Ghost Cookies

image of an adorable buttercream ghost cookie that's been decorated with sanding sugar and sprinkles

5 from 2 rating

These adorable buttercream ghost cookies bake up soft and chewy and are topped with the most delicious homemade buttercream frosting.

Prep Time20

Cook Time14

Additional Time1 30

Total Time2 4

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Servings: 36 cookies

Calories: 265kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Soft-Batch Cream Cheese Cookies

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 170g
1/2 cup or 4 oz. full fat cream cheese, room temp 113g
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300g
1 large egg, room temperature 56g
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
3 cups all-purpose flour 375g
1 Tbsp cornstarch 8g
1/2 tsp baking powder 2g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g

Buttercream Frosting for Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g
1/4 tsp fine salt 2g
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 454g or 1 lb. box
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 60g

Decorations

Instructions

Soft-Batch Cream Cheese Cookies

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 3/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup cream cheese on medium speed with a hand mixer or whisk attachment until smooth.
Next, add in 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and mix on a medium-high speed for a couple of minutes, until the mixture becomes lighter in color.
Add in 1 egg and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Mix on a medium speed until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.
Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on a low speed until it is JUST incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between additions.
At this point, the dough should still be pretty sticky. Divide the dough in half and wrap each portion of dough in a piece of plastic wrap. I like to flatten the dough out into a rectangle that's about 1/2 inch tall to make it easier to roll out once it's chilled.
Chill the dough in the fridge for about 2 hours, in the freezer for 30 minutes, or in the fridge overnight. If you chill the dough overnight, let it sit out at room temperature for about 10 minutes before trying to roll it out. This will make it easier to roll out!
Turn on the oven to 350°F/175°C for about 30 minutes before you plan to roll out the dough, and line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
Take one piece of dough out of the fridge or freezer, leaving the other in there to continue to chill. Unwrap the cookie dough and lay the plastic wrap out flat on your counter. We will be rolling out the cookie dough on the plastic wrap to make cleanup a breeze and to make it easier to cut out the cookies. Dust both sides of the cookie dough and your rolling pin with flour.
Roll the dough to be 1/3 inch thick and cut out the ghost-shaped cookies with a 2 1/2-inch flour-dusted cookie cutter. If you don't have a cookie cutter that size, you can use a small, sharp knife to hand-cut the cookies. Use a kitchen brush to brush any excess flour off the cookies and place them on the prepared baking sheets. The cookies don't spread much as they bake, so you can place them about 1 inch apart.
Chill the cut-out cookies one more time in the fridge for 15 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes to help them keep their shape as they bake.
Bake one sheet of cookies at a time. Bake for 12-14 minutes on the top rack of your oven (bake time can vary based on the size of the cookies). Keep a close eye on the cookies and be sure to pull them out before the edges start to brown.
Let the baked cookies cool on the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. While the first batch bakes and cools, knead together the cookie dough scraps and rewrap them in plastic wrap. Pop them back in the fridge to chill.
Pull out the 2nd chilled portion of dough and repeat the steps above. Then repeat with the chilled dough scraps.

Buttercream Frosting

Beat 1 cup of butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth.
Mix in 1 Tbsp of vanilla paste or vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp of fine salt on a low speed.
Gradually mix in 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (a quarter of a cup at a time).
Scoop 1/4 cup of frosting into a small bowl and color it pink with gel food coloring. Scoop it into a small piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip (like a Wilton 5) and seal the top with a rubber band. If you don't have that type of piping tip, you can just cut a 1/2 cm opening at the base of the piping bag. Set aside.
Place the remaining frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a medium round piping tip (like a Wilton 10) and seal the top with a large rubber band. If you don't have that type of piping tip, you can just cut a 1 cm opening at the base of the piping bag. Set aside.

Decorating These Ghost Cookies

Pour about 1 cup of white sanding sugar or granulated sugar into a small bowl. Set aside.
Once the cookies have cooled, pipe a layer of frosting on top of one of the cookies. Gently press the cookie into the sanding sugar until the buttercream is fully covered. This should even out the frosting.
Press two round, black sprinkles or mini chocolate chips into the frosting to look like eyes, and a long black sprinkle to add a mouth. If you don't have quite the right sprinkles, feel free to improvise with whatever you have on hand! You can also use black fondant or buttercream to make the facial features.
Use the pink frosting to pipe little cheeks onto the ghost, then repeat with the remaining cookies and enjoy!

Video

Notes

How Many Cookies Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe can be used to make about 36, 2 1/2-inch ghost cookies. The yield and bake time will vary based on the size and shape of the cookie cutter(s) you use.

This recipe can be halved to make fewer cookies (use half a scrambled egg in the dough), but I don't recommend doubling it unless you have a commercial (8 qt.) stand mixer.

Making These Ghost Cookies in Advance and Storage Tips

You can store frosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, up to 5 days in the fridge, or for up to a month in the freezer.

If you want to stack the cookies on top of one another, I recommend chilling them thoroughly before doing so and adding a layer of parchment paper between them. The buttercream will firm up when it's chilled, but won't set hard like royal icing.

This cookie dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container. I like to move the cookie dough to the fridge the night before I plan to roll it out and bake the cookies.

Baked, unfrosted cookies can also be frozen! These cookies last for up to a month if frozen in an airtight container. I recommend waiting to decorate them until they’ve thawed to room temperature.

Move them to the fridge the day before you plan to eat them, then let them sit out at room temperature for a few hours before frosting them.

Tips for Making the Best Ghost Cookies

Don’t overwork the cookie dough! It can overwork the gluten and result in tough, dense cookies.
Roll the cookie dough out to a consistent thickness of 1/3 inch. If some are thicker or thinner than others, they may over- or under-bake in the oven.
Take the time to chill the cookie dough. It helps prevent your cookies from spreading while they bake and helps them bake up with a soft texture.
Don’t overbake your cookies. Err on the side of underbaking your cookies, and remember that the cookies continue to bake for a few minutes once they’re out of the oven.
Feel free to get creative with what you use to make the ghost's face and work with what you've got! You can also use fondant or black buttercream if needed.

Nutrition