Chocolate Cinnamon Skeleton Cookies (Printable)

Spooky chocolate cinnamon cookies shaped like skeletons with sweet white icing decoration.

# What You Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Royal Icing

10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 1 large egg white
12 - 2-3 tablespoons water

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly distributed.
02 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated.
03 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until dough comes together. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.
04 - Divide dough in half and flatten into disks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for minimum 30 minutes to firm up for rolling.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut out skeleton or gingerbread man shapes with cookie cutter.
07 - Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set. Cool completely on wire rack before decorating.
08 - Beat egg white with powdered sugar and water until smooth and pipeable consistency. Adjust with additional water or sugar as needed.
09 - Transfer icing to piping bag fitted with fine tip. Pipe skeleton designs onto cooled cookies. Allow icing to dry completely before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The chocolate-cinnamon combo creates this warming spice that feels like autumn in your mouth
  • They look impressively detailed but the decorating is actually very forgiving and fun
  • The dough is sturdy enough for little hands to help roll and cut without falling apart
02 -
  • The chilling step is absolutely non-negotiable or your skeleton shapes will blob into unrecognizable ghosts
  • Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper for easier handling and less flour incorporation
03 -
  • If your dough gets too warm while rolling, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes
  • Use a toothpick to smooth out any rough icing edges before it dries

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