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Adorable Black Cat Halloween Sugar Cookies Recipe

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These adorable black cat Halloween sugar cookies with royal icing come together faster than expected and look genuinely charming. The buttery vanilla sugar cookie base pairs beautifully with glossy royal icing for a treat that’s surprisingly simple to decorate.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 6–8 tablespoons warm water
  • 1–2 teaspoons black gel food coloring
  • White gel food coloring (for eyes and details)
  • Pink gel food coloring (optional, for noses and inner ears)

Instructions

  1. Make the cookie dough: In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides, add egg and vanilla, mix on low until combined.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture until dough just comes together.
  3. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, divide in half, shape into flat discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  5. Roll out one disc of dough to ¼-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut with cat-shaped cookie cutter dipped in flour. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Re-roll scraps and cut again.
  6. Chill cut cookies on baking sheets for 10 minutes before baking.
  7. Bake chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are just barely golden. Let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Make royal icing: In stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 6 tablespoons warm water, mix on low until combined, then beat on medium-high for 5-7 minutes until thick, glossy, and forms stiff peaks. Adjust consistency with water or powdered sugar as needed.
  9. Divide icing into bowls. Tint majority black with gel food coloring. Leave some white for eyes/details. Optionally tint small amount pink for noses. Keep bowls covered with damp paper towel.
  10. Prepare icing for piping: For outline icing, keep thick like toothpaste. For flood icing, thin with drops of water until it flows like honey (drizzles off spoon in smooth ribbon that disappears within 10 seconds).
  11. Transfer outline icing to piping bag with #2 tip. Transfer flood icing to piping bag with #3 tip.
  12. Pipe outline of each cat using black outline icing, tracing just inside edge. Let outlines dry 5-10 minutes until slightly firm.
  13. Pipe flood icing inside outlines, starting at edges and working inward. Use toothpick to spread into corners and pop air bubbles. Let dry at least 2 hours or overnight until completely hard.
  14. Once base is dry, pipe faces: Use white outline icing for eyes (two small circles), black icing for pupils (tiny dots in center), pink icing for nose (tiny triangle or heart), white icing for whiskers (three thin lines each side), and pink icing for inner ears.

Notes

Temperature is crucial: butter must be properly softened, cookies must be chilled before baking, and cookies must be completely cool before decorating. Don’t skip the second chill before baking to prevent spreading. Practice piping on parchment first. Work in batches of 6-8 cookies. Use a toothpick for tiny details. Let decorated cookies dry uncovered for at least 12 hours before stacking or storing. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Do not refrigerate as humidity will make icing sticky.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://hungermind.com/adorable-black-cat-halloween-sugar-cookies-recipe/