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Easy Black Cat Sugar Cookies – Perfect Halloween Treat

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These black cat sugar cookies are cute, delicious, and surprisingly easy to make. The dough comes together in minutes, the decorating is fun, and the end result is something that makes people smile.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 ounces (57g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons black gel food coloring
  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder (optional)
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons water or milk
  • Candy eyes (optional)
  • Orange or purple sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides once or twice.
  2. Add the softened cream cheese and beat until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. It should look smooth and creamy.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat until just combined. Don’t overmix.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.
  5. Add black gel food coloring, starting with 1 teaspoon and mixing well. Add more if needed, a few drops at a time, until the dough is dark black.
  6. Divide the dough into two discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and flatten slightly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  7. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  8. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll one disc of dough to about ¼-inch thickness.
  9. Dip a cat-shaped cookie cutter in flour, then cut out cats. Place them about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
  10. Gather scraps, reroll, and cut more cats. You should get about 18-24 cookies.
  11. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cookies are done when edges are just barely set and tops look dry. They shouldn’t be brown.
  12. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  13. While cookies cool, make icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and meringue powder (if using). Add water or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until icing is thick but flowable.
  14. Divide icing into small bowls. Leave most black. Tint a tiny bit white for eyes and whiskers (or use candy eyes).
  15. Transfer icing to piping bags or zip-top bags with a tiny corner snipped off.
  16. Pipe black icing onto cooled cookies, spreading gently with an offset spatula if needed. While icing is still wet, add candy eyes.
  17. Let icing set for about 30 minutes. If desired, pipe tiny white lines for whiskers and a pink nose.

Notes

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading. Use gel food coloring for best color. Let cookies cool completely before icing. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. For vegan, use vegan butter and a flax egg.

Nutrition

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

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