Spooky Halloween Ghost Cookies Recipe

So you’re craving something spooky and sweet but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen? Same. Enter these spooky Halloween ghost cookies—adorable, slightly eerie, and seriously tasty. They’re basically the edible equivalent of a cute little ghost popping up to say, “Boo!…and also, eat me.”

Why This Recipe is Awesome

• Ridiculously easy: Even your kitchen-challenged friends can nail these.
• Super cute: Perfect for Instagram flexing or last-minute Halloween parties.
• Flexible: Vanilla, chocolate, even pumpkin spice—you do you.
• Quick: From dough to spooky bites in under an hour.
  Seriously, it’s almost criminal how easy and delicious this is.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (don’t skip the butter—ghosts need a creamy base)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• Royal icing (store-bought is fine, unless you’re feeling fancy)
• Black gel icing or mini chocolate chips (for ghost faces)

Optional spooky extras: sprinkles, edible glitter, or a dash of cinnamon if you’re feeling extra witchy.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rookie mistake? Forgetting this step. Don’t be that person.
2. Cream Butter & Sugar: Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy—basically until it looks like sweet, buttery clouds.
3. Add Egg & Vanilla: Toss in the egg and vanilla, then mix until smooth. Your ghost army is forming!
4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Then gradually add to the wet mixture. Easy does it.
5. Form Ghost Shapes: Roll dough into small balls, flatten slightly, and shape them into little ghost forms with your fingers or a cookie cutter. Don’t worry about perfection; ghosts are naturally irregular.
6. Bake: Bake 10–12 minutes. They’ll look soft, but that’s okay—they firm up as they cool.
7. Decorate: Once cooled, pipe on the royal icing to create your ghostly sheet, then add eyes and a mouth with black gel icing or chocolate chips. Ta-da!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping parchment paper: Your ghosts will stick and cry for help.
• Overbaking: They should be soft! Crunchy ghosts are sad ghosts.
• Ignoring cooling time: Decorate too soon, and you’ll end up with a sticky, messy disaster.
• Using cold butter: Your dough will resist you. Butter needs to be soft, folks.

Alternatives & Substitutions

• Butter swap: Margarine works, but you’ll miss that rich buttery flavor. IMO, stick with butter.
• Flour alternatives: Gluten-free flour blend is fine; just watch consistency.
• Icing: Royal icing is traditional, but chocolate ganache or cream cheese frosting can work for a twist.
• Sugar alternatives: Coconut sugar or brown sugar can be used, but flavor will shift slightly. Ghosts don’t judge, though.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I make these vegan?

Yep! Use vegan butter and a flax egg. Taste slightly different, but still spooktacular.

Do I have to use royal icing?

Technically no, but it’s the easiest way to get those ghostly details sharp.

How do I store them?

Air-tight container at room temp for up to a week. If they last that long…

Can I freeze the dough?

Absolutely. Freeze pre-shaped dough balls for up to 3 months. Just thaw before baking.

Can I make them chocolate ghosts instead?

Yes! Swap some flour for cocoa powder. Dark and spooky vibes activated.

My cookies spread too much. What happened?

Probably butter was too soft or oven temp too low. Chill dough slightly next time.

Can kids help decorate?

Definitely. Messy faces encouraged. Ghosts are all about character, right?

Final Thoughts

Now go impress someone—or yourself—with your adorable, spooky Halloween ghost cookies. They’re cute, tasty, and practically guaranteed to earn you some extra candy—either from trick-or-treaters or from your own sneaky snacking. Your inner ghost baker has officially arrived. Happy haunting!