Halloween Spiderweb Cookies

Directions

1. Pipe the background color of royal icing along the outline of the sugar cookie, staying inside the edges. Use a toothpick, popsicle stick, or scribe tool to spread it evenly. If the icing isn't level, gently tap the cookie on your work surface to smooth it out.
2. While the background icing is still wet, pipe the web color in concentric circles or matching the cookie's shape. Work quickly so the icing doesn't form a crust.
3. Drag a toothpick or scribe tool from the center outward to create a spiderweb pattern. For a spiderweb-shaped cookie, feather from the center to each point. For other shapes, feather evenly from center to edge all around.
4. For a multicolored web, pipe one or two background colors first, then the dominant web color on top. Work fast to prevent drying; if crust forms, the feathered lines will look jagged.
5. Carefully transfer the wet cookie to a cooling rack or cold cookie sheet and let it dry for about an hour. Handle gently to avoid smudging—if you mess up, you get a tasty treat!
6. Pipe a circle of royal icing on a small round cookie. While wet, place two candy eyes side by side, pressing gently so they stick without pushing icing over the edge. Use a scribe or toothpick to fix the icing edge if needed. Set aside to dry for at least an hour.
7. After both cookies have dried for about an hour and the surface icing has crusted, put a dab of icing (matching the spiderweb cookie's background color) on the back of the spider body cookie.
8. Gently place the spider body onto the spiderweb cookie without pressing down, to avoid cracking the web icing. Using royal icing that matches the spider's body, pipe four legs on each side, letting the icing connect to the body, run down the side, and onto the web. Use stiff royal icing for the legs—if you forgot to set some aside, thicken leftover icing with powdered sugar. The icing should hold its shape without spreading; if too thick, add a bit of loose icing to soften.
9. Place a running fan near stacked cookie racks with wet cookies and let them dry overnight. Even in humid conditions like Houston, they should be dry enough to stack by morning. Always ensure cookies are fully dry before stacking.