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home » Desserts » Cookie Decorating

Cookie Decorating: Jack O Lantern Cookies

by Joanna Stephens Published: Jul 31, 2018 · Updated: Sep 14, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links. We earn commission from purchases made. ·

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Cookie Decorating: Jack o lantern cookies - www.momwithcookies.com #cookies #cookiedecorating #decoratingcookies #jackolanterncookies #jackolantern #halloween #halloweencookies #halloweencookie #halloweentreats #halloweendesserts #pumpkinshapedcookies
Cookie Decorating: Jack o lantern cookies - www.momwithcookies.com #cookies #cookiedecorating #decoratingcookies #jackolanterncookies #jackolantern #halloween #halloweencookies #halloweencookie #halloweentreats #halloweendesserts #pumpkinshapedcookies
Cookie Decorating: Jack o lantern cookies - www.momwithcookies.com #cookies #cookiedecorating #decoratingcookies #jackolanterncookies #jackolantern #halloween #halloweencookies #halloweencookie #halloweentreats #halloweendesserts #pumpkinshapedcookies

An image designed to be shared on Pinterest showing a sugar cookie decorated like a jack-o-lantern

Cookie decorating: Jack o lantern cookies

Nothing says Halloween like a Jack o lantern cookie! This fun and simple cookie is easy to decorate, but is such an appealing treat for any Halloween party or get-together. Read more to learn how to do it!

In an effort to fully disclose, this tutorial does contain affiliate links which means if you purchase anything I would receive a commission. It does not affect the price whatsoever. For more information, see my Disclosure/Advertising page.

Now back to the Jack o lantern cookies tutorial!

Here's what you will need:

  • Pumpkin shaped sugar cookies
  • Orange Royal Icing
  • Green Royal Icing
  • Black Royal Icing
  • 3 piping bags or ziploc bags (outlining)
  • 3 cookie decorating bottles
  • toothpicks

Jack O Lantern Cookies Tutorial

The first step in making these cookies is to bake pumpkin shaped sugar cookies. This is my recipe for the best sugar cookies to decorate. Now, the secret to baking cookies that don't lose their shape is to freeze the cookies right before you bake them!

After you have all of your cookies baked, the next step is the royal icing. You can either make your own using these measurements for each color:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 ½ tablespoon meringue powder

¼ cup water

food coloring (for desired colors)

You can also purchase this royal icing from Amazon where all you have to do is add water. I would strongly suggest doing this for the black royal icing, because black is a hard color to achieve with just the food coloring. (It can be done, but you will need a lot of black food gel, brown food gel, and PATIENCE!

When you have all the colors made, you are going to want to split each icing in half and scoop half of the royal icing into a piping bag or ziploc bag.

The other half you will add just a little bit more water so that it is thinner (flooding consistency). I have a picture below to help you reference between piping consistency(left) vs flooding consistency (right).

Flooding consistency and piping consistency royal icing. The piping consistency icing holds its shape and form, and the flooding consistency icing is thin and won't hold its shape.

As you can see the piping consistency royal icing holds a peak, where the flooding consistency is liquid but still thick like elmer's glue.

Put each flooding consistency royal icing into the cookie decorating bottles. Make sure to cover the excess royal icing with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until you need more.

On to the decorating:

With the orange icing in the piping bag, outline the Jack o lantern cookies.

Pumpkin cookie outlined with orange royal icing.

Then you will use the green icing in the piping bag and outline the stem of each of the Jack o lantern cookies.

Pumkin cookie stem outline with green royal icing.

Let the cookies set up for about 5 minutes so the outlines are starting to harden. Then you will take the cookie decorating bottle with orange icing and fill in the orange outline.

I like to use a swirling technique and use the tip of the bottle to help push the icing evenly throughout. Also, this is where the tooth picks come into play!

You can use toothpicks to help you evenly distribute the icing and not use as much.

Fill in the orange pumpkin with flooding consistency royal icing.

Then, you will want to grab the decorating bottle that has your black icing and make the faces of the Jack o lantern cookies. They don't all have to match, it's really up to you.

I would suggest filling 1 pumpkin cookie and then adding the face right after before moving onto another cookies, because the trick to these is that the orange icing still needs to be wet.

This is actually the principle of wet-on-wet technique.

Jack o lantern face with black royal icing using wet on wet technique.

Finally, you will grab your decorating bottle that has the green icing, and fill in the green outline.

Finished and dried Jack o lantern cookie.

The icing will harden as it sits out, so let the cookies set for awhile and you will notice the glossy sheen of the icing will turn matte when they are dried. Voila! Your fun Jack o lantern cookies are done!

Make sure to let me know how yours turned out in the comments below.

More cookie decorating tutorials:

  • decorated ghost cookies
  • witches cauldron cookies
  • monster oreos

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jennifer

    August 07, 2018 at 11:22 am

    Those are so very cute! Shared on my Facebook page so I can try to make some this Halloween.

    Reply
    • Joanna Stephens

      September 24, 2018 at 2:28 pm

      Thanks Jennifer! Let me know how they turn out for you.

      Reply
  2. Holly

    August 03, 2018 at 3:25 pm

    Yummy! This looks perfect. I am hungry just reading your post! Definitely going to make these cookies.

    Reply
    • Joanna Stephens

      September 24, 2018 at 2:28 pm

      Thanks Holly! They are so much fun for the whole family. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kristina

    August 03, 2018 at 10:29 am

    These look so cute and delicious. I love sugar cookies.

    Reply
    • Joanna Stephens

      September 24, 2018 at 2:27 pm

      Thank you Kristina! These are definitely a great cookie for Halloween!!

      Reply
  4. Emma

    August 02, 2018 at 3:28 pm

    These are so cute! I love homemade sugar cookies.

    Reply
    • Joanna Stephens

      September 24, 2018 at 2:26 pm

      Thanks Emma! 🙂

      Reply

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Joanna the author of mom with cookies

Hi, I'm Joanna! Mom and baking connoisseur. I develop easy recipes that anyone can make, especially busy moms with fussy eaters. While desserts are my specialty, I have recipes for every thing!

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