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Black Cat Halloween Sugar Cookies Easy Royal Icing Recipe

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These black cat Halloween sugar cookies with royal icing are fun to make, stunning to look at, and absolutely delicious to eat. They are the perfect treat for Halloween parties, school events, or just surprising your family with something spooky and sweet.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 4–5 tablespoons warm water
  • 1–2 teaspoons black gel food coloring
  • 1 tiny drop white gel food coloring
  • Yellow candy melts or yellow royal icing (for eyes)
  • Piping bags or zip-top bags
  • Toothpicks

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  2. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. The mixture might look slightly curdled—that is normal.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
  4. Divide the dough into two discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  5. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a cat-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes, and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gather the scraps, re-roll, and cut more cookies.
  7. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just barely golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 4 tablespoons of warm water and beat on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 4-5 minutes, until the icing is glossy and holds stiff peaks. Adjust consistency with water or powdered sugar as needed.
  9. Divide the icing into two bowls. Color one bowl black using the gel food coloring (add a tiny drop of white to get a true black). Leave the other bowl white for the eyes and details. Cover both bowls with a damp paper towel or plastic wrap.
  10. Start by outlining each cat cookie with the black royal icing using a #2 piping tip or a zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped. Let the outline dry for about 10 minutes.
  11. Thin the remaining black icing with water, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a 10-15 second consistency. Use a squeeze bottle or piping bag to flood the inside of each cookie. Use a toothpick to spread the icing into the corners and pop any air bubbles. Let the flooded cookies dry completely, at least 4 hours or overnight.
  12. Once the black icing is set, pipe small white dots for the eyes using the white royal icing. Add a tiny yellow dot in the center of each eye. Let the eyes dry completely before stacking or serving.

Notes

Do not overbake sugar cookies—pull them when edges are just barely golden. Royal icing consistency is critical; use the 10-15 second rule. Work in batches and keep piping bags covered with a damp paper towel. Let icing set completely (at least 4 hours, preferably overnight) before stacking. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; do not refrigerate.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cookies, black cat cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing, Halloween treats, decorated cookies

Find it online: https://livelybite.com/black-cat-halloween-sugar-cookies-easy-royal-icing-recipe/