Halloween Spice Cookies Food

HALLOWEEN SPICE COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger into a large bowl; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add molasses and vanilla; beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Divide dough in half; shape each half into a flat disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm but still pliable, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 1/4-inch-thick round. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 1 inch apart. Repeat with remaining disk. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until cookies are beginning to crack on the surface and firm to the touch, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
• Divide icing evenly among three bowls and tint each with a different food coloring, starting with just a drop, mixing well, and adding more, drop by drop, to reach desired shade. Transfer to piping bags fitted with very small round tips (such as Ateco #1.) Pipe a thin line of icing around outer edge of each cookie. Pipe eyes, noses, and mouths in center of each cookie to create faces. Let stand 15 minutes. Pipe a generous amount of icing into empty spaces around eyes, noses, and mouths. Use a toothpick or a small food-safe paintbrush to push icing around and fill nooks and crannies. Gently tap cookies on a flat surface a few times to even out icing and remove air bubbles. Let stand until completely set, at least 4 hours.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap, and slice each log into 3/8-inch-thick rounds. Place rounds on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies crack slightly on the surface, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
• When completely cool, decorate with royal icing mixed with desired food coloring.

HALLOWEEN PARTY CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and blended. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Shape dough into 2 portions. Shape each into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. Halloween-shaped cookie cutters. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, shortening and enough water to reach spreading consistency. Tint frosting and decorate as desired. Let stand until set.

PUMPKIN SPICE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin pie mix and molasses. In another bowl, whisk next 6 ingredients; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap. Refrigerate several hours, until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until edges are firm, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For icing, beat confectioners' sugar, butter and enough milk to reach spreading consistency. If desired, tint with food coloring. Decorate cookies as desired.

HALLOWEEN SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
• In a large bowl, beat the sugars, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract to blend. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake for 10 minutes. Unmold the cake and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into slices for serving.