Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to cut-out cookies that don't spread in the oven?

The secret is to use very cold dough . This recipe uses a brilliant, three-stage chilling process: first, you chill the dough discs; second, you chill the rolled-out sheets of dough; and third, you chill the final, cut-out cookies on the baking sheet before they go into the oven. This is the foolproof, professional secret that guarantees your cookies will hold their beautiful, sharp shape.

Q2: What is meringue powder, and do I really need it for royal icing?

Meringue powder is a fine, white powder made from dried egg whites. It is the modern, secret weapon for a perfect royal icing because it is completely shelf-stable, easy to use, and eliminates any food safety concerns associated with using raw egg whites. It is the key to an icing that will whip up to a beautiful, stiff consistency and will dry to a hard, matte finish.

Q3: Can I make these Halloween cookies ahead of time for a party?

Yes, absolutely! These are the perfect make-ahead cookie. You can bake the cookies one week, and then decorate them over the next few days. The finished, fully dried cookies will stay fresh and beautiful for up to two weeks.

Q4: How long does royal icing really take to dry?

Patience is key! A simple, piped outline icing, like the one on these cookies, will be dry to the touch in about 30 minutes to an hour . If you were to use a thinner, "flood" icing, it would need at least 6 to 8 hours to dry completely hard.

Q5: Can I freeze these cookies?

Yes! You can freeze the unbaked dough for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the baked, un-decorated cookies . For the best result, it is not recommended to freeze the finished, decorated cookies, as the delicate royal icing can sometimes become brittle or the colors can bleed as they thaw.

Chocolate Skeleton Cookies (A Fun Halloween Decorating Guide!)

A festive recipe for ‘Chocolate-Cinnamon Skeleton Cookies,’ perfect for a Halloween celebration. The base of this treat is a rich, dark, spiced cut-out cookie flavored with Dutch-process cocoa and ground cinnamon. The dough is chilled, rolled out, and cut into gingerbread man shapes. After baking, the dark-colored cookies provide the perfect canvas for decorating with a simple, white royal icing made with meringue powder. The icing is piped on to create the detailed design of a skeleton, including a skull and bones.

Author: Evelyn

Ingredients

For the cookies:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the icing:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon meringue powder
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

Make the Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until creamy.
Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
Divide the dough in half; pat each piece into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, for at least 1 hour.
Roll out each dough disk between 2 sheets of parchment paper until 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate the rolled dough until very firm, for about 2 hours.
Bake the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the dough into shapes using a 4 1/2-inch gingerbread man cookie cutter and arrange them 2 inches apart on the prepared pans. Reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies.
Refrigerate the cut-out cookies on the pans until firm, about 15 minutes.
Bake, switching the pans halfway through, for 15 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
Make the Icing and Decorate: Beat the confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, and water in a bowl with a mixer on high speed until smooth and thick. Transfer the icing to a resealable plastic bag and snip off a tiny corner.
Pipe skulls and bones onto the cooled cookies. To ‘flood’ the skull, thin some of the icing with a little water and fill in the outline, using a toothpick to spread it. Let the icing set for at least 30 minutes.

Notes

This is a classic cut-out cookie recipe that requires multiple, lengthy chilling steps. Chilling the dough is a crucial step to ensure the cookies hold their shape and don’t spread during baking.
The icing is a simple royal icing that uses meringue powder, which allows it to dry hard and is a safe alternative to raw egg whites.
The two-step decorating process of outlining and then ‘flooding’ with a thinned icing is a standard technique for creating detailed cookie designs.

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/chocolate-skeleton-cookies-2/