Although I love cooking with the kids I also like making things myself in the kitchen and Halloween is the perfect time to try out some of the cookie decorating skills that I have been working on all year! These Tombstone Halloween Cookies are a little more complicated than our gingerbread Halloween cookies that we make with the kids. But for a Halloween party or extra special trick and treat gifts they are perfect. So here to go a step by step guide including cookie recipe on how to make Tombstone Cookies.
How to Make Halloween Cookies
One of the problems that I have had with cookies in the past is that when it comes to cooking them using a sugar cookie recipe they tend to spread. So with some reading around through my cookbook collection, I've found this cookie recipe that doesn't. So it is perfect for making decorated cookies like these Tombstone ones for Halloween.
To get the decoration right you are looking at a 12+hr time to decorate as you want the icing to set before you add the details to the top. Using royal icing this way lets you make lots of additions and have the raised look that you can see in the pictures. If you don't allow the icing to set then instead it will sink it, run together and look a mess.
So on your first day, you want to make the cookies, let them cool and complete the first stage of decorating them so that the base is completed.
Then on the second day, you add in the details the icing will be fine overnight so don't worry about making up more.
How to Store Royal Icing for Decorating Cookies
Royal icing can be stored in the pipping bags or containers in the fridge overnight.
When you want to use them again remove from the fridge and then allow to come to room temperature before re-mixing and using so that it can soften up again.
Kitchen Essentials we used to Make these Cookies
There are a couple of little extra's that we used to make the cookies that maybe you don't have in your kitchen but I find very useful when making them.
I have made royal icing in the past by hand. But, it is HARD WORK so getting a stand-mixer has saved my arms and made the whole cookie decorating process a LOT quicker. Although I would love a Kitchen Aid (because of the look of them!) I really can't justify the cost of one so I have a budget-friendly stand mixer which does the job.
These cookies could be cut out using a template but save yourself some time and get a tombstone cookie cutter. The kids use mine for their cookies as well and for playdough.
When it comes to pipping bags - I do like being a little environmental friendly so use reusable silicone bags. I like this set that comes with lots of different tips. For decorating these cookies I used the number 2 tip. Oh and don't forget a squeezy bottle although you can infill your design with a piping bag filled the squeezy bottle is a lot easier to do.
Watch Our Easy Halloween Treats Video for more Halloween Fun!
Now head over to our Halloween Potion Popcorn to get the full recipe and instructions to make them with the kids.
Tombstone Cookies for Halloween
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Ingredients
- 1 C of unsalted sweet cream butter softened
- 1 1/2 C Powder sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 3 C of flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tarter
Royal Icing ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 1/2 tsp cream of tarter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 4 1/2 C powder sugar
- Black gel food coloring
- 1 edible silver spray
- 1 edible black spray
Instructions
Sugar Cookie Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside
- Using a standing mixer, cream together the butter, powder sugar, vanilla and egg and mix until combined and creamy
- Using a large bowl, combined the flour, baking soda and cream of tarter
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed
- Using your hands continue to mix until fully combined
- Lightly flour a cutting board and knead the cookie dough a couple of times
- Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick
- Cut out 12 tombstones and place onto a cookie sheet
- Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly golden brown
- Repeat steps until all dough has been used
- Let cookies cool completely
Royal Icing Instructions
- Using the standing mixer, combine the egg whites, cream of tarter, vanilla and powder sugar and mix until combined and stiff peaks form
- Split icing into 2 bowls
- Add a few drops of Black into the first bowl and mix until combined. You are wanting to get a dark grey color
- Add about 4-6 drops of Black gel coloring into the second bowl and mix until combined. You will probably have to add a few more drops of black coloring until you get a dark black coloring
- Scoop about 1/4 C of the grey icing into one of the piping bags
- Mix in about 1 tbsp of powdered sugar into the black icing
- Scoop the black icing into the second piping bag and set aside
- Add 2-4 tsp of water into the remaining grey icing bowl and mix until combined
- Pour the icing into squeeze bottle
How to decorate your Halloween Cookies
Using the grey piping bag, outline the tombstone carefully so that there aren't any gaps.
Then with the thinned icing, fill in the tombstone it will spread to fill in the area that you have outlined.
Let cookies dry overnight.
Using the black edible spray paint, spray the edges of the tombstones to make it look a little more 3D. Tilt them on the edge and spray (you may want to do this with something that is easy to wipe clean behind them!)
Allow cookies to dry for 5 minutes.
Once cookies are dry, using the black icing pipe 3 lines going from the left corner to almost the centre of the cookie. Then pipe 3 'rope' like lines on the 3 longer lines to create a spider web decoration in the corner.
Allow cookies to dry for 1-hour minimum
If you want you could use some of the grey icing that you made before and add RIP to the tombstones as we did with one or you can leave them plain with just the spider web.
Finish them off using the silver spray, spray the cookies to give it a spooky look!
More Halloween Recipes to Make This Year
Make a spooky meal for the family this Halloween with this Spaghetti and Eyeballs the kids will love it as it's fun to eat and look at.
Looking for inspiration for more treats to cook for the kids then check out our Halloween Recipes for Kids. There are so many different treats and they are all so easy that the kids can make them too.
Don't Forget to Pin This Easy Halloween Tombstone Cookies Tutorial to Make Later
Share these Easy to Decorate Halloween Cookies with Friends on Facebook
Cerys Parker
Cerys is a marine biologist, environmental educator, high school teacher and mum. Realising that life doesn't have to be put on hold and you don't just have to survive whilst the kids are young she shares ideas to inspire you to LIVE with the kids, with activities to do together, recipes to cook and enjoy and family travel to make memories to last a lifetime.
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