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Haunted House Cookies

These playful haunted house cookies combine a crispy edge with a chewy center, crafted through simple baking techniques. The dough is flavored with vanilla and shaped into spooky structures, then decorated with icing and candies for a whimsical Halloween treat. Their imperfect, chaotic appearance adds to the spooky charm and fun of decorating them.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 57 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • decorations icing, candies, melted chocolate for decorating

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Rolling pin
  • Cookie cutters or sharp knife
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together using a hand or stand mixer until the mixture is light, fluffy, and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the wet mixture and beat until well combined, ensuring the mixture is smooth and slightly glossy.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed or folding gently until just combined. The dough will be soft but manageable.
  6. Divide the dough into two equal parts, shape each into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to relax the gluten and firm up the dough.
  7. Remove one dough disc from the fridge and place it on a floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thickness, keeping it even.
  8. Cut out haunted house shapes or spooky figures using cookie cutters or a sharp knife, then transfer them carefully onto the prepared baking sheet.
  9. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn a light golden brown and the cookies are set.
  10. Once baked, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely for about 10 minutes, which helps prevent smudging decorations later.
  11. Decorate the cooled cookies with icing, candies, or melted chocolate to create spooky windows, ghosts, or creepy trees, adding your personal spooky touch.
  12. Allow the decorations to set for about 30 minutes so they don't smudge or slide off. Then enjoy your playful, spooky haunted house cookies!

Notes

For best results, keep decorations simple and let the cookies cool completely before decorating. Feel free to get creative with your spooky details!