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Best Spiderweb Sugar Cookies for Halloween

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These Halloween Spiderweb Sugar Cookies are soft, buttery, and feature a stunning spiderweb design that looks intricate but is actually easy to create with a toothpick. Perfect for Halloween parties, they deliver visual drama without the stress of piping bags.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3–4 tablespoons milk (plus more as needed)
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Black gel food coloring

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl with a hand mixer), cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale yellow. Scrape down the sides once.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then beat on medium until fully combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the dough comes together. The dough will be soft but not sticky.
  4. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc about 1-inch thick, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a round cookie cutter (2.5-inch or 3-inch) to cut out cookies. Re-roll scraps once. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
  7. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are just barely golden. Centers will still look slightly puffy and soft. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract until thick, smooth, and pourable (like thick honey). Adjust with more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
  9. Transfer about ¼ cup of white icing to a small bowl and set aside. To the remaining white icing, add black gel food coloring a tiny drop at a time until deep black. Stir well.
  10. Spoon about a teaspoon of white icing onto the center of a completely cooled cookie. Gently spread outward with the back of a spoon or small offset spatula, leaving a small border of bare cookie.
  11. Immediately, before white icing sets, use a toothpick dipped in black icing to draw a small circle in the center of the white icing. Then draw 4-6 lines radiating outward from the center circle.
  12. Starting from the center, drag a clean toothpick through the black lines from the center outward. Then drag another toothpick from the outside edge inward, between the lines. Alternate in and out to create the web pattern. Wipe toothpick clean between each drag.
  13. Repeat for each cookie. Let iced cookies sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours until icing is fully set and firm.

Notes

Chill the dough thoroughly to prevent spreading. For the icing, consistency is key: it should be like thick honey. Work in batches of 3-4 cookies at a time when creating the web—don’t ice all cookies first. Keep a damp paper towel to wipe toothpicks clean. Cookies are better the day after icing; store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze un-iced baked cookies for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cookies, spiderweb cookies, sugar cookies, decorated cookies, Halloween baking, easy cookie recipe

Find it online: https://cookyep.com/best-spiderweb-sugar-cookies-for-halloween/