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Easy Black & Orange Halloween Sugar Cookies Recipe

black orange halloween sugar cookies - featured image
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These spooky sugar cookies get their deep black color from black cocoa powder and vibrant orange from natural food coloring and turmeric, creating a striking Halloween treat without any fancy decorating skills required.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure)
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup (25g) black cocoa powder
  • 1–2 tablespoons milk (for black dough)
  • Orange gel food coloring (Americolor Super Red mixed with Lemon Yellow)
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric (optional, for orange dough)
  • 1–2 tablespoons milk (for orange dough)

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides, then add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat until fully combined.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  3. Divide the dough evenly into two bowls (about 300 grams each). To one bowl, add the black cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon of milk. Mix until fully incorporated and the dough turns deep black. Add more milk if needed.
  4. To the other bowl, add the orange gel food coloring (start with a small amount and add more until desired shade) and the turmeric (if using). Mix until the color is even. Add milk a tablespoon at a time if the dough feels too stiff.
  5. Flatten each dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  6. Roll each chilled dough into a rectangle about ½-inch thick. Place the orange rectangle on top of the black one, then roll them up together like a jelly roll. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and chill for another 20 minutes.
  7. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Remove the dough log from the fridge and slice into ¼-inch thick rounds. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
  9. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the bottoms are lightly golden. The centers will look slightly underdone.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

Chill the dough thoroughly between each step to prevent colors from bleeding. Use a sharp knife for clean slices. Watch the oven closely as cookies can go from perfectly baked to overdone quickly. If colors bleed, the dough was too warm or overmixed.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cookies, sugar cookies, black cocoa, orange cookies, spooky cookies, no cutter cookies, slice and bake

Find it online: https://zestynora.com/easy-black-and-orange-halloween-sugar-cookies-recipe/