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Best Black Cat Sugar Cookies with Easy Royal Icing

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These soft, buttery sugar cookies are dipped in glossy black royal icing for a flawless finish every time. A quick and easy Halloween treat that looks professional without requiring special decorating skills.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 3–4 tablespoons water
  • Black gel food coloring
  • Cat-shaped cookie cutter
  • White or yellow gel food coloring (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the Cookie Dough: In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add egg and vanilla extract; beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until dough comes together.
  2. Chill the Dough: Divide dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Roll and Cut: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut with cat-shaped cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Re-roll scraps and repeat.
  4. Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are just barely golden. Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. Prepare Royal Icing: In a medium bowl, whisk together sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 3 tablespoons water and whisk until smooth (honey consistency). Add black gel food coloring until desired shade is reached.
  6. Dip the Cookies: Pour icing into a shallow bowl. Press each cooled cookie face-down into icing, lift straight up, let excess drip off, then flip and place on wire rack. Repeat with all cookies.
  7. Add Eyes (Optional): While icing is still wet, pipe tiny dots of white or yellow royal icing onto each cat face. Let cookies sit at room temperature until icing is completely set (about 1 hour).

Notes

Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading. For best results, use a kitchen scale for accurate flour measurement. The dipping method (learned from the author’s niece) saves time and produces a smooth, professional finish. Cookies can be baked up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container. Ice the day before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: black cat cookies, Halloween cookies, sugar cookies, royal icing, easy decorating, dipped cookies, cat-shaped cookies

Find it online: https://tablemira.com/best-black-cat-sugar-cookies-with-easy-royal-icing/