Chocolate Cinnamon Skeleton Cookies (Printable)

Spooky chocolate cinnamon cookies shaped like skeletons with sweet icing decoration

# Ingredient List:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Royal Icing

10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 1 large egg white
12 - 2-3 tablespoons water

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated.
03 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until a cohesive dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
04 - Divide dough in half and flatten into disks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out skeleton or gingerbread man shapes using cookie cutter.
07 - Place cookies on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set. Cool completely on wire rack.
08 - Beat egg white with powdered sugar and water until smooth and pipeable consistency is achieved.
09 - Transfer icing to piping bag fitted with fine tip. Pipe skeleton designs onto cookies. Allow icing to dry completely before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The chocolate cinnamon combo is deeper and more sophisticated than typical sugar cookies
  • Kids go absolutely wild for decorating skeleton faces and the process is surprisingly therapeutic
  • The dough holds its shape beautifully so your skeletons actually look like skeletons after baking
02 -
  • Warm dough is your enemy here if it sticks to the counter pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes
  • The chilling step cannot be skipped or your skeletons will spread into unrecognizable blobs
  • Royal icing dries fast so keep the tip covered with a damp cloth when not actively piping
03 -
  • Freeze the unbaked dough disks for up to 3 months so you can have fresh skeleton cookies anytime
  • Add a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper to the dough if you want a Mexican hot chocolate twist

Return