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Classic Halloween Sugar Cookies Easy Royal Icing Spiderwebs

halloween sugar cookies royal icing spiderwebs - featured image
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Buttery, soft sugar cookies with a crisp royal icing that cracks just right when you bite into it. The spiderwebs are easier than you think, and once you get the hang of it, you won’t want to stop.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
  • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 4–5 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • Black gel food coloring
  • White royal icing (base coat)
  • Black royal icing (for webs)
  • Piping bags or zip-top bags
  • Toothpicks or scribe tool

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy — about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
  2. Add the room-temperature egg, vanilla extract, and softened cream cheese. Mix on low until just combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix until the dough just comes together.
  4. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disc about 1-inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  6. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll one disc of dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use your 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 again.
  7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 4 tablespoons of water and the vanilla extract. Beat on low until combined, then increase to medium-high and whip for 5 to 7 minutes. For the base coat (flood consistency), add water one teaspoon at a time until the icing flows like honey. For the black spiderweb lines, leave the icing at stiff peak consistency. Divide the icing into two bowls. Leave one white. Tint the other bowl w…
  9. Fit a piping bag with a #2 tip and fill it with the white flood-consistency icing. Pipe an outline around the edge of each cookie, then fill in the center with a zigzag motion. Use a toothpick to gently spread the icing into the corners and pop any air bubbles. Let the base coat dry for at least 1 hour.
  10. Once the base coat is dry, switch to the black stiff-consistency icing in a piping bag with a #2 tip. Pipe a small dot in the center of each cookie. Then pipe 4 to 6 straight lines radiating outward from the dot to the edge of the cookie. Immediately use a toothpick to drag from the center outward through each line, creating a curved web effect. Wipe the toothpick clean between each drag. Let the cookies dry completely, about 2 to 4 hours.

Notes

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading. For the royal icing, add water drop by drop to avoid thinning too much. Drag the toothpick through the black lines while they are still wet but after the white base has set. Practice on a paper towel first to get the technique right.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween sugar cookies, royal icing spiderwebs, classic sugar cookies, Halloween baking, easy sugar cookies

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