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Easy Jack Skellington Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Find it online: https://spiceupwithsophie.com/easy-jack-skellington-cookies-recipe/