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Perfect Black Cat Sugar Cookies: Easy Royal Icing Recipe

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These black cat sugar cookies are a simple, buttery dough that holds its shape, paired with a royal icing that dries to a perfect shine. They’ve become my go-to for Halloween parties, and every time I make them, I think of Mark and his burrito-fueled baking revelation.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1–2 teaspoons black gel food coloring (e.g., Americolor Super Black or Wilton Color Right)
  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 3–4 tablespoons warm water
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • Orange and white gel food coloring

Instructions

  1. Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
  2. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled—that’s normal.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt.
  4. Combine wet and dry. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed. Stop as soon as the dough comes together—overmixing will make the cookies tough.
  5. Add the black coloring. Add the black gel food coloring, ½ teaspoon at a time, and mix on low until the color is even. I usually need about 1 ½ teaspoons of Americolor Super Black to get a true black.
  6. Chill the dough. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  7. Preheat and prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  8. Roll and cut. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough to ¼-inch thickness. Use your cat-shaped cutter to cut out as many cookies as possible. Gather the scraps, re-roll, and cut more. Repeat with the second disk.
  9. Bake. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The cookies are done when the edges are just barely set and the tops look dry. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  10. Make the royal icing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 3 tablespoons of warm water and the vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes until the icing is thick, glossy, and forms stiff peaks. Adjust consistency as needed.
  11. Color and pipe. Divide the icing into bowls. Leave most of it white (for the base), and color a small portion orange (for the eyes). Transfer the white icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Outline each cookie, then flood the inside with a thinner consistency of icing. Use a toothpick to spread it into the corners.
  12. Add the details. While the white icing is still wet, pipe small orange dots for the eyes and a tiny pink or white nose. Use a toothpick to drag the icing slightly to create whiskers. Let the cookies dry at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Notes

Don’t skip the cream of tartar—it prevents spreading. Chill the cut-out shapes for 10 minutes before baking for best results. Use a light-colored baking sheet to avoid over-browning. Royal icing consistency is key: thick for outlining, thin for flooding. Work in batches to prevent icing from drying out.

Nutrition

Keywords: black cat sugar cookies, Halloween cookies, royal icing, sugar cookies, easy cookie recipe, spooky cookies

Find it online: https://sparklechew.com/perfect-black-cat-sugar-cookies-easy-royal-icing-recipe/