Skeleton Cookies
Skeleton Cookies
Soft vanilla–almond sugar cookies cut into little “skeletons,” then iced with simple white glaze and black gel details.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Icing
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 Tbsp milk (plus more to thin)
- 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla
- Black decorating gel (or black royal icing) for faces/bones detail
Tools: skeleton or gingerbread-person cutter, rolling pin, parchment-lined sheet pans, piping bags or squeeze bottles.
Directions
- Preheat & prep: Heat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
- Cream butter & sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then vanilla and almond extract.
- Make dough: Mix in the dry ingredients on low just until a soft dough forms—don’t overmix. If sticky, add 1–2 Tbsp flour.
- Chill briefly: Divide dough in half. Press each piece into a flat disk between two sheets of parchment and chill 20–30 minutes (easier to cut clean shapes).
- Roll & cut: Roll dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut skeleton/figure shapes and place 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets. Re-roll scraps as needed.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 8–11 minutes, until edges look set and bottoms are just turning light golden (tops should not brown). Cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then move to a rack to cool completely.
- Mix white icing: Whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla until smooth and glossy. Aim for a thick-but-pipeable consistency (add drops of milk to thin; extra sugar to thicken).
- Base coats: Pipe/brush a thin white layer for the skull faces and simple bone shapes on the bodies (ribs, arms, legs). Let set 20–30 minutes.
- Detail: Use black gel to dot eyes and draw smiles/teeth; outline bones if desired. Dry until touch-firm before stacking.
- Store: Keep cookies airtight at room temp up to 3–4 days; iced cookies freeze well (separate layers with parchment).
For extra clean edges, pop cut cookies into the freezer for 5–10 minutes before baking.
Make-Ahead & Freezing
- Dough discs keep 3 days in the fridge or 2 months frozen; thaw in fridge.
- Baked, un-iced cookies freeze up to 2 months. Thaw, then ice.
Tips
- Almond extract is classic for bakery sugar cookies; swap for more vanilla if preferred.
- For sharper bone lines, use a small round piping tip (#2 or #3).
Serving Info
| Yield | ~24–30 cookies (cutter size dependent) |
| Active Time | ~30 minutes |
| Chill + Bake | 20–30 minutes chill; 8–11 minutes per batch |
| Category | Dessert · Halloween |
| Cuisine | American |