In this post: Learn how to make Jack Skellington cookies from The Nightmare Before Christmas. These are perfect for Halloween, Christmas, or a themed birthday party!
How to Make Jack Skellington Cookies
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Isn’t the festive season just the perfect time for getting a little creative in the kitchen? From Christmas to Halloween, themed cookies have become a staple in our household.
And speaking of themes, who can resist the fun character of Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas”? These iconic cookies aren’t just a hit with the kids but find fans in adults too, making them the perfect treat for any holiday gathering.
Let’s get right into how you can create these easy Jack Skellington cookies that the family will go crazy for!
Jack Skellington Face Cookie Recipe
Ready to make the cutest Jack Skellington homemade sugar cookies? You’re about to impress your entire family with these!
List of Tools Needed:
- Cookie Cutter: Medium size circle
- 2 disposable piping bags fitted with a number 2 tip
- 2 squeeze bottles
Cookie Ingredients:
- 1 C of unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
- 1 1/2 C Powder sugar
- 1tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 3 C of flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tarter
Icing ingredients:
- 4 egg whites
- 1/2 tsp cream of tarter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 4 1/2 C powder sugar
- Black gel food coloring
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside
Using a standing mixer, cream together the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and egg and mix until combined and creamy
Using a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and cream of tarter
Gradually add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed
Using your hands, continue to mix until fully combined
Lightly flour a cutting board and knead the cookie dough a couple of times
Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick
Cut out 12 circles and place onto a cookie sheet
Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly golden brown
Repeat steps until completely out of dough
Let cookies cool completely
Royal Icing Directions
Using the standing mixer, combine the egg whites, cream of tarter, vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until combined and stiff peaks form
Scoop 1 C of icing into another bowl and mix in a few drops of black gel coloring. Add in a few more drops of black to get the shade you want.
Scoop some white icing and black icing into the piping bags and set aside
Add in a few tablespoons of water into the remaining white icing and mix until combined
Pour the white icing into the squeeze bottle
Decorating Instructions
Using the white piping bag, pipe an outline around the cookies
Fill in with the thinner white icing
Let cookies dry overnight
Using the black piping bag, pipe the detail of Jack Skellington’s eyes onto the cookie and fill in
Pipe a line for a smile onto the bottom part of the cookie
Pipe small lines for stitching onto the line for the smile
Let cookies dry for an hour before enjoying.
Jack Skellington Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Cookie Cutter: Medium size circle
- 2 Disposable piping bags fitted with a number 2 tip 1
- 2 Squeeze bottles
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients
- 1 C of unsalted sweet cream butter softened
- 1 1/2 C Powder sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 3 C of flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tarter
Icing Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 1/2 tsp cream of tarter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 4 1/2 C powderxsugar
- Black gel food coloring
Instructions
Cookie Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside
- Using a standing mixer, cream together the butter, powder sugar, vanilla and egg and mix until combined and creamy
- Using a large bowl, combined the flour, baking soda and cream of tarter
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed
- Using your hands continue to mix until fully combined
- Lightly flour a cutting board and knead the cookie dough a couple of times
- Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick
- Cut out 12 circles and place onto a cookie sheet
- Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly golden brown
- Repeat steps until completely out of dough
- Let cookies cool completely
Icing Instructions
- Using the standing mixer, combine the egg whites, cream of tarter, vanilla and powder sugar and mix until combined and stiff peaks form
- Scoop 1 C of icing into another bowl and mix in a few drops of black gel coloring. Add in a few more drops of black to get the shade you want.
- Scoop some white icing and black icing into the piping bags and set aside
- Add in a few tablespoons of water into the remaining white icing and mix until combined
- Pour the white icing into the squeeze bottle
Decorating Instructions
- Using the white piping bag, pipe a outline around the cookies
- Fill in with the thinner white icing
- Let cookies dry overnight
- Using the black piping bag, pipe the detail of Jack Skellington’s eyes onto the cookie and fill in
- Pipe a line for a smile onto the bottom part of the cookie
- Pipe small lines for stitching onto the line for the smile
- Let cookies dry for an hour before enjoying.
Storage and Serving Suggestions
After all your hard work, make sure those delightful cookies stay fresh:
Cool your cookies on a wire rack before popping them into an airtight container. They can stay fresh for up to a week at room temperature, perfect for snacking throughout the holidays.
FAQ
Q: Can I make these cookies in advance for a Halloween party?
A: Absolutely! Prepare your cookies using the full recipe, bake, and decorate them, then store them between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh and are the perfect treat for any spooky gathering.
Q: Any tips for decorating with kids?
A: When decorating these fun Halloween cookies, cover your bowl of icing with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. Use small bowls for different colors and let the kids help with easy tasks like spreading white frosting or placing cookies on a wire rack. Also, make sure to have throwaway cookies for them to decorate and have fun with!
Q: What tools do I need to make these cookies?
A: The list of tools includes a medium bowl to combine butter and sugar, a stand mixer for mixing the dough, and a separate bowl for dry ingredients. For decorating, you’ll need a pastry bag or a simple plastic resealable bag cut at the corner. I linked everything above!
Q: Can I use a different cookie recipe for Jack Skellington cookies?
A: Absolutely! Feel free to use any cookie dough you like, whether it’s a family favorite or a store-bought mix. Just ensure it’s firm enough to handle the detailed decorations. Adjust baking times as necessary for best results!
Final Thoughts – Nightmare Before Christmas Cookies
There you have it—the coolest Jack Skellington cookies! These are fun to do with your kids. They’ll love being little artists! Plus, it can be a fun holiday tradition for the fam.
If you make these cookies, don’t forget to take lots of pictures and tag me on social media (@morganwender)!
I’d love to hear all about your baking adventures! Did you try making these Jack Skellington sugar cookies? How did they turn out? Share your thoughts and maybe even your own tips in the comments below.
Also, I’m always looking for new ideas and would absolutely adore your suggestions for future posts. What other festive cookies or fun nightmare-themed treats would you like to see?
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