Description
Celebrate the Day of the Dead with these festive and delicious skull-shaped cookies. Soft almond-flavored sugar cookies are topped with a smooth white candy coating, decorated with colorful candies and striking black piped details to capture the holiday spirit.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1-1/4 cups butter, softened
- 1-3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 ounces almond paste
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Coating and Decorations
- 2 packages (12 ounces each) white candy coating melts
- Optional decorations: Jumbo sprinkles, peppermint candies, candy-coated sunflower kernels, Skittles, Twizzlers Rainbow Twists, Good & Plenty candies
- Black paste food coloring
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and confectioners’ sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the almond paste and blend thoroughly.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, followed by the milk and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients and Chill: In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up.
- Roll and Cut Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a floured 5-inch skull-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and place them 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake Cookies: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes or until they are firm. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
- Melt Candy Coating: In a large, shallow, microwave-safe dish, melt the white candy coating melts following package directions.
- Dip Cookies: Dip the top side of each cooled cookie into the melted white candy coating, letting any excess drip off. Place dipped cookies on waxed paper to set.
- Decorate Cookies: Add optional decorations such as jumbo sprinkles, gummy candies, or colorful candy pieces while the coating is still wet.
- Prepare Black Icing: Tint remaining white candy coating black using black paste food coloring. Use this to pipe on mouth designs and other details on each cookie.
- Let Set: Allow cookies to stand until the coating and decorations are fully set before serving or packaging.
Notes
- Ensure butter and egg are at room temperature for easier mixing and smoother dough.
- Refrigerating dough is crucial for easier rolling and better-shaped cookies.
- Use waxed paper to prevent sticking when dipping cookies into candy coating.
- Customize decorations based on your preferred colors and candies to personalize your Day of the Dead cookies.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
