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Halloween Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

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4.5 from 53 reviews

These Halloween gingerbread cookies feature festive pumpkin and ghost shapes with spiced flavors, decorated with vibrant royal icing, licorice details, and edible glitter. Perfect for spooky celebrations, they combine classic gingerbread spices with creative colorful toppings for a fun seasonal treat.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 125g butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) golden syrup
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 1/2 cups (375g) plain flour
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves

Decoration Ingredients

  • Orange food colouring
  • 2 green sour straps
  • 1m licorice strap
  • Chocolate writing gel
  • Edible glitter, to decorate

Royal Icing

  • 1 egg white, lightly whisked
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 cups (320g) pure icing sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Baking Trays: Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Line two baking trays with baking paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
  2. Make the Dough: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and beat until just combined. Stir in the plain flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest.
  3. Shape Pumpkin Cookies: Divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll one portion on a lightly floured surface into a 5mm-thick disc. Use an 8cm-diameter round pastry cutter to cut out discs. With a small sharp knife, cut small 1cm wedges from two opposite sides of each disc to form a pumpkin shape. Smooth the edges gently with your fingers. Place these shaped dough pieces back in the fridge to rest.
  4. Shape Ghost and Head Cookies: Roll out the remaining dough to a 5mm-thick disc. Use the top half of a gingerbread man cutter to cut out the head and arms for pumpkins. Then use a small sharp knife to cut the lower part into ghost shapes. Arrange these shapes on the second prepared baking tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  5. Bake the Cookies: Bake both trays in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies turn a light golden brown. Remove and allow the cookies to cool completely on baking racks.
  6. Prepare Royal Icing: In a small bowl, combine the lightly whisked egg white and lemon juice. Gradually add the icing sugar, stirring continuously until a smooth, thick paste forms. Divide the icing into two equal parts and tint one portion orange using the food colouring.
  7. Decorate Pumpkin Cookies: Evenly spread the orange royal icing over the pumpkin-shaped cookies. Cut the licorice strap into small triangles to create eyes and mouths, and attach them to the iced pumpkins. Slice the green sour straps into thin 1mm strips, wrap them around a skewer to shape as pumpkin vines, and attach to the top of each pumpkin cookie. Set aside to allow the icing to set.
  8. Decorate Ghost Cookies: Spread the white royal icing evenly over the ghost-shaped cookies. Use chocolate writing gel to pipe eyes on each ghost. Sprinkle edible glitter over the tops to give them a shimmering effect. Let these cookies set completely before serving.

Notes

  • Ensure the dough is well chilled before rolling and cutting to retain shape during baking.
  • Use a light hand when smoothing edges to keep the designs neat and defined.
  • The baking time may vary slightly depending on oven type, so watch closely to avoid overbrowning.
  • Royal icing hardens as it dries, so allow sufficient time for setting before packaging or stacking.
  • For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a vegan margarine and use egg replacer for the egg yolk and egg white.

Find it online: https://queenrecipe.com/halloween-gingerbread-cookies-recipe/