Halloween Cookies - Recipe and Spider Web Icing Tutorial

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and creamy.
2. Sift the plain flour, cornflour, mixed spice, and cinnamon into the bowl, then stir to combine.
3. Work the mixture into a smooth dough and roll it into a thick log shape.
4. Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour (or freeze for 15 minutes if you're in a hurry).
5. Unwrap the dough and cut it into 16 equal pieces.
6. Press each piece flat and form into a round disc roughly 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter.
7. Place the discs on a baking sheet and bake at 170°C (325°F, gas mark 3) for 30 to 40 minutes until they are lightly golden.
8. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Prepare a white glacé icing by mixing icing sugar with a little milk or water until you get a spreadable but not runny consistency.
10. For the black icing, combine a smaller amount of icing sugar with a few drops of black food coloring and a splash of water.
11. Spoon the black icing into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (or make a DIY bag from parchment or a zip-top bag with a tiny corner cut off).
12. Work on one cookie at a time, completing the web design before the white icing sets.
13. Spread a layer of white icing over the entire top of the cookie, bringing it close to the edges.
14. Using the black icing, pipe four concentric circles starting from the largest and getting smaller toward the center.
15. Take a cocktail stick and drag it from the center outward through all the circles, repeating about 7 or 8 times to create a spiderweb pattern.
16. Let the cookies dry completely, then enjoy.