Creature Cookies
At our house no Halloween is complete without Creature Cookies. Over the years we have collected cookie cutters for the occasion and modified some of our cutters to suit the occasion. We have the usual witches and bats, pumpkins and spider webs. My favorite cookies to paint, however, are the ones we use at Christmas time to make gingerbread folks. At Halloween we dress these cookies as scarecrows.
(Using the Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe)
2-1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
Measure out all ingredients. Combine dry ingredients. Using an electric mixer and a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar; add eggs one at a time until each is blended into the mixture. Lower the speed and add dry ingredients in three portions. Turn mixer off and scrape sides of bowl to ensure a thorough blend of ingredients. Remove dough form the bowl, divide in half, and form into 2 disks. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or up to several days.
Divide 1 chilled disk into two portions. Leave the other disk refrigerated until ready to use.

Roll out cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface; roll dough to 1/4 inch thick. It is best to roll dough as few times as possible. So, cut the shapes as close together as possible and save scraps from all batches until the end and re-roll them together.

Cut out shapes with floured cookie cutters or create your own shapes and cut them from the dough with the point of a knife. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 6-8 minutes until pale gold. While one batch is baking, roll and cut out another batch.