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Best Easy Black Cat Sugar Cookies for Halloween Baking

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These spooky black cat sugar cookies have a buttery, slightly crisp edge with a soft center. The black cocoa powder gives them a deep, dark color without artificial taste, and the royal icing eyes are just creepy enough to be fun.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (50g) black cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 3–4 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
  • Black gel food coloring (optional)
  • Yellow or white gel food coloring

Instructions

  1. Cream the butter and sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla: Beat in the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract on low speed until just combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled, which is normal.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, black cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Break up any cocoa clumps with the whisk.
  4. Combine wet and dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed after each. Stop as soon as the flour disappears. If the dough seems too dry, add a teaspoon of milk; if sticky, add a tablespoon more flour.
  5. Divide and chill: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. Flatten each half into a 1-inch thick disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  6. Preheat and prep: When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Take one disc of dough out of the fridge and let it sit for 5 minutes.
  7. Roll and cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut out cat shapes using a cookie cutter, and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut more cookies.
  8. Freeze before baking: Place the baking sheet with cut-out cookies in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  9. Bake: Bake the frozen cookies for 10-12 minutes. The edges should look set but not browned. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Make the royal icing: Whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of water and beat on medium speed for 4 minutes until glossy and thick. Add more water a teaspoon at a time until it reaches a consistency that holds a ribbon for 10 seconds. Stir in a tiny dab of black gel food coloring if desired.
  11. Pipe the faces: Transfer the royal icing to a piping bag fitted with a #2 tip. Pipe two small oval or round shapes for the eyes, then fill them in. Add a tiny dot of yellow or white gel food coloring in the center of each eye. Let the icing dry completely, about 2 hours at room temperature.

Notes

The 30-minute freeze before baking is crucial for maintaining cookie shape. Black cocoa makes it hard to see doneness, so rely on the timer and touch test. Royal icing should be like slightly runny honey; test by lifting the spatula and watching the ribbon fall back into the bowl—if it disappears in 10 seconds, it’s perfect. Cookies taste even better the day after baking as flavors meld.

Nutrition

Keywords: black cat sugar cookies, Halloween cookies, sugar cookies, black cocoa cookies, Halloween baking, spooky cookies, cut-out cookies

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