Ghost Candy Corn Cookies
Ghost Candy Corn Cookies
These Ghost Candy Corn Cookies might be one of my favorite decorated Halloween cookies! I started with large candy corn-shaped sugar cookies, decorated them in the classic white, orange, and yellow candy corn colors, and then added a little white ghost icing transfer right in the center.
The ghost makes these so much more fun than a traditional candy corn cookie. I made the ghosts separately from icing, allowed them to dry completely, and then attached them to the cookies after decorating.
They’re colorful, a little spooky, and perfect for a Halloween cookie tray. I especially love these mixed with my other decorated Halloween cookies because the bright candy corn colors really stand out.
Ghost Candy Corn Cookies Recipe
Yield: About 18–24 cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 8–10 minutes
Decorating Time: About 45 minutes
Drying Time: Several hours or overnight
Ingredients
For the Cutout Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract, optional
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Cookie Icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 5–6 tablespoons warm water, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon light Karo syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Yellow gel food coloring
- Orange gel food coloring
- Black gel food coloring
Make the Ghost Icing Transfers
The little ghosts are icing transfers, which means they’re made separately and allowed to dry before being added to the finished cookies.
I love using this technique because you can make all of your little decorations ahead of time. It’s also much easier than trying to create the entire ghost directly on top of a freshly iced cookie.
Prepare the cookie icing and leave a portion white.
Place the white icing into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, or simply snip a small opening from the end of the piping bag.
Place a piece of parchment or wax paper on a flat surface.
Pipe a rounded ghost shape onto the paper. Start with a rounded head, pipe downward to create the body, and finish with a slightly wavy bottom to resemble the bottom of a little ghost.
Use a toothpick or cookie scribe to smooth the icing and shape the edges if necessary.
Once the white icing begins to set, use a tiny amount of black icing to make two eyes and a little mouth.
Allow the ghosts to dry completely before trying to remove them from the paper. Overnight is ideal.
Carefully peel the dried ghost transfers from the paper and set them aside until you’re ready to decorate the cookies.
Tip: Make several extra ghosts. Icing transfers are delicate, and having extras means you won’t have to stop decorating if one happens to break.
Make the Candy Corn Sugar Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, if using. Mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix just until a soft cookie dough forms.
Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface until approximately ¼-inch thick.
Cut the dough using a candy corn-shaped cookie cutter. If you don’t have one, a large rounded triangle cutter can create a similar shape.
Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the edges are just beginning to turn lightly golden.
Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Cool completely before decorating.
Make the Meringue Powder Cookie Icing
Add the powdered sugar and meringue powder to a large mixing bowl.
Add 5 tablespoons of warm water, the light Karo syrup, and vanilla.
Beat with an electric mixer until the icing is smooth and glossy.
If the icing is too thick, add additional water one teaspoon at a time until you reach the consistency needed for piping and filling the cookies.
I like adding Karo syrup to this icing because it helps give the finished cookies a pretty, slightly glossy appearance and a nice bite once the icing dries.
Divide the icing into three portions.
Leave one portion white. Color one portion bright orange and another portion yellow using gel food coloring.
Reserve a very small amount of icing and tint it black if you still need to make the ghost faces.
How to Decorate Candy Corn Cookies
Once your sugar cookies are completely cool, divide the candy corn cookie visually into three sections.
Decorate the top section with white icing, the middle section with orange icing, and the bottom section with bright yellow icing.
You can outline each section first and then fill it with icing, using a toothpick or cookie scribe to move the icing into the corners.
Let the icing settle and smooth itself.
The result should look like a giant piece of classic candy corn.
Add the Ghost Icing Transfers
Once the candy corn icing has been applied, add your little ghost.
Place a dried ghost icing transfer in the center of each candy corn cookie. Gently press it into place without pressing hard enough to crack the transfer.
If you’re placing the transfer onto icing that is still wet enough to hold it securely, it can adhere as the base icing dries. If your candy corn icing has already dried, use a small dab of fresh white icing on the back of the ghost as edible “glue.”
Allow everything to dry completely before moving or stacking the cookies.
Tips for Making Decorated Halloween Cookies
Use gel colors. Gel food coloring produces those intense Halloween colors without adding a lot of extra liquid to your icing.
Make the ghosts first. Preparing the icing transfers the day before makes decorating much easier.
Make extra transfers. A few may crack when you’re removing them from the parchment, especially if they’re very thin.
Don’t overbake your cookies. Take the sugar cookies out when they’re set but still fairly pale for a softer finished cookie.
Let everything dry. Decorated cookies need plenty of drying time before they’re stacked or packaged.
Can I Make These Ahead?
Yes! These are actually a great make-ahead Halloween cookie.
You can bake the sugar cookies ahead of time and store them in an airtight container until you’re ready to decorate.
The ghost icing transfers can also be prepared several days in advance. Keep them somewhere cool and dry until you’re ready to use them.
Once the cookies are completely decorated, let the icing dry for 6–8 hours or preferably overnight before packaging.
How to Store Ghost Candy Corn Cookies
Store the completely dried cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. If you need to stack them, place parchment or wax paper between the layers to help protect the decorations.
Keep them away from excess heat and humidity, which can soften the icing decorations.
Jennie’s Thoughts
I think putting the little ghost on top is what makes these candy corn cookies so cute.
You still get those classic white, orange, and yellow candy corn colors, but then there’s this funny little ghost sitting right in the middle. And because I made the ghosts as icing transfers, they have a dimensional look that really stands out from the cookie.
These would be adorable on a big Halloween platter with the polka dot pumpkin cookies, black-and-white striped pumpkins, and spooky mummy cookies. The whole collection has the same bright orange, black, white, green, and purple Halloween color palette, but every cookie has its own design.
