Easy Jack Skellington Cookies Recipe

Introduction

These Easy Jack Skellington Cookies are a fun and festive treat perfect for Halloween or any time you want to delight fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas. Tender, dairy-free shortbread cookies are sandwiched with black cherry jam and decorated with spooky icing faces for a playful twist.

Ingredients

• 200g dairy-free block butter (cold and cubed)
• 100g caster sugar
• 300g all-purpose/plain flour
• Ice-water (optional, if needed)
• 50g black cherry jam (homemade or shop bought)
• 200g icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Black food gel
• Dairy-free milk (for icing)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cream the cold, cubed dairy-free butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Sift in the flour and mix until it forms a thick dough. If the dough feels too dry, add a teaspoon of ice-water. You can mix by hand or use a food processor.
2. Step 2: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or baking paper and chill in the fridge for at least 40 minutes to an hour until firm.
3. Step 3: Preheat your oven to 180°C fan and line a baking tray with grease-proof paper.
4. Step 4: Roll out the chilled dough to about 1 to 1½ cm thickness on a heavily floured surface to prevent sticking. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out shapes. On half of the cookies, carefully cut out eye and nose shapes to mimic Jack Skellington’s face.
5. Step 5: Place the cookies on the prepared baking tray and bake in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes. Turn the tray halfway through baking for even cooking.
6. Step 6: Let the cookies cool slightly on the tray before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with all the dough.
7. Step 7: To make the icing, mix icing sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl. Add dairy-free milk a teaspoon at a time until the icing reaches a thin, toothpaste-like consistency.
8. Step 8: Dip the top surface of the cookies with the faces into the icing, letting any excess drip off. Allow the icing to dry and set.
9. Step 9: Tint some of the icing with black food gel and transfer it to a piping bag. Pipe a large mouth line and smaller lines for facial details on each iced cookie.
10. Step 10: Spread or pipe a small amount of black cherry jam onto the plain cookies (without faces) and sandwich them with the decorated ones. Be careful not to use too much jam to avoid it oozing out the eye holes.
11. Step 11: Serve your spooky and delicious Jack Skellington cookies and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

• Use a clean, sharp knife or a small cookie cutter to create the eyes and nose cutouts for neat shapes.
• Substitute black cherry jam with raspberry or strawberry jam for a different flavor.
• For a richer icing, add a tiny bit of dairy-free butter before mixing in the milk.
• Keep the dough chilled if your kitchen is warm to make cutting and shaping easier.

Storage

Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you’ve filled and iced them, keep them cool to prevent the icing from melting. Reheat is not recommended as these cookies are best enjoyed fresh at room temperature.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make these cookies with regular butter?

Yes, you can substitute dairy-free butter with regular butter if you don’t have dietary restrictions. It will work well and give the cookies a traditional buttery flavor.

What can I use instead of black food gel?

If you don’t have black food gel, you can use black decorating icing from a tube or make your own by mixing cocoa powder with a small amount of water or dairy-free milk, but the color may be less intense.

Easy Jack Skellington Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 84 reviews

These Easy Jack Skellington Cookies are delightful dairy-free sandwich biscuits inspired by the iconic Halloween character. Featuring a crisp and buttery cookie filled with black cherry jam and decorated with creamy vanilla icing and spooky Jack Skellington faces, they are perfect for festive occasions or a fun treat.

• Author: Sophie
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: Approximately 20 sandwich cookies 1x
• Category: Baking
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Western
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cookies

• 200g dairy-free block butter (cold and cubed)
• 100g caster sugar
• 300g all purpose / plain flour
• Ice-water (if needed, up to a few teaspoons)

Filling

• 50g black cherry jam (homemade or shop bought)

Icing

• 200g icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Dairy-free milk (as needed to achieve consistency)
• Black food gel

Instructions

1. Prepare the cookie dough: Cream the cold, cubed dairy-free butter with caster sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Sift in the all-purpose flour and mix to form a thick dough. If the dough feels too stiff, add ice-water a teaspoon at a time until it comes together. You can mix by hand or use a food processor. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or baking paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least 40 minutes to 1 hour to firm up.
2. Preheat the oven and line the tray: While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 180°C fan (approximately 356°F) and line a baking tray with grease-proof paper to prevent sticking.
3. Roll and cut the cookies: Once chilled and firm, roll out the dough on a heavily floured surface to about 1 to 1.5 cm thick to prevent sticking. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out shapes. On half of the cookies, carefully cut out eyes and nose shapes to create the Jack Skellington face details, referencing the original character design.
4. Bake the cookies: Place the cut cookies on the lined baking tray and bake in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes. Optionally, rotate the tray halfway through baking for even color. Remove when edges are just turning golden and allow them to cool slightly on the tray before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Make the icing: In a bowl, mix the icing sugar with vanilla extract. Gradually add dairy-free milk, one teaspoon at a time, stirring until you reach a thin, toothpaste-like consistency suitable for dipping and piping.
6. Ice the cookie tops: Dip the plain cookie tops (those with the faces cut out) into the white icing, letting excess drip off. Place them on a rack or tray to allow the icing to dry and set completely.
7. Decorate the faces: Tint some of the icing with black food gel and transfer into a piping bag fitted with a small tip. Pipe a large mouth line and smaller details to mimic Jack Skellington’s facial features over the white icing, drawing inspiration from the photos or video reference.
8. Assemble the sandwich cookies: Spread or pipe a thin layer of black cherry jam onto the plain cookie bases (without the icing and face cut-outs). Gently press the iced, decorated cookie tops on to create sandwich cookies. Take care not to add too much jam to prevent it from oozing out through the face cut-outs.
9. Serve and enjoy: Your Jack Skellington Cookies are now ready to serve. Enjoy them fresh or store in an airtight container for later snacking.

Notes

• Ensure the butter is cold to create a crumbly and tender cookie texture.
• Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading during baking.
• Use a heavily floured surface and cookie cutter to prevent sticking and achieving clean edges.
• Black cherry jam works best for the filling but you can substitute with any dark berry jam if preferred.
• Adjust the icing thickness with dairy-free milk carefully to achieve proper consistency for dipping and piping.
• Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
• For vegan or dairy-free requirements, ensure the butter and milk are plant-based.

Keywords: Jack Skellington cookies, Halloween cookies, sandwich cookies, dairy-free cookies, vegan cookies, black cherry jam cookies, festive treats