Halloween week is here and these jack-o-lantern cookies will definitely bring some personality to your next Halloween party! I had so much fun coming up with faces to frost, there are endless possibilities!

yields 2 dozen cookies

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 oz. dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, set aside.

In a mixer beat sugar, softened butter and cocoa powder on medium speed until fluffy and combined for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time mixing until blended, add the vanilla with the last egg. Add the slightly cooled but melted chocolate and mix for 1 minute until combined.  Add the dry ingredients gradually on low speed until well blended.

Using an ice cream scoop (about 3 tbsp. of dough), drop the dough 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes in your preheated 350F oven. Allow your cookies to cool before frosting them.

3 egg whites

2 tsp. lemon juice

3 cups powdered sugar

orange food coloring or mix red & yellow

In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk egg whites until fluffy for about 10 minutes, add lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Add food coloring and stir to combine.  Take half of the frosting and put it in a another bowl and set aside, this will be your thicker frosting for outlining your design. Then take the other half of the frosting and thin it out, this will be the filler icing.

I found this site to have helpful tips on how to make perfect royal icing. Follow directions from this site, and you can use ziplock bags to hold the frosting in if you don’t have bottles.