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Perfect Spiderweb Halloween Sugar Cookies

spiderweb halloween sugar cookies - featured image
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Soft, chewy sugar cookies with a cream cheese twist, topped with a stunning spiderweb icing design. No special equipment needed, just a toothpick and a steady hand for a show-stopping Halloween treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tablespoons milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Black gel food coloring
  • Orange gel food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with a hand mixer on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it feels too sticky, add another tablespoon of flour.
  3. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a round cookie cutter (2.5 to 3 inches) to cut out shapes. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut more cookies.
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just barely golden. The centers should still look slightly pale. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  7. While the cookies cool, make the icing. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. You want a thick but spreadable consistency. If too thick, add another ½ tablespoon of milk. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.
  8. Divide the icing into two bowls. Color one bowl with orange food coloring (or leave it white). Color the other bowl with black food coloring. Transfer each color into separate small piping bags or zip-top bags. Snip a tiny corner off each bag.
  9. Pipe a circle of orange (or white) icing in the center of each cookie, about the size of a quarter. Then pipe concentric rings around it, like a target (about 3-4 rings total).
  10. While the icing is still wet, pipe small dots of black icing in the center circle. Using a toothpick, drag the black icing outward through the rings to create the web pattern. Wipe the toothpick clean between each drag. Work quickly before the icing sets.
  11. Let the decorated cookies sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to allow the icing to set.

Notes

Chill the dough for at least 2 hours to prevent spreading. Use gel food coloring for vibrant icing without thinning it. Work on 3-4 cookies at a time when creating the web pattern, as the icing sets quickly. Cookies taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cookies, spiderweb cookies, sugar cookies, cream cheese sugar cookies, decorated cookies, Halloween dessert, easy Halloween recipe

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/perfect-spiderweb-halloween-sugar-cookies-easy-recipe/