Gingerbread Halloween Skeleton Cookies

These gingerbread Halloween skeleton cookies take my gingerbread cookie recipe and dress it up spooky-cute for the season. Made with molasses, brown sugar, and warm spices, the small batch of one dozen cookies bakes tender in about 10 minutes. Decorated with royal icing and sprinkles, the cookies are a fun break from the candy bowl and a kid-friendly decorating project.

Did you ever think you’d be decorating gingerbread cut-out cookies for Halloween? Neither did I, until I came across an issue of Food Network Magazine full of Halloween cookie ideas. Most of the designs were well beyond my piping skill level, but it dawned on me that a cute and simple skeleton was well within my decorating wheelhouse.

This recipe is adapted from my small batch gingerbread cookies, using that same molasses and brown sugar dough, cut into gingerbread man shapes and dressed for Halloween instead of Christmas. Think of all the fun the kids will have decorating these little guys!

I’ve been making these Halloween gingerbread cookies since 2020, and they’re my go-to when I need a break from all the candy in October. The dough holds real gingerbread flavor in a bakery-worthy tender bite. And keep that texture in mind — because while it is great for holding its shape when baked, it’s not construction gingerbread.

How To Make Halloween Gingerbread Cookies

First, cream together the butter and sugar in the mixing bowl. Either a stand or hand mixer will work, and it won’t take long until it is light and creamy.

Then add the molasses, egg yolk, and vanilla. But first, check you have the correct molasses. I use lighter, unsulphured molasses and chances are, you’ve seen this yellow-labeled jar in the grocery store. Dark or blackstrap molasses isn’t as sweet, and it can make the cookies taste bitter.

Mix until the yolk and molasses are fully combined. The mixture will look dark and sticky, and you’ll want to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure you get all the ingredients off the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Next, set a mesh strainer over the mixing bowl to add the dry ingredients. This acts as a sifter and will remove lumps. Mix the dough until you don’t see any dry flour streaks.

Expect a soft and sticky dough that must be chilled before it can be rolled out. Drop it onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape it into a disc (I use the edges of the plastic wrap to keep my hands clean), then wrap it tightly. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours to give it time to firm up.

Cutting Out Gingerbread

Because this is a sticky dough, I don’t roll and cut it directly on the parchment paper, like I do for my cut-out sugar cookies. I’ve tried it, and if the paper isn’t floured well, the dough will stick, preventing you from being able to move the gingerbread men to give them room to bake. Instead, I roll and cut it on a floured silicone baking mat.

Then, once you get your cookies cut, use a spatula to lift them onto the lined baking sheet. This will keep the shapes intact and avoid unnecessary fingerprints. But sometimes the unavoidable happens (even I do it!). Don’t worry, the prints will bake out.

A Quick Bake, Then Decorate

Gingerbread cookies don’t take long to bake. The edges will just be set, and the center will still look soft. This is what gives you that tender cookie texture. But if you’re more of a crispy-cookie person, add a couple of minutes to the bake time.

Then, while the cookies are cooling, you can make your royal icing for decorating. I kept it pretty simple and used bright white icing for the sweet little skeletons, but use your cookie decorating discretion!

Erin’s Gingerbread Tips

• Re-roll scraps only up to three times. Rolling gingerbread dough more than that starts working the gluten too much, and the cookies bake up tough instead of tender. If you have just little scraps of dough left, use a smaller cutter to use up all the dough.
• Give the cut-out shapes one more chill. If your kitchen runs warm (like mine!) or all the rolling and cutting warmed the dough too much, pop the baking sheets of the cut-out cookies into the fridge for about 10 minutes. The brief chill will help the cookies hold their shape in the oven instead of spreading.
• Bake one sheet at a time. Always my preferred method when the cookies won’t all fit on one pan. This way you don’t have to open the oven and let all the hot air out to rotate the pans.

Gingerbread Halloween Skeleton Cookies

5 from 4 reviews

These spooky-sweet gingerbread skeleton cookies are a fun Halloween idea. This small batch of cut-out gingerbread is tender, warmly spiced, and finished with beginner-friendly royal icing and sprinkle decorations.

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by Erin Cernich

Yield12 Cookies

Prep10 minutes minutes

ChillChill2 hours hours

Cook10 minutes minutes

Total Time2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Equipment

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  Stand Mixer
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  3-Quart Mixing Bowl
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  Fine Mesh Strainer
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  Baking Sheets Lined with Parchment Paper (2)
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  Rolling Pin
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  Rolling Mat (optional)
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  Gingerbread Cookie Cutters

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• ▢ 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons molasses, unsulphured
• ▢ 1 large egg yolk
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢ Royal Icing

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Instructions

 

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  In a smaller work bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and brown sugar. Use the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
  4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
If you don't have a smaller mixing bowl for your stand mixer, you can use a medium mixing bowl and a hand mixer.
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  Add the molasses, vanilla, and egg yolk. Mix on medium until the yolk and molasses are fully combined. If the mixture looks a little curdled, that's ok. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
  1 large egg yolk, 3 tablespoons molasses, unsulphured, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
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  Set a fine mesh strainer over the mixing bowl to sift in the dry ingredients. Add the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt, and shake into the bowl.
  1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon salt
  
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  Turn the mixer on medium and mix until no dry streaks remain, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Expect a soft and sticky dough.
  
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  Pour the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and use the wrap to form the dough into a rough disc. This way your hand won't get sticky. Cover the dough tightly with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.
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  When you're ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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  Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a floured work surface. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. This is a sticky dough, so you may need to lightly dust the top of the dough or the rolling pin with flour as well.
I use a baking mat that sticks to the countertop to roll out the dough. That way, it won't move around, and it's easier for cleanup.
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  Use a cookie cutter to cut out your shapes, and place the cookies at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Re-roll any scraps to cut into more cookies. Try to limit re-rolling the scraps to 2 to 3 times. Too many re-rolls, and the dough can get tough.
  
Use a cookie cutter to cut out your shapes, and place the cookies at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Re-roll any scraps to cut into more cookies. Try to limit re-rolling the scraps to 2 to 3 times. Too many re-rolls, and the dough can get tough.
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  Bake the cookies, one baking sheet at a time, for 10 to 11 minutes or until the edges are set. While the first batch is baking, refrigerate the other baking sheet of cookies. If the cookies feel warm from the rolling and cutting, place both baking sheets in the refrigerator to chill for about 10 minutes.
I prefer to bake one baking sheet at a time vs. rotating two pans halfway through. This way, you don't have to open the oven and let all the heat escape.
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  Cool the cookies on the baking sheet set on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the cooling rack to cool completely. Decorate with royal icing.
  Royal Icing
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  Store the cookies in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The longer they sit, the softer they will get.

Notes

• Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe that can be doubled. If doubling, use one whole egg instead of two yolks. The number of cookies in your batch will depend on how thick you roll out your cookie dough and the size of your cookie cutters. My gingerbread man cookie cutters are about 2×3 inches.
• Cookie Texture – These gingerbread cookies are more tender than they are crisp. For a crispier cookie, bake for 1 to 2 more minutes. 
• Freezing the Cookie Dough – After chilling the dough, place the wrapped disc in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before rolling and cutting. 
• Freezing Baked Cookies – Baked and decorated cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Gently place in a freezer bag and lay flat. Thaw at room temperature.

Nutrition Estimates

Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 138IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.