A couple of hours spent in the kitchen with my grandchildren is a treat for them and for me. We work well together, their skills improving with each passing year. Often the dish we prepare is themed to an upcoming holiday. This year we turned out whimsical Ghost Sugar Cookies for Halloween.
The cookie dough was straight forward and simple to prepare. The formula included a small amount of pumpkin pie spice that tied it nicely to the season. Once baked and cooled, the cookies were dipped face down in white royal icing, and then fun faces were created with licorice jellybeans and licorice “lace.”
They loved the cookies, but although the licorice looked great, they didn’t like the taste. It was news to me; I love the stuff. When we make them next year, we will use those storebought candy eyes and mouths made of red jellybeans. Or we may try our hand at piping black frosting.
Ghost Sugar Cookies
Yield: About 2 dozen cookies, varies depending on the size of the cookie cutter (We used a 3 1/2-inch ghost shape cookie cutter)
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Royal Icing and Decorating:
3 large pasteurized egg whites (6 tablespoons)
Pinch of fine salt
1 pound powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 30 black jelly beans, halved crosswise
Black licorice lace
DIRECTIONS
1. For the cookies: Stir together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined, about 1 minute, wiping down sides if needed.
2. Starting on low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions; scrap down the sides of the bowl in between. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours, or up to overnight.
3. Position oven rack to middle position. Preheat to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut dough in half. Dust clean, dry work surface liberally with flour and roll one piece of dough about 1/4-inch thick. Cut out as many cookies as possible and transfer to prepare baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Gather up scraps from both pieces of dough, flatten it and roll out and cut more cookies.
4. Bake cookies for about 12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
5. Prepare the royal icing: Combine the egg whites and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon cold water. Beat on low speed until combined. Increase speed to high and beat until the icing is thick and glossy but still pourable (like thick paint), about 3 minutes, adding more water as needed to reach the right consistency. Transfer to a medium bowl.
6. For decorating: Line 2 sheets of parchment with parchment paper and place a wire rack on each. Dip one cookie, face down, into the icing and let the excess drip back into the bowl, to evenly coat the top. Place icing side up on prepared wire rack. Add two jelly bean halves for the eyes and 1 licorice strip, curved up if you like, for a smiling mouth. Repeat with the remaining cookies and candy. Let sit until the icing hardens completely at least 1 hour.
Source: Amy Stevenson for Food Network Kitchen
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “Melissa’s 50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at CathyThomasCooks.com.