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Adorable Black Cat Sugar Cookies: Easy Halloween Treat

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These Adorable Black Cat Halloween Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing are a fun and forgiving recipe that captures the spooky-but-cute vibe of Halloween. Made with a simple, buttery sugar cookie and glossy royal icing, they are perfect for bakers of all skill levels.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 4–5 tablespoons warm water
  • 1–2 teaspoons black gel food coloring
  • White gel food coloring (optional, for true black)
  • Orange and green gel food coloring (for eyes)

Instructions

  1. Make the Cookie Dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Scrape down the sides. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing on low until just combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
  2. Chill the Dough: Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a 1-inch thick disc, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
  3. Roll and Cut: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Remove one disc of dough from the fridge and roll it out to ¼-inch thickness. Use a cat-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut again. You should get 18-24 cookies.
  4. Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are just barely golden. Centers will still look pale. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies must be 100% cool before icing.
  5. Make the Royal Icing: In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and 4 tablespoons warm water. Mix on low until combined, then beat on medium-high for 5-7 minutes until thick, glossy, and forms stiff peaks. If too thick, add remaining water a few drops at a time. Consistency should be like toothpaste. Add black gel food coloring and mix until deep black. Add a tiny drop of white if needed.
  6. Decorate the Cookies: Fit a piping bag with a #2 round tip and fill with black royal icing. Pipe the outline of the cat’s body, leaving the face area open. Fill in the body with a back-and-forth motion, using a toothpick to spread icing into edges. Let base layer dry for at least 1 hour. Pipe two small triangles for ears, a curved line for a tail, and little paws. For eyes, use a tiny bit of orange icing (mix black icing with orange gel) and a toothpick to dab it on. Let cookies dry completely, …

Notes

Chill the dough for at least 2 hours to prevent spreading. Royal icing should be like toothpaste consistency. Let icing dry completely (4-6 hours or overnight) before stacking. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use vegan butter sticks.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cookies, black cat cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing, easy Halloween treat, spooky cookies, cut-out cookies

Find it online: https://cooksybite.com/adorable-black-cat-sugar-cookies-easy-halloween-treat/