Halloween Cookies

Directions

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   Both the black and white cookies are made the same way.
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   Here are the directions for the the black cookies: Put softened butter in a large bowl and cream with a whisk.
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   When the butter is creamed, add powdered sugar in 3 batches, mixing after each addition until the individual grains can't be seen before adding the next batch.
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   Beat the egg and add it to the butter-sugar mixture in 3 batches, mixing and incorporating completely between additions.
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   Sift the dry ingredients.
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   For the white cookies it's just the cake flour.
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   Mix the flours in using a cut-and-fold motion.
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   Don't knead the dough.
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   When the dough comes together, take it out of the bowl and wrap it in plastic wrap.
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    Flatten and chill in the refrigerator.
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    Squeeze the dough lightly to even it out.
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    Roll out to a 4mm thickness.
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    Preheat the oven to 340F/170C.
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    If the dough is hard to roll out, sandwich between 2 sheets of parchment paper before rolling.
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    When it's 4mm thick, chill in the refrigerator for 5 minutes, then cut out into shapes.
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    Put the cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
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    Bake for 16-17 minutes in a preheated 340F/170C oven for 6-7cm cookies.
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    Cook for 10-12 minutes if the cookies are smaller.
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    Chill leftover dough and roll out again.
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    If you mix the last bits of leftover dough, you can make marbled cookies.
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    While the cookies cool, make the icing to decorate.
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    You can also use decorative squeeze tubes.
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    Put the egg white in the middle of a bowl of powdered sugar, and mix in the sugar gradually.
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    Adjust the consistency.
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    It should just flow out flat when you dribble it from a spatula.
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    Put some of the icing in an icing bag with a small tip.
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    Outline the shape first, and when the outline has hardened fill it with icing that's been slightly thinned out.
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    You can draw pictures or letters too.
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    You can buy food coloring specifically for icing, or normal powdered food coloring.
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    For the black icing, I just mixed in black cocoa powder.
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    You can add colorful elements to both the black and white cookies.
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    You can also just write directly on the cookies.
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    You can also draw pictures on plain round or square cookies without using special cookie cutters.
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    If you have very small children they may get scared if the decorations are too creepy, so make them cute.
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    Please use your imagination to make whatever designs you can come up with.