2½cupsall-purpose flour or measure-for-measure gluten-free flour
¼teaspoonbaking powder
¼teaspoonbaking soda
1cupgranulated sugar
1cupcold unsalted buttercut into 1 inch chunks
1tubeblack decorating gel
White Royal Icing
4cupsicing sugarabout 1 pound
3Tablespoonsmeringue powder
½cupwarm water
Instructions
How To Make The Cookies
In a small bowl, combine the egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon almond extract and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, mix 2½ cups of flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon baking powder. Set aside.
Combine 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of butter (cut into chunks) in the food processor, mixing for about 30 seconds
Add in the egg mixture and process until combined, about 10 seconds.
Mix in the flour mixture and process until all of the flour is combined, about 30 seconds.
Divide the dough in half to make it easier to roll.
Put one ball of dough in between 2 large sheets of parchment paper.
Push the ball flat with your hands. Then use the rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 1/8" thick.
Put the rolled-out dough with the parchment paper on a cookie sheet or tray.
Repeat the process with the other ball of dough and stack it on top of the first sheet on the tray.
Refrigerate the rolled-out dough for 1½ hours, or freeze for 30 minutes.
Take one sheet of cookie dough out of the refrigerator and peel off the top layer of parchment paper.
Use the ghost cookie cutters to cut shapes in the cookie dough.
Put the cut-out cookie dough back in the refrigerator.
Repeat with the second sheet of cookie dough.
Refrigerate for another 30 minutes or until the dough is stiff.
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Put a piece of parchment paper down on a cookie sheet.
Take the first sheet of cookie dough out of the refrigerator.
Use a thin spatula to separate the cookies from the bottom layer of parchment paper.
Then lay out the cookies about ½" apart on the parchment-covered cookie sheet.
Bake for 14 to 17 minutes, until the bottom of the cookies are slightly brown.
Let cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet.
Then move to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
Repeat with the other sheet of cookies.
Roll out the extra dough to make another batch of cookies.
How To Make White Royal Icing
Mix 4 cups icing sugar, 3 Tablespoons meringue powder and ½ cup WARM water with a whisk attachment in a stand mixer on low speed.
Once the ingredients are combined, increase the speed to medium.
Mix for 5 to 8 minutes until the icing forms soft peaks.
Test the consistency of the icing by running a knife through it. If the cut closes in more than 15 seconds, the icing is too stiff so mix in a few drops of water. If the cut closes in more than 15 seconds, the icing is too runny so mix it for a little longer. Test and repeat until the icing is the right consistency.
How To Decorate Halloween Ghost Cookies
Outline the edge of the ghosts with the white icing
Flood (fill in) the middle. Spread the icing out with a knife or toothpick to fill in any gaps.
Let the cookies sit for at least 6 hours (or preferably over night) to let the icing dry.
Use the black decorating gel (or black royal icing) to add 2 eyes and a round mouth. Pipe the word "BOO!" on the body of the ghost.
Let the black icing dry for at least 6 hours before storing.
Notes
Refrigerating the dough makes sure that the cookies hold their shape
Roll the cookie dough evenly thick all the way around since this will make the cookies bake evenly.
Putting the dough back in the refrigerator after cutting the ghosts will make them much easier to transfer to the cookie sheet without wrecking them.
Rimless cookie sheets work best for even baking since they allow for even airflow.
How To Store Ghost Cookies
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container:
at room temperature for about 3 days
in the refrigerator for about a week
in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To keep your cookies looking their best, place a layer of parchment paper between each layer of cookies.