Halloween is almost here, and I've got a sugar cookie tutorial for you that will take your cut-out sugar cookie making skills to a new level! These Spider Web Cut Out Sugar Cookies are intricate, unique, and perfect for any spooky occasion. I've got everything you need to make them, including the printable template! Now let's put on some Halloween music and get to baking!

You'll want to give yourself plenty of time to make these cookies because their detailed design takes several trips to the freezer before baking to help them maintain their sharp edges and shape, but they are well worth it! Each cookie has its own unique look depending on how your rotate it, which makes them extra fun.

A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED

• Room Temperature Ingredients:
  • Butter: It’s important that your butter is softened. In a pinch, you can put your butter in the microwave for about 5 seconds on each side, but watch closely to make sure it is just softening and not melting.
  • Egg: You also want to make sure that the egg is at room temperature to ensure that it is properly incorporated into your batter. If you forget to leave it out before you start baking, place it in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until it becomes room temperature.
• Measuring Your Ingredients: I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
  • However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
• Oven Temperature: Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes before you start baking.
  • I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to get to know your oven so you can adjust your baking temperatures accordingly. Some ovens run slightly warmer or colder so its important to know yours to make sure your baked goods come out right.

X-Acto Knife

You'll want to use an X-Acto Knife to cut out both the template and each cookie. The X-Acto Knife's fine, sharp edge will help you make more precise cuts as opposed to any other kind of small sharp knife. Make sure to work slowly and carefully when using the X-Acto Knife and to cut on top of a surface that you don't mind getting marked up.

You'll first want to get started on printing the template on cardstock. Since it's an intricate design, you'll need to print it on cardstock for it to be sturdy enough. Use scissors to cut around the border of the template and the X-Acto knife to cut out the inside sections.

Marisa Bakes Spider Web Template

Download and print the spider web template on cardstock. Cut the border of the template out with scissors and carefully cut the inside sections out with the X-Acto knife on top of a cutting board or cutting mat.

Preheat oven to 350º F. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, and salt. With the mixer on low, mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Once the dough is well chilled, take out one half, sprinkle flour onto a sheet of parchment that is placed on top of a food safe mat or plastic cutting board. Sprinkle more flour on top and place another sheet of parchment on top of the floured dough.

Carefully roll out the dough. Try and keep it on the thicker side, rolling it out to a little less than a ¼ inch thick or so. Place mat with cookie dough into freezer for 5-10 minutes and repeat this process with the other half of dough so you always have half of the dough to work with while the other half chills.

Once the dough has chilled again, hold the template over the dough and use the X-Acto knife to carefully cut around the shape. The knife should slide right though the dough for a clean cut. Repeat this process until you have several spider webs cut out and place them in the freezer on the parchment lined baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before repeating this process with the other half of dough.

Transfer the chilled shapes back to the cutting mat, realign template with each spider web cut out, and use the X-Acto knife to now cut out the inside sections. The template is not symmetrical to play into its whismy look so you'll need to make sure you match it up with what you've cut out.

Place the spider web cookies back on the baking sheet in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Clean up any loose bits of dough with a toothpick. I like to transfer them to a fresh piece of parchment so no flour or pieces of dough get stuck in the holes.

Once all spider webs have been fully cut out, sprinkle sugar over them. You can use a toothpick to move the sugar away from the cut out sections so that they won't be filled with sugar once they bake.

Chill cookies on baking sheet for about 5 more minutes in the freezer before baking them for 10-14 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy

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