For the most part, I prefer my Halloween cookies to be cute and cheerful rather than scary and ghoulish. This year I did some of both. These Cheerful Pumpkins were the cute kind and my Chubby Witch Fingers were the scary kind. I made the pumpkins in three sizes, a bit like a family with a Papa, Mama, and Baby. Oddly enough, all our trick-or-treaters this year were in family groups, too. Dads accompanied their little ones to the door, while the Moms stood in the background smiling.
“When your pumpkin dreams turn upside down, make cookies.” Kasha
I wanted to focus on the pumpkin itself this year and not so much on Halloween. So I seasoned both the cookie and the frosting with fall flavors... cinnamon, caramel apple, and a hint of nutmeg. They were delicious and I’ll definitely use these flavors to inspire my Thanksgiving cookie baking, which is just around the corner.
Cookie specifics
Classic Sugar Cookie with a Twist. This classic sugar cookie is one I’ve used for Christmas cookies since I started baking. It has a bold vanilla flavor and slightly soft texture, and the “twist” comes in the form of a good amount of cinnamon added to the dough. I also added caramel flavoring to the glaze icing to complement the cinnamon sugar cookie, which made for the perfect autumn bite.
Shapes
Three sizes of the classic pumpkin cookie cutter.
Sizes
Sizes range from mini (1-2 inches) to medium (2½ inches) to large (3½ inches). 2½ to 3 inches is my favorite size for decorating and eating!
My Own Family Recipes
Classic Sugar Cookie. A recipe based on one from Mrs. Gregor, a neighbor of my mom’s when she was a newlywed.
Icing & Frostings
Glaze for Piping: This glaze/icing dries hard enough that you can stack or package the cookies without damaging the embellishments. You can easily swap out the vanilla for other flavorings that you want to use. In this case I replaced half of the vanilla with caramel flavoring. I often use this glaze exclusively (as I did with these Cheerful Pumpkin cookies) or in combination with Royal Icing.
Glaze for Piping Recipe
Cookies
Classic Sugar Cookies: flour, butter, granulated sugar, cinnamon, egg, pure vanilla extract, salt
Icing & Decorative Embellishments
Glaze for Piping: sugar, water, corn syrup, food coloring (orange and green), caramel flavoring and vanilla extract
Plate, Box or Bag?
Box. My favorite way to transport my cookies is to package them in a cardboard bakery box with a clear window on top that makes the contents visible to anyone who wants to peek. And this is what I did for the cookies I gave to our parish priests and staff.
Bags. Since I was mailing these cookies to family members away from home, I wrapped them individually in clear, food-safe bags, secured with a twist tie. This makes the cookies “pack-able” without causing damage to the decorations.
Mailing. I mailed the cookies Priority Mail through the U.S. Post Office. I used sturdy boxes and lots of bubble wrap. In almost all cases, the cookies arrive undamaged. I know the packages are appreciated when they arrive because of the texts I get with all those smiling faces.
What I’ve learned...
These cookies were made with the best ingredients I could find and baked in a small batch of two dozen. I’ve experimented with less expensive ingredients, but have come to the conclusion that flavor is best when I use the best. Why spend all this time baking and decorating if taste and texture are just so-so? Decorating the cookies takes time, but it’s an enjoyable process for me and I know that those who receive them appreciate that. Life is just better when you can share something you love with someone you love. Don’t you agree?
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