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Easy Black Cat Halloween Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

Black Cat Halloween Sugar Cookies - featured image
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These adorable black cat sugar cookies feature a buttery, tender sugar cookie base and glossy royal icing. They’re perfect for Halloween parties, school treats, or a fun baking project with kids.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 6–7 tablespoons warm water
  • 1–2 teaspoons black gel food coloring
  • Yellow gel food coloring (for eyes)
  • Pink gel food coloring (for noses)
  • White gel food coloring (optional, for highlights)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl halfway through.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then beat on low until just combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed after each. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.
  4. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a flat disk, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
  5. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Unwrap one disk of dough and roll it to ¼-inch thickness.
  7. Dip your cookie cutter in flour to prevent sticking, then cut out as many cat faces as possible. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  8. Gather the scraps, press them together gently, and re-roll once.
  9. Chill the cut cookies on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before baking.
  10. Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The cookies should be set around the edges but still pale on top. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. In a large bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 6 tablespoons of warm water and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-high and beat for 4-5 minutes until thick, glossy, and holds a stiff peak.
  12. Divide the icing into separate bowls. Color the largest portion black using the black gel food coloring. Color small portions yellow and pink for the eyes and noses. Leave a small portion white for highlights, if using.
  13. Adjust the consistency of each colored icing for flooding. Add water ¼ teaspoon at a time until the icing flows off a spoon in a smooth ribbon and a dollop melts back into itself within 10 seconds.
  14. Transfer each colored icing to a piping bag with a tiny snipped tip. For the black, snip a slightly larger opening for flooding.
  15. Using the black icing with a small tip, pipe an outline around the edge of each cat face cookie. Let the outlines dry for 10-15 minutes.
  16. Flood the inside of each cookie with the black icing. Use a toothpick to spread the icing into the ears and corners, and to pop any air bubbles.
  17. While the black icing is still wet, pipe two small yellow dots for the eyes and a tiny pink triangle or oval for the nose. If desired, add tiny white dots to the eyes.
  18. Let the cookies dry completely, uncovered, at room temperature for 6-8 hours or overnight until the icing is hard to the touch.

Notes

Chill the dough for at least 1 hour to prevent spreading. For best results, chill cut cookies for 15 minutes before baking. Test icing consistency on a scrap cookie first. Work in batches of 4-5 cookies when adding eyes and noses to prevent the black icing from setting. Store decorated cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Do not refrigerate.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cookies, sugar cookies, black cat cookies, royal icing, Halloween baking, easy cookies, decorated cookies

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