Black cocoa makes for some spooky sugar cookies! Here’s how to make them start to finish

Spook-ify your Halloween sugar cookies with black cocoa!

Make a statement with these black cocoa cut-out sugar cookies! They are the perfect canvas for your spooky Halloween designs!

Marta Nielson shared the recipe and tips for frosting these cookies just right.

For more recipes from Marta, follow her on Instagram at @MattieCakeSaltLake.

Black Cocoa Cut Out Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup black cocoa powder
• ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

METHOD

1. Cream together the butter, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, expresso powder, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then add in the egg, mixing well and scraping the sides of the bowl again.
2. In a media sized bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and flour. Gradually add the flour mix to the butter and sugar and mix until well combined.
3. Divide the dough in half. While it is soft, roll it out between two pieces of parchment or wax paper. 1/6 inch thick. Leaving the rolled-out dough sandwiched between the paper, place it on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
4. Once the dough has chilled, remove the top piece of parchment paper and cut out the cookie shapes. Bake at 375 degrees on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Start with 5 minutes and add time as needed. These cookies bake fast- you’ll know when they’re done when the edges are set to the touch.
5. Cool completely before frosting.

Easy Cookie Icing

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups powdered sugar
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 3 Tablespoons softened butter
• Food coloring and black cocoa powder

METHOD

1. Whisk milk into powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time until you are happy with the consistency. You want it to be thin enough that you can squeeze it out of a piping bag or a squeeze bottles, but not so thin that it will run off your cookies. Add the softened butter, extracts, and food coloring as desired.
2. For black icing, add 1 teaspoon of black cocoa powder and a bit of black food coloring if needed to get the perfect color.
3. For easy decorating, fill condiment squeeze bottles with icing. Recipe yields about 3 cups.