Mmmonday - Halloween Sugar Cookies!

This past weekend was jam packed with fall and Halloween prep! I went Halloween crazy buying decorations, pumpkins, AND recipe items for my pumpkin themed sugar cookies! I've been in a baking mood lately and I know I have yet to make a baking post so now that the holidays are coming around, I have decided to do some baking experiments and improve on my baking skills.

For my halloween themed sugar cookies, I stopped by Crate and Barrel but they unfortunately ran out of most of the cookie cutter shapes so I decided to continue with a pumpkin themed sugar cookie. It's slightly ironic because I dislike pumpkin flavors... Thus I chose to do only a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter with NO pumpkin flavors (ick). I originally did a test run of a small batch of cookies and then I was able to perfect it on the second try.

You can choose to add any flavoring that you want, decorations, frosting, etc. I'm just posting a basic cookie and icing recipe, along with how I chose to decorate my cookies.

Here is what you'll need:

• Cookie cutter(s), any shape
• Sprinkles

Sugar Cookie Recipe

• 1-1/2 cups softened butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 5 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Icing Recipe

• 2-1/2 egg whites
• 2-1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat egg whites in clean, large bowl with mixer at high speed until foamy (use only grade A clean, uncracked eggs). 

2. Gradually add sugar and lemon extract. Beat at high speed until thickened.

To decorate: 

1. After the cookies have been baked and fully cooled, apply a heaping tablespoon of frosting and spread. I could have added orange food coloring but I was inspired by my baby boo pumpkins I got and decided to keep the frosting off - white.

2. I decided to sprinkle black and orange sprinkles all over the frosting! Once you let the frosting sit for a little bit, it will harden with the sprinkles.