Jack-O-Lantern Cookies

Jack-O'-Lantern Cookies

Jack-O'-Lantern Cookies

Around Halloween, you see Jack-O'-Lantern pumpkins in front of porches, windows and in retail stores everywhere decorated in different ways, some scary and others are pure works of art. These days, you can buy them with the design and lighted. For those of us who want the effect, but not the work of carving a real one, even artificial Jack-O'-Lanterns are a great option. I was thrilled when I came across Tovolo Jack-O-Lantern Cookie Cutters and ordered a set. The set includes the pumpkin cookie cutter and six reversible templates. For the cookie and royal icing recipe and directions, click Pumpkin Spice Autumn Cookies.

A Jack-O'-Lantern cookie

Once your dough has chilled, roll out and dip the pumpkin cutter and the imprints in a little all purpose flour so the dough does not stick to it.

A Jack-O'-Lantern cookie

After you make the shape with the cookie cutter, press down with the template to make the impression on the dough. It is super easy to do. Just repeat until you are done.

A Jack-O'-Lantern cookie

Once you have your dough imprinted, take a small brush and gently wipe away any excess flour.

A silly looking Jack-O'-Lantern cookie

To color the design imprints after the cookies were completely cooled, I used a black AmeriColor Gourmet Writer Food Decorating Pen. I waited about 1 hour for it to set, and then did piped a border outline around the design using orange royal icing.  After 1/2 hour, I filled the cookie with flood icing consistency.

A Jack-O'-Lantern cookie

On one of the cookies, I tried to cover up a black mark that somehow got on the orange icing, but I noticed it after the icing dried and when I added a little more icing on top, it made it worse and left bumps. Thus, one of my jack-o'-lantern cookies has zits or looks like he is working up a sweat. Hee, hee... My advice never do try to do this once the icing has dried. I learned my lesson. Duh.

Dip the templates in flour before making the impressions

 Let the cookies dry for 5-6 hours or overnight.

Cookies cut out with impressions done

Another option I have seen on Pinterest is to tint the dough orange and just color the imprinted sections with black royal icing and/or sprinkles or sanding sugar of different colors.

To read about the history of the Jack O'Lantern, visit:
http://www.history.com/topics/halloween/jack-olantern-history

To order Jack-O-Lantern cookie cutters set, visit:
http://www.tovolo.com

-Enjoy!

-Sophia/Two Frys