Description
These Halloween Thumbprint Cookies are a festive treat perfect for the spooky season. Soft, buttery cookies coated with colorful Halloween sprinkles feature a delightful thumbprint filled with vibrant, flavored icing. Customize with candy eyeballs for monster eyes or a dash of orange zest for an extra zing.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups Halloween-colored sprinkles
Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons milk (adjust for consistency)
- Gel food coloring (purple, green, orange, or black to match the sprinkles)
- Candy eyeballs for decoration (optional)
- Optional: Cocoa powder and black food gel for chocolate icing
- Optional: Orange zest for added flavor
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Beat Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. This ensures a tender texture.
- Add Vanilla and Salt: Mix in the vanilla extract and salt thoroughly to combine the flavors evenly throughout the dough.
- Incorporate Flour: Gradually add the all-purpose flour to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Form and Coat Dough Balls: Scoop dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in Halloween-colored sprinkles to coat completely, adding a festive look and texture to the cookie edges.
- Create Thumbprints: Arrange the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Press your thumb or the back of a spoon into the center of each ball to create a well for the icing.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers remain soft. Remove from oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet to firm up.
- Prepare Icing: In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, corn syrup, vanilla extract, melted butter, and milk until smooth. Adjust milk quantity to achieve a pipeable but thick consistency. Tint the icing with gel food colors to match your Halloween theme, such as purple, green, orange, or black.
- Decorate Cookies: Spoon or pipe the colored icing into the thumbprint centers of each cooled cookie. For added spookiness, press candy eyeballs onto the wet icing or sprinkle extra decorations. Allow the icing to set completely before serving. Optionally, make half the cookies with chocolate icing using cocoa powder and black food gel, or add a touch of orange zest to the icing for a zesty flavor kick.
Notes
- Use softened butter for easier mixing and better texture.
- Adjust milk in the icing gradually to avoid runny consistency.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- For a dairy-free variation, substitute butter and milk with plant-based alternatives.
- To make the cookies extra festive, mix different colored icing shades on batches.