the prepared baking sheets.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn a light golden brown. Keep a close eye to prevent over-baking.
  10. Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  11. Repeat the rolling, cutting, and baking process with the remaining dough. Decorate cookies as desired once completely cooled.

Notes

Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and makes it easier to handle. Feel free to get creative with decorating—use icing, sprinkles, or edible markers to enhance the Halloween theme.