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Adorable Black Cat Sugar Cookies: Easy Halloween Treats

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These adorable black cat sugar cookies are buttery, slightly crisp on the edges, and soft in the middle, decorated with glossy black royal icing and candy eyes. Perfect for Halloween parties, bake sales, or a fun family activity.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 ½ tablespoons meringue powder
  • 3–4 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 teaspoon black gel food coloring (or more as needed)
  • 24–36 candy eyes

Instructions

  1. Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides halfway through.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  3. Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add half to the butter mixture, mixing on low until just combined. Add the rest and mix until a soft dough forms.
  4. Chill the dough: Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  5. Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Roll and cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out cat shapes and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets. Reroll scraps once.
  7. Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The edges should be just barely golden. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (about 20-30 minutes).
  8. Make the icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 3 tablespoons of warm water and stir until smooth. It should be thick but flow slowly off a spoon. Add more water a teaspoon at a time if needed. Stir in the black gel food coloring until you reach your desired darkness. Let it sit for 10 minutes to deepen.
  9. Decorate: Transfer the icing to a squeeze bottle or ziplock bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Outline each cat cookie, then fill in the center. Use a toothpick to spread the icing into corners. While the icing is still wet, press two candy eyes into place. Let the cookies set at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or overnight for best results.

Notes

Don’t skip chilling the dough—warm dough will spread and lose shape. For the blackest icing, let it sit for 10-15 minutes after coloring; the color deepens. When placing candy eyes, work in batches of 3-4 cookies at a time to ensure the icing is still wet. The undecorated cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Decorated cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: black cat sugar cookies, Halloween cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing, easy Halloween treats, cat cookies

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