Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale, about 3 minutes. The smell should be sweet and the texture creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating until well combined and smooth. You should notice a slight change in texture, becoming more glossy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. This helps ensure even distribution of leavening and prevents clumping.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. The dough will start to come together and feel slightly sticky but manageable.
- Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and shape them into irregular, spooky shapes—think jagged edges or ghostly forms. Place each shape onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving enough space for spreading.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until their edges are golden brown and crackly, and the tops have a slight sheen. The crackles indicate perfect dryness and crunch.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the sheet, allowing them to firm up slightly. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once completely cooled, decorate the cookies using decorating bags filled with icing, adding creepy eyes, dripping blood effects, or jagged edges to bring your haunted house to life.
- Finish by adding chocolate chips, candy eyes, or other spooky details for extra character. Let the decorations set for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Chill the dough for 30 minutes if it’s too sticky to shape easily. Decorate only after cookies are fully cooled to prevent smudging. For more detailed decorations, use a variety of icing tips and edible embellishments.