Yes, Halloween is over. But now is the time to run out and search for some ghost-shaped cookie cutters at the after Halloween sales so you can make these cream cheese ghost sugar cookies next year!
As I told you yesterday, we did get to carve our pumpkins in time for Halloween even though we were in the middle of moving. But one thing I didn’t get done on time was the baking of my favorite Halloween cookies! Even though I knew that I probably wouldn’t get them done on time, I specifically set aside some baking supplies (including my special ghost cookie cutters) so that I could make these cookies after our house was packed up. I did manage to get the dough made yesterday but they didn’t get cut and baked until this morning.
I love to bake cookies but I have to admit that rolled sugar cookies are my least favorite to make. I’m impatient so I hate the fact that the dough has to chill before you can roll it out. I also hate that I’m not fast enough at rolling and cutting so the dough gets soft and sticky before I manage to fill up a cookie sheet. Inevitably I end up with several misshapen cookies.
So why do I keep making these cookies year after year? Partly because my mom used to make them every year and I like to carry on the tradition. But mostly because they are my all-time favorite holiday cookie. They even beat out my favorite Christmas cookies!
The cookie recipe is pretty standard with one exception. Most sugar cookies contain only vanilla extract but this one uses vanilla and almond extract. It seems like a small difference but the almond extract makes these the best sugar cookies I’ve tasted. I’m not sure of the original recipe source but this is the sugar cookie recipe that my mom used for any holiday that required cookie cutters. The toppings are the only thing that vary from season to season and Halloween was the only time we would frost the cookies with sweetened cream cheese.
Although I did set aside some baking supplies, I did not keep my rolling pin. It’s just too heavy and I didn’t want to pay to ship it to myself in California! So, I made do with a wine bottle. It worked, but I definitely missed my rolling pin!
These are some of the cookies that I managed not to ruin!
Ah, the best part…cream cheese frosting!
And you mustn’t forget the chocolate chip eyes! Raisin eyes actually taste better on these cookies but I had some chocolate chips in the pantry that need to be used up before we leave!
The only problem with frosting these cookies with cream cheese is that once they are frosted, you can’t stack them! The best way I’ve found to transport them is on large sheet pans.
Basic Sugar Cookies
2 1/2 C. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar
1 C. butter, softened
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. almond extract
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; set aside. In a separate bowl and using a mixer, cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and almond extracts and beat well. Add flour mixture a little at a time, blending well after each addition until it is all incorporated. Divide dough in half and wrap each portion in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Refrigerate for at least one hour before rolling (several hours is best).
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove one package of dough from fridge, divide that in half and roll out one portion at a time. Roll dough to 1/8 - 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes and place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Dough will soften quickly so work fast and always keep the extra dough in the fridge. Bake cookies for about 7 minutes or until just barely starting to color at the bottom. Let cool on wire racks.
To frost cookies: Blend together 8 oz. cream cheese with 3 cups of powdered sugar. Spread on cooled, baked cookies. Use chocolate chips or raisins for the ghost eyes. Orange food coloring can be added to the frosting if you want to make pumpkins instead of ghosts.
To paint cookies: mix small amounts of evaporated milk with desired food coloring. Paint unbaked cookies with small brushes then bake as usual. The colored evaporated milk doesn’t add flavor or sweetness, just color and shine.
I will second the fact that sugar cookies made with almond and vanilla extracts have the usual sugar cookies beat, hands down. One of my friends makes fantastic sugar cookies, and when I demanded the recipe, that was the only ingredient that was different from the recipe I’d always used.
Good luck with the moving and the waiting game.
4:23 pm Nov 1st, 2007Hey! You’ve been nominated for best food blog in the 2007 Weblog Awards…
4:41 pm Nov 1st, 2007These turned out sooo cute! Looks like they were fun to make.
4:53 pm Nov 1st, 2007I’m going to try the almond extract in my cookies next time. That sounds really good!! I’m glad you were able to make them.
5:44 pm Nov 1st, 2007how fun that this cookie has so much history for you!! not only is it festive for Halloween, but it’s a tradition in your family :0) Happy belated Halloween, Nicole!
5:44 pm Nov 1st, 2007Boo! Those are great! And you’re right, it’s never too late for sugar cookies.
5:55 pm Nov 1st, 2007Wow! A friend sent me a link to the Egg Nog French toast and I instantly fell in love with your site! In fact, I made a modified version of your meatballs for dinner last night for my family, some of ate open faced meatballs on french bread and some had noodles with theirs! I have a loaf of french bread to use and a pound of meat ready - i just felt so resourceful and its all your fault! Thanks!!!
7:13 pm Nov 1st, 2007Nicole, you know what part of this I like best!
7:25 pm Nov 1st, 2007Adorable! I just turned in a magazine article I wrote about Christmas cookies, and almost all the bakers I interviewed for the story also used almond extract (link is on my blog—article will go online a month after it is published in Dec.). A great tip—-I guess that is what separates the best cookies from the average!
7:28 pm Nov 1st, 2007I personally hate making cut-out sugar cookies—but my kids love decorating them, and they are their Uncle Brett’s absolute favorite kind of Christmas cookie—so they are a tradition in our house too. I’ll have to try the cute ghosts—but not today. My body is still on SUGAR OVERLOAD from last night. YUCK!
Bethany: Yep, it’s just a small change but makes such a big difference in the taste!
OmegaMom: Yes, I saw that today and I’m pretty excited about it! I don’t know much about the awards but I’m against some pretty stiff competition in the food blog category!
Ruby: Eh, they were kinda fun but kinda annoying too! The dough kept sticking to everything and quite a few cookies ripped while I was trying to get them from the counter to the cookie sheet!
Deborah: The almond extract really makes a big difference, hope you like it!
VeggieGirl: Happy belated Halloween to you!
Lydia: Thanks!
Steff: Welcome! I’m so glad that you’re enjoying the site and that you’re trying some recipes! I haven’t made the meatballs in a while…sounds good!
Curt: I actually thought about you when I was frosting the cookies today!
The Secret Ingredient: Can’t wait to read the article! I’m on sugar overload, too! Unfortunately we still have tons of Halloween candy left!
8:07 pm Nov 1st, 2007It’s never a bad time for a sugar cookie recipe! And with a little changes to that svelte figure—we’ve got snowmen!
9:02 pm Nov 1st, 2007clumsy: That is such a great idea! I know I have some snowman cookie cutters packed away somewhere, too!
9:29 pm Nov 1st, 2007I bet I know the recipe’s original source! It’s almost identical to the Deluxe Sugar Cookies recipe in the Betty Crocker cookbook. (I have my mom’s old 1973 edition.) The only difference is that the Betty Crocker recipe calls for 1 teaspoon soda instead of 1/2 teaspoon. We make them every year and they’re wonderful! I love the cream cheese frosting idea.
11:30 pm Nov 1st, 2007Tara: You’re probably right! I think my mom’s Betty Crocker Cookbook was probably from the same year, too!
6:50 am Nov 2nd, 2007Those really look wonderful! I’d gotten so used to seeing poured royal icing on sugar cookies that I forgot how much I like the look of hand-spread frosting. Yum! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us!
7:35 am Nov 2nd, 2007i’m not such a fan of rolled sugar cookies, but i totally want to give these a try…for christmas most likely! your description sounds lovely and iced? oh my!
7:57 am Nov 2nd, 2007Julie: I like the ‘messy’ look of hand-spread frosting, too! For some reason, things that look homemade always seem to taste better than the professional looking ones
Kickpleat: They work great for Christmas. I usually decorate the Christmas sugar cookies with colored sugar sprinkles and red hot candies. But I’m now thinking that I might try some cream cheese frosted snowmen this year like The Clumsy Cook suggested
9:07 am Nov 2nd, 2007Oh, I love the cookie cutter with the plastic (or is it rubber?) top. Little chance of hurting the hands while cutting the dough.
6:36 am Nov 4th, 2007Connie: I love that one, too! It does have a rubber grip and I think it’s made by Wilton, but I can’t remember. The only problem is that it’s so big! Somehow it feels more satisfying to be able to cut out more cookies at once by using the smaller cutters. I guess it has something to do with the fact that I struggle so much rolling out the darn sugar cookie dough! But I did use the large one to make a few big ones (the very first photo was cut with that cookie cutter).
7:10 am Nov 4th, 2007Hey Nicole- Loved this post, mostly because I remember making these with your mom. The raisin vs. chocolate chip debate was usually settled by what was on hand. But I remember the almond extract flavor more on the Valentine’s Day cookies, isn’t that funny ? Maybe that is the first cookie she tried the almond extract on. I even remember her commenting on how good it was.
4:24 pm Nov 6th, 2007Lovely looking sugar cookies! The frosting looks really light and fluffy, and I like the peaks and swirls.
Question: What does cream of tartar do for sugar cookies? I notice that some recipes have it and some do not and I never figured out why. (Because I never looked… =D )
8:18 pm Nov 7th, 2007Hi Nicole, I’m buying kitchen stuff next week for the holidays and I’ll be looking out for those “safe” cookie cutters. My daughters love baking too and it was them I was really thinking about when I saw yours. They’re 13 and 15 but they’re not the most careful people in the kitchen. Thanks. =)
11:53 pm Nov 7th, 2007Just stumbled upon your site and love these cookies! This is going to be perfect for next Halloween. Thanks!
8:34 am Mar 28th, 2008