This Nightmare Before Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe is great for making fun cookies for Halloween! Add these easy cookies to your baking list this spooky season.
These classic sugar cookies are fun to make – great for fall and celebrating the season! Start the Halloween fun with a batch of these easy Sally sugar cookies.
Too busy to make this right away? Pin it for later! Pin this easy recipe to your favorite board on Pinterest and it will be waiting there when you’re ready.
Sugar cookie dough is super versatile and easy to make with only a few ingredients from the grocery store. You will need simple ingredients like butter, granulated sugar and all purpose flour.
Make sure that you have all of the supplies needed before you get started. I found our cookie cutters and icing at Michaels but you can also order them from Amazon as well.
This post contains affiliate links.
Sugar cookie supplies:
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Circle cookie cutters
- Wire cooling rack
This is my grandma’s classic sugar cookie recipe – time tested and delicious. The only thing that I have changed over the years is swapped out shortening for butter.
Nightmare Before Christmas Cookies:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 4 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract *
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Yellow, green and red food coloring
- Pre made black icing
Tip: Pre-made Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough can be used to create these cookies as well. Simply add 1/4 cup of flour to the dough, combine well and roll as directed. I love quick mom hacks like this!
*My grandma sometimes used almond extract too. This is our absolute favorite sugar cookie recipe!
Directions:
1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine dry ingredients. Add butter, egg, milk and extract. Mix on medium speed until a soft dough forms.
3. Divide the dough into three sections. Add yellow, green and red food coloring to each of the sections and mix well.
4. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour covered in plastic wrap. This helps to prevent the dough from spreading when baked.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
6. Roll separate colors of dough into 1″ balls.
7. Dust your surface with flour, place the dough balls together on the surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 1/4″ thickness on the floured surface.
8. Use the cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet.
9. Bake until the cookies are lightly brown around the edges, about 7 minutes.
10. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
11. When cool, use the black icing to “draw” stitches between the different colors on each cookie.
This recipe will make about 50 circular shaped cookies.
Homemade icing would work just as well as the store bought kind. Be sure to check out my easy royal icing recipe.
My royal icing tips:
- If the icing is too hard, add more water one drop at a time.
- If the icing is too soft, add more powdered sugar one teaspoon at a time.
- Icing can be stored at room temperature in a an airtight container for up to two weeks.
- To use, mix the royal icing with a hand mixer so that it becomes smooth and shiny again.
- Flood consistency is reached when a spoonful dropped onto a flat surface takes 10 – 15 seconds to become completely smooth.
Allow the icing to completely harden for at least two hours before packaging or storing the cookies. These look amazing wrapped in cellophane and tied up with a bit of twine.
This would be the perfect way to deliver these halloween treats to halloween parties or events!
This post contains affiliate links.
Some of my baking essentials:
- I love using this non-stick bakeware for all of my baking.
- These silicone mitts are perfect for grasping hot pans and baking dishes.
- This Henckel Knife is my favorite for slicing and dicing in the kitchen.
- These parchment paper bags are perfect for packaging and these large Rubbermaid food storage containers are great for storing baking in the freezer.
If you love these Nightmare Before Christmas Sugar Cookies, please give them a five star review and help me share them on Facebook or Pinterest so that others can enjoy them too!
Be sure to check out my other Sugar Cookies!
Nightmare Before Christmas Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 4 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Yellow, green and red food coloring
- Pre made black icing
Instructions
1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine dry ingredients. Add butter, egg, milk and extract. Mix on medium speed until a soft dough forms.
3. Divide the dough into three sections. Add yellow, green and red food coloring to each of the sections and mix well.
4. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour covered in plastic wrap. This helps to prevent the dough from spreading when baked.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
6. Roll separate colors of dough into 1" balls.
7. Dust your surface with flour, place the dough balls together on the surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 1/4" thickness on the floured surface.
8. Use the cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet.
9. Bake until the cookies are lightly brown around the edges, about 7 minutes.
10. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
11. When cool, use the black icing to "draw" stitches between the different colors on each cookie.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 50 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 56Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 55mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g
All values are approximate and based on ingredients used by the recipe writer. Always calculate your own individual nutritional values for the most accurate calculation.
