These spider web sugar cookies are super simple. With the help of a toothpick and some food coloring, it’s easy to achieve these spooky treats!
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Happy Halloween! I hope there are lots of treats in store for you today. I had the good fortune to be invited to my friend Mandy’s Halloween party this past weekend. Mandy loves this holiday and decorates more for Halloween than for Christmas. Tonight, I get see my 1 year old nephew dressed up like a cowboy. He will be my only trick or treater. We live in a neighborhood with a busy street and not too many kids. Growing up in the country we never had them either. Good for my nephew though, I go out of my way to get him something special since he’s the only one.
How to make spider web sugar cookies:
These cookies were left over from my recent sugar cookie project. I also had a ton of black royal icing left over. Luckily, I needed a teat to take to Mandy’s anyway.
Spiderwebs are super easy with royal icing, all you need is a toothpick:
- Simply pipe and flood your background with whatever color you desire (I chose white and orange).
- Then take black flood icing and make three circles to look like a bull’s eye. Then, starting from the inside, drag a toothpick through the black and background icing at regular intervals to the outside of the cookie.
- Allow to dry overnight.
- The spider bodies are a royal icing “blob” made with a Wilton #12 tip and the legs were piped with a Wilton #1 tip. If you can, give the spiders a few hours to dry a bit as well before taking them anywhere.
Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- If using a stand mixer, fit with paddle attachment. Cream together shortening and butter until completely mixed.
- Add in the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add in eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Add in vanilla and beat until combined.
- With the mixer on slow speed, add in the baking powder and flour. Mix until just combined.
- Cover and chill dough for at least an hour.
- Turn out dough on a floured surface and roll dough 1/8″ thick. Cut cookies with desired cookie cutters. Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes or until bottom is brown and the brown is creeping up the edges. The tops of the cookies should not be shiny at all.
- Allow to cool completely. Frost and decorate as desired.
Notes
- These cookies don’t spread too much, but if you don’t want any spreading, chill cut out cookies for 5-10 minutes before baking. This is more necessary for cut-outs with finer details.
- The number of cookies this recipe makes obviously depends on the size of your cookie cutters.
- This dough can chill in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be frozen for a couple of months. To freeze the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer safe ziplock bag.
Royal Icing
Ingredients
- 10-12 tablespoons water
- 6 tablespoons meringue powder
- 8 cups powdered sugar 2 pound bag
Instructions
- If using a stand mixer, fit with paddle attachment.
- Put powdered sugar and meringue powder in bowl. Add 7 tablespoons water. Start mixing on LOW speed until all ingredients are combined and moistened. Scrape down the sides.
- Add 2 more tablespoons water and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides. Turn speed of mixer up to medium high. Beat for 7 minutes.
- Turn speed of mixer up to medium high. Beat for 7 minutes. Scrape down the sides. If the icing is too thick, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time and beat to combine. You can’t take the water out so don’t put too much in at a time.
Notes
Looking for more Halloween sweets? Maybe try these easy Oreo mummies or for something a little more grown up, try this caramel corn!
Happy Baking!
