Haunted Cookie Houses

Products Used

Ingredients

Chocolate Cookies

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened slightly
3/4 cups Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour*
1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Royal Icing

2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
1 3/4 cups Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Black food coloring and other colors, as desired

Decorations

Halloween sprinkles and candies

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Directions

Prepare Chocolate Cookies: In a large mixing bowl combine butter and sugar. Cream until light and fluffy.
Mix in vanilla extract and egg.
Whisk together cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and flour. Stir into butter mixture and mix just until incorporated.
Flatten dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap or place in a zip top bag. Refrigerate for one hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Dust cutting board and rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll half of dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness.
Cut out around Haunted Cookie House Template pieces.
Set template pieces down on top of cookie dough and use a pizza cutter or knife to cut out around shapes. Repeat this process, re-rolling the dough as needed, until you have three of each piece cut out.
At this time, if you want doors or windows in your cookie houses, cut them out of front and side pieces.
Place cookie cutouts on prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes.
Bake for 12-14 minutes until edges set and tops no longer look wet.
Allow cookies to cool completely.
To make Royal Icing, whisk together water and meringue powder. Add powdered sugar and almond extract and beat using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Color some of icing using black food coloring and use it to “glue” the pieces of cookie houses together.
Set houses aside for at least one hour to dry then decorate using sprinkles and candies, attaching pieces using royal icing.

Dixie Crystals Insight

TIP: If you roll your dough out onto silicone baking mats, you can cut out the shapes, then place the entire mat in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Then peel off the perfectly shaped cookies and set them on parchment paper or simply bake them right on the silicone mat.

Recipe created for Dixie Crystals by Beth Jackson Klosterboer at Hungry Happenings.