Sugar skull cookies are both a delicious and decorative way to celebrate Day of the Dead. Learn how to easily decorate Dia De Los Muertos sugar cookies with a scrumptious buttercream frosting using decorative tips and bright colors.
I have two gifts in life. The gift of sass and cookie artistry. I’ve developed & fine tuned both over the years. I’m confident Mr. Kitchen Prescription prefers the latter.
I made a video tutorial of these skull sugar cookies with buttercream last year and never got around to posting the tutorial on my blog. So here I am one year later trying to get it posted before Day of the Dead comes and goes again.
You might also like to try your hand at these adorable Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Sugar skull cookies or Calaveras are made during the Mexican Holiday Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. This holiday tradition is celebrated November 1 through November 2 each year.
In America if you’re Roman Catholic it’s referred to as All Souls Day.
Sugar skulls are mostly edible and traditionally made with cane sugar and decorated elaborately. They are then placed on altars to honor family members who have passed on.
Children who have died usually are celebrated on November 1 and given small sugar skulls as an honor and November 2 is for adults and celebrated with larger sugar skulls.
It is believed that the departed return home to eat the sweets placed on the altar.
The most famous skull of them all and which you probably have seen many times is Catrina.
When I was in Cabo San Lucas in 2018 I became obsessed with 2 things. Catrina and pottery. I purchased a beautiful small Catrina and male statue dressed as a chef to showcase on my kitchen shelf.
When I got back from my trip I researched the meaning behind Catrina and Day of the Dead and wish that we celebrated the tradition a bit more here in America.
I also purchased a pottery wheel and self directed myself to learn pottery. But that’s another story for another day.
Growing up Roman Catholic and taking my children to mass I remember All Souls Day on the yearly church calendar. But Catholic tradition is usually to remember and pray for our dearly departed. We didn’t really do elaborate edible decorations and offerings such as sugar skull cookies.
Once I really understood and appreciated the meaning behind Day of the Dead I wanted to create a Day of the Dead sugar skull cookie to honor this intriguing Mexican tradition.
I encourage you to do more research on this tradition if you aren’t familiar with it, and I hope you can appreciate my cookie artistry to honor & celebrate Day of the Dead.
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Items You will Need:
- Skull cookie Cutter
- Wilton Gel Icing Color
- Wilton Master Decorating Set
- Wilton Disposable Piping Bags
- Plastic Wrap
A useful tip and to help me get more mileage out of my disposable bags and less mess, I put my buttercream in plastic wrap, roll closed, twist one end and snip off the other end and slip it in the piping bag. It pops right out and makes filling and cleaning the bags so much easier.
Most of the tips are in the Master Set but here are the specific decorating tips needed:
- #3 for outlining cookies, eyes, teeth, & face paint
- #5 for filling in cookies and dots on eyes
- #102 for skull cookie nose and teeth
- #22 closed star tip for flower eyes
- #18 closed star tip for flower head wreath
- #18 open star tip for flower head wreath
- #10 closed star tip for flower head wreath
- Cuplers to change out tips
Gel Colors Used:
- White
- Black
- Pink
- Violet
- Yellow
- Orange
- Green
- Tan
Refer to the recipe & video below for complete instructions and tutorial.
Sugar Skull Cookies: Sugar Cookie & Buttercream Recipe
Sugar Skull Cookies Day of the Dead Cookies
Ingredients
- Sugar Cookies
- 1 stick salted butter slightly cool
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups flour.
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup slightly cool butter
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Gel or liquid food coloring
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar in stand mixer.
- Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated
- Add vanilla & mix.
- Switch over to hook attachment.
- Add 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder and
- 2 cups flour.
- Mix and then gradually add ½ cup flour more.
- Dough should be firm but not too sticky and should come together in a ball
- Wrap in plastic or ziplock bag and refrigerate
- Chill dough overnight or at least one hour.
- When ready to bake cookies preheat oven to 330 degrees
- Lightly flour your work space and roll out dough to desired thickness.
- Cut out cookies with your favorite skull cookie cutter
- Bake on middle rack at 330 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes or until bottoms lightly brown.
- Cool cookies on wire rack.
- Decorate/frost when completely cool.
- Store decorated cookies in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
- Butter Cream Instructions:
- Whip butter in stand mixer with paddle attachment.
- Add 2 cups confectioners sugar
- Vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon whipping cream. Mix until well blended.
- Add remaining 2 cups confectioners sugar and last tablespoon whipping cream. Whip well.
- Divide frosting and add color. If icing thins out add more confectioner’s sugar. I use color gel/paste from Wilton.
Can I add corn starch to my sugar cookie recipe?
You most certainly can, but I prefer not to. They claim corn starch prevents the sugar cookie from spreading out when you bake it. I tried it and yes, while it does work, I found it made my cookie less soft. If you prefer a crispy cookie then go ahead and add a teaspoon of cornstarch.
Should I refrigerate my cookie dough?
Yes. For optimum results, I recommend refrigerating your cookie dough overnight. If you’re pressed for time, then at least an hour or use cornstarch. See above tip. Chilled cookie dough also prevents the cookies from spreading out while baking. I roll my dough out while dough is still slightly chilled. If the dough is too hard to roll out, then let it rest and check it every 5 minutes until you are able to roll it out with your rolling pin.
How long will my sugar cookies stay fresh?
I recommend you refrigerate your pumpkin sugar cookies in an airtight container and bring them to room temperature just before eating. They will keep a few days on the counter but I found the fridge extends their freshness and shelf life.
Make sure to follow me on Instagram and tag me if you make these Calavera sugar cookies
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