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Halloween Ghost Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

October 25, 2016 by Nicole 49 Comments

How to make Halloween Cookie Cutter Ghost Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | pinchmysalt.com

These Halloween sugar cookies are super cute and easy to decorate using delicious cream cheese frosting instead of royal icing. They are the best tasting sugar cookies ever because of one simple secret ingredient that my mom taught me to add to the cookie dough.

This is an older post brought up from the archives with updated photos and a printable recipe. Enjoy!

I love to bake cookies but I have to admit that rolled sugar cookies aren’t my favorite to make. I’m impatient so I get annoyed that the dough has to chill before you can roll it out. I’m also not very fast with rolling and cutting so the dough sometimes 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. These buttery sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting are so delicious, they even beat out my favorite Christmas cookies!

The sugar cookie recipe is pretty standard with one exception. Most sugar cookies contain only vanilla extract but this one includes both 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!

Wine bottle rolling pin for sugar cookies | pinchmysalt.com

These are some of the cookies that I managed not to ruin!

Halloween Ghost Sugar Cookies Unbaked | pinchmysalt.com
Halloween Ghost Sugar Cookies Unfrosted | pinchmysalt.com
Halloween Ghost Sugar Cookie with Cream Cheese Frosting | pinchmysalt.com

Here comes the best part!

Halloween Ghost Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | pinchmysalt.com

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.

This post may include Amazon affiliate links. Making purchases through these links won’t affect the amount you pay and I may earn a small commission.

Halloween Ghost Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | pinchmysalt.com

The only issue with frosting sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting is that you can’t stack them once they are frosted. The best way I’ve found to transport them is on large sheet pans with plastic covers (keep reading for more details on this wonderful invention).

Halloween Ghost Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | pinchmysalt.com

I hope these ghost sugar cookies can become a tradition in your family as well. It’s one of my favorite things about Halloween and I plan on baking these with my own daughter in a few years.

Halloween Ghost Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | pinchmysalt.com

Now I’m going to tell you a bit more about my new favorite way to transport these cookies and other frosted treats that can’t be stacked!

Sheet Pan Cover for Transporting Frosted Cookies and Cupcakes | pinchmysalt.com

Have you ever seen these cookie sheet covers?  I can’t remember where I heard about these, but I have two of them now and they are one of the best kitchen purchases I’ve made in a very long time!

Sheet Pan Cover for Transporting Frosted Cookies and Cupcakes | pinchmysalt.com

They are inexpensive but durable plastic covers for half sheet pans and they perfectly fit all the different brands that I own.

Sheet Pan Cover for Transporting Frosted Cookies and Cupcakes | pinchmysalt.com

They turn your half sheet cookie pans into stackable and portable containers for your favorite frosted treats. The covers only stick up about an inch and a half above the rim of the sheet pan, so you can’t use them for super tall decorated cupcakes. But they work perfectly for small frosted cupcakes without tall decorations and delicate cookies that can’t be stacked.

I also use these sheet pan covers for letting dinner rolls and hamburger buns rise. I use them so much that I’m considering getting a couple more. Now that you know my secret for transporting and storing these delicious frosted cookies, here’s the recipe!

Kitchen equipment and special ingredients used for this recipe:
(Some of the following are Amazon Affiliate links.)

  • Halloween Cookie Cutters
  • Sheet Pans
  • Hand Mixer
  • Stand Mixer
  • Sheet Pan Covers 

Related Recipes:

  • Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cake Roll
  • Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
  • Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
  • Buttermilk Pumpkin Spice Bread

Around the Web:

  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Spider Cookies from A Spicy Perspective
  • Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies from My Baking Addiction
  • Halloween Meringue Cookies from Leite’s Culinaria
  • Chocolate Pumpkin Mummy Cookies from Created by Diane
Halloween Ghost Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | pinchmysalt.com

Halloween Ghost Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Frosting:

  • 8 ounces softened cream cheese
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Extras:

  • chocolate chips or raisins for ghost eyes

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, use a mixer to 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.
  3. 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).
  4. When ready to roll and bake cookies, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  5. Remove one package of dough from the refrigerator, divide that in half and roll out one portion at a time. Roll dough to 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.
  6. Bake cookies for about 7 minutes or until just barely starting to color at the bottom. Let cool on wire racks.
  7. To frost cookies: Blend together softened cream cheese and 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.
  8. 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.
© Nicole Cross
Category: Cookies
How to make Halloween Cookie Cutter Ghost Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting | pinchmysalt.com

Filed Under: Adventures in Baking, Cookies, Desserts, Holiday

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christina says

    November 7, 2007 at 8:18 pm

    Lovely 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 )
    Reply
  2. Connie says

    November 7, 2007 at 11:53 pm

    Hi 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. =)
    Reply
  3. Christine says

    March 28, 2008 at 8:34 am

    Just stumbled upon your site and love these cookies! This is going to be perfect for next Halloween. Thanks!
    Reply
  4. Cassandra says

    October 29, 2008 at 10:30 am

    Thank you for the recipe! I can't wait to make these cookies... I'll probably make them for my Halloween party!
    Reply
  5. Nicole says

    October 29, 2008 at 12:48 pm

    Cassandra: I hope you enjoy them! :-)
    Reply
  6. Elizabeth says

    October 30, 2008 at 7:57 pm

    Fantastic Recipe My Girl!! Much thanks!
    Reply
  7. PawPawNan says

    November 3, 2008 at 6:43 am

    I just found your blog--sugar cookies sound yummy on this very fall day. :-) My trick for working with soft dough is to roll it out on parchment paper (I buy it fairly inexpensively in a bulk pack from a local food service supply store) and then chill the rolled out dough on a cookie sheet. Use a sheet with either no sides, or turn a sided one upside down. Then take out one sheet of dough at a time, cutting even intricate shapes is much easier, and quite a bit lower on the frustration scale. :-)
    Reply
  8. Gretchen says

    November 3, 2008 at 2:18 pm

    Beautifully done blog entry. The photos are great and my mouth is watering! i wish I'd found this before Halloween. I will bookmark it for next year.
    Reply
  9. Erik says

    November 6, 2008 at 1:16 pm

    I LOVE frosted sugar cookies, but mine are always inconsistent - sometimes crispy, sometimes soft. How should these turn out? I like the idea of both extracts in the dough and I'll give this recipe a shot myself - it's very close to my mother's recipe - which I have yet to duplicate properly.
    Reply
  10. Debbie says

    January 17, 2009 at 10:38 pm

    I have used this recipe for years and years. Great for all seasons! I was making them the other day and my grown daughter asked me if this was the same recipe I always used when my children were growing up. She remembered that I often times did not get the cookies baked because all the kids liked the dough so well!!!!! I discovered a quickie version. Rather than rolling them out and cutting with cookie cutters, form balls and flatten out with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped in water and then in granulated sugar. They come out like Lofthouse Cookies!!!!
    Reply
  11. Delecia says

    March 1, 2009 at 2:46 pm

    My brother was born on Halloween and will be 70 years old this year, so I'll have to make some for him since I'm his big sister.Would cutting them out on no-stick foil work so they wouldn't come apart? Just a thought.
    Reply
  12. KariBear says

    August 18, 2009 at 11:15 pm

    I am going to have to give this recipe a try. My sister does something that you might find helpful with the rolling, she divides the dough in half as instructed and rolls each between two sheets of wax paper and chills for the hour, then peels off top layer (setting aside) and cuts out cookies. Then she re-rolls the dough and puts back in the fridge. After these are baked and pan is cooled a bit, she pulls out the SECOND batch of dough and does it again. By rotating it in the fridge, she is always working with chilled rolled dough and her cookies are perfect.
    Reply
  13. Allie says

    December 19, 2009 at 10:18 pm

    Hi Nicole, I attempted to make a batch of these cookies and it was unsuccessful. My dough was very crumbly and unworkable. I checked back through, and I had all of the ingredients right. Do you know why this could have happened?? Thanks! -Allie
    Reply
  14. Jenny says

    September 17, 2010 at 8:06 pm

    I made these cookies, and they're delicious...my only question is, doesn't the cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated? I don't really want to refrigerate the iced cookies, but I don't want anyone to get sick.
    Reply
  15. anickh says

    September 25, 2011 at 4:45 am

    ive been making these cookies for years, like 10 years at least and never had a problem. theyre the best sugar cookie ever, so if u made these and they turned out bad, it means you did something wrong, cuz sorry, this recipe is full proof!!!!!! so sorry Allie, you did something wrong
    Reply
  16. Charlotte says

    October 23, 2013 at 12:29 pm

    These are wonderful! I'm 78 years old and quit making sugar cut-out cookies when my children were young. I can't imagine where the negative comments came from. I found absolutely nothing wrong with this recipe. I did find that working with smaller batches works much better. The dough does get soft rather quickly, so rolling smaller batches helps that problem. And rolling the dough on parchment paper on the cookies sheet ...... genius!! I did have to move the cookies around some to give more room when baking, but so much easier to slide the cookies on the parchment rather than lifting from the counter to the cookie sheet and trying to keep the original shape. The flavor was good also. It's still not my favorite thing to do in the kitchen, but will now try them again. Thanks for the recipe and all of the wonderful tips.
    Reply
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