Halloween Pumpkin and Bat Sugar Cookies

Method

Recipe by Heather Schiefelbein.

1. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until smooth. Beat in the egg and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix just until no dry pockets remain; do not beat after it comes together.
2. Divide the dough into two flat disks, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, until firm but rollable. Line two large baking sheets with parchment. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), with a rack in the center.
3. Roll one disk on a lightly floured surface to an even 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with approximately 3-inch pumpkin and bat cutters. Move to a baking sheet, leaving 1 inch between cookies. Gather scraps and reroll once. Repeat with the second disk. Chill each filled sheet for 15 minutes; keep waiting dough refrigerated.
4. Bake one sheet at a time for 10–13 minutes, until the edges are set and just lightly golden and the centers no longer look wet. Small bat wings can brown first, so start checking at 9 minutes. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
5. Stir confectioners’ sugar with 2 tablespoons water and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Add extra water a few drops at a time until it pipes a continuous line that holds its shape. Divide between two bowls and tint one orange and one black. If too runny, mix in a little extra confectioners’ sugar.
6. Spoon icing into small piping bags and snip a tiny opening. Outline the pumpkins in orange and add two or three curved rib lines. Outline the bats in black, leaving the centers bare. Let icing dry uncovered for 1–2 hours before stacking with parchment between layers.