Chocolate Cinnamon Skeleton Cookies (Print Version)
Spooky chocolate cinnamon cookies decorated with skeleton designs in royal icing. Perfect Halloween treat ready in 75 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
→ Royal Icing
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 1 large egg white
12 - 2-3 tablespoons water
# Directions:
01 - Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
03 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until dough comes together. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.
04 - Divide dough in half and flatten into disks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut out skeleton or gingerbread man shapes using cookie cutters.
07 - Place cutouts on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set. Cool completely on wire racks before decorating.
08 - Beat egg white with powdered sugar and water until smooth and reaches pipeable consistency. Add additional water if needed.
09 - Transfer icing to piping bag fitted with fine tip. Pipe skeleton designs onto cooled cookies. Allow icing to dry completely before storing.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- The chocolate-cinnamon combination tastes like a Mexican hot chocolate cookie but bakes up sturdy enough for detailed decorating
- Kids lose their minds over these, and adults will sneak them from the cooling rack when nobody's watching
02 -
- Chilling the dough is non-negotiable—warm dough spreads too much and your skeletons will look like they melted
- The dough will seem very dark and you might question if it's too dry, but that's normal for cocoa-heavy cookie dough
- Royal icing dries fast once piped, so work quickly or cover your bowl with a damp cloth
03 -
- Room temperature butter makes or breaks this dough—cold butter won't cream properly and melted butter creates a greasy mess
- Sift your powdered sugar before making royal icing to avoid clogging your piping tip with tiny lumps