The swirls of colorful dots on Dia de los Muertos Sugar Cookies are inspired by the festive, cut-paper banners that decorate the holiday alters in Mexico. This easy to create cookie is a delicious addition to a Day of the Dead celebration.
Why you'll love this recipe
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), celebrated on November 2nd, is a holiday with many traditions that honor the spirits of our ancestors. Some of those traditions are both colorful and sweet!
The vibrant colors of Dia de los Muertos decorations swirl around these festive cookies. The design is both easy to make and eye catching.
Chocolate cookies are topped first with white powdered sugar icing, then with brightly colored icing dots. No special tools are required.
Whether these cookies are shared in person or in a Day of the Dead Theme Care Package, they are sure to add sweetness to the day and become a holiday tradition!
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Combine the ingredients to form the sugar cookie dough.
- To chill, form the dough into a disc and wrap well in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours to 3 days.
- When ready to bake, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to slightly less than ½” thick.
- Cut out 2 ½" circles and transfer to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet about 1" apart. Bake cookies at 375 degrees F for 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire cooling rack before icing.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine ½ of the icing ingredients and mix until smooth. This outlining and flooding icing should be the consistency of white glue. Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (such as Wilton #3) or or plastic bag with a tiny corner cut off.
- Pipe the icing, outlining the top of the cookie, then fill in the outline. Allow the surface to set until dry to the touch (at least 2 hours).
- When ready to continue decorating, in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. This icing should be a little thicker and less runny than the first batch.
- Divide the icing in equal portions into 6 bowls and color with a few drops of food coloring gels. Then spoon the colored icing into separate piping bags or plastic bags fitted with a very small piping tip (Wilton #1), or very small corner cut from the tip of the bag.
- Pipe circles of different color dots onto the white surface. If using pre-made skull shape decorations at the center of the cookie, only pipe three circles of dots, leaving the center empty. Allow the dots to set for a few hours before attaching the decorations with a dab of icing as glue.
Storage
Store Dia de los Muertos Sugar Cookies at room temperature in an airtight container, with wax paper between layers, for up to 2 weeks.
For shipping, place each cookie individually in a self-sealing plastic bag. Then pack the bagged cookies snugly either in an airtight plastic storage container or stacked in a freezer weight ziplock bag.
Tips
- Always air dry iced sugar cookies overnight to allow the icing to harden before packing.
- For vibrant colors, use food coloring gel. Americolor gels create bright color with just a few drops.
- Self sealing, cellophane cookie bags keep individual cookies separated and fresh for longer. Cookie sized bags are available on Amazon.
Related recipes
Looking for a great care package idea? Check out this Day of the Dead Theme Care Package with recipes and decorating crafts.
Pabassinas are chewy, iced raisin nut cookies with delicious citrus and anis flavor. A delicious Mexican holiday treat.
Apple Cider Stamped Cookies are perfect Day of the Dead cookies when you use calavera skull cookie cutters with this spiced apple dough.
Polvorones are thick, bakery style, Mexican sugar cookies in bright colors and citrus flavors. This sugar cookie recipe is a Mexican tradition!
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Día de los Muertos Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup shortening
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅔ cup baking cocoa powder
- 3 cups all purpose flour 3 ½ cups if using the dough immediately without chilling
Icing (made in 2 separate batches)
- 8 cups confectioners' sugar
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 6 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2-3 drops food coloring gel 6 different colors
Instructions
Cookies
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar just until combined.
- Mix in eggs and vanilla. Then mix in salt, baking powder and cocoa.
- Gradually add the flour, 1 cup at a time. If making the cookies right away, use 3 ½ cups of flour. If refrigerating the cookie dough for use in several hours or several days, use only 3 cups of flour.
- To chill, form dough into a disc and wrap well in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours to 3 days.
- When ready to bake, heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to slightly less than ½” thick.
- Cut out 2 ½" circles and transfer to the prepared baking sheet about 1" apart. Bake for 7-8 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
Icing
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 4 cups of confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, and 3 tablespoons of corn syrup. Mix until smooth. The icing should be the consistency of white glue. Add more milk in tiny increments if needed to thin the icing to the desired consistency.
- Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (such as Wilton #3) or a plastic bag with a tiny corner cut off.
- Pipe the icing, outlining the outer edge cookie, then fill in the outline. Allow the surface to set until dry to the touch (at least 2 hours).
- When ready to continue decorating, in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the remaining 4 cups of confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, and 3 tablespoons of corn syrup. Mix until smooth. This icing should be a little thicker, and less runny than the first batch.
- Divide the icing in equal portions into 6 bowls and color with a few drops of food color gels. Then spoon the colored icing into separate piping bags fitted with a very small round piping tip (Wilton #1), or plastic bags with a very small corner cut from the tip of the bag.
- Pipe concentric circles of dots onto the white surface. If using pre-made decorations at the center of the cookie, only pipe three circles of dots, leaving the center empty. Allow the dots to set for a few hours before attaching the decorations with a dab of icing as glue.
- Air dry iced sugar cookies overnight to allow the icing to harden before storing or packing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Always air dry iced sugar cookies overnight to allow the icing to harden before packing.
- For vibrant colors, use food coloring gel. Americolor gels create bright color with just a few drops.
- Self sealing, cellophane cookie bags keep individual cookies separated and fresh for longer. Cookie sized bags are available on Amazon.
- Stack individually wrapped cookies (using cellophane cookie bags or plastic wrap) in an airtight container or freezer weight ziplock bag.
- Pad the box carefully to ensure no movement within the box during shipping.
Nutrition
First Published: October 29, 2016. Last Updated: October 24, 2022. Updated for additional information, improved photos, and better reader experience.
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
Beautiful cookies! Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party - can't wait to see what you'll bring next week. Have a fabulous week ahead.
The Monday Box
Thank you, Helen! They were fun to make and cheerful to share!
Sheri
These cookies are absolutely beautiful! They make me smile every time I see them on all the different link parties! Thank you for the inspiration!
The Monday Box
Thanks so much, Sheri! The bright, cheerful colors make me smile too! I sent these in a military care package, so hopefully that smile inducing quality was there when the box was opened! 🙂
mother of 3
Oh so fun! My middle son is a bit obsessed with the Dia De Los Muertos celebration so I just had to check out your goodies. I bet they brought a huge smile to our service men and women!
Jenny
I found you through one of the link up parties I frequent. However, I've been browsing your site for so long, I forgot which one! Anyway, I'm so glad I found you. I love these cookies! More importantly, I love everything about your blog. I'm a mom of one away at college and one heading into the Navy this week. I will definitely be back for some inspiration. Thank you SO much for sharing!
The Monday Box
Hi, Jenny! I am so glad you found The Monday Box, however you got here! 🙂 The desire to stay connected with our kids is universal. We do our jobs right, and they fly, but that doesn't mean it's easy. My heartfelt gratitude to your son and to your entire family for your service!
Donna @ Modern on Monticello
First of all, thank you for sending packages to our soldiers. These cookies are amazingly beautiful and almost too pretty to eat. Almost! I'm sure they were very appreciated. Thank you for sharing with #HomeMattersParty
Miz Helen
These cookies are just beautiful, I pinned them! I really appreciate you sharing your awesome post and your talent with us at Full Plate Thursday.
Have a great weekend and come back soon!
Miz Helen
leslie
Bless you and bless the soldier recipient of this darling box. I love, love, love dia de los muertos. Always create an altar for my nephew. And in my work as an elementary librarian in a predominantly Hispanic community, I enjoy sharing this celebration of life with my students. I have written about the holiday on my blog as well.
Came across your link on Penny's Passion Friday Favorites. So glad I did!
Thank you for your thoughtfulness and big heart!
XO
The Monday Box
Thank you, Leslie! I am so glad you found The Monday Box on Penny's Passion Friday and stopped by! I was disturbed by the imagery of Dia de los Muertos, until I learned the history and meaning of the holiday. It really is a celebration of life and remembrance day of our loved ones. Most of the time, Soldiers Angels volunteers don't hear from our adoptees. They often don't have time or access to respond. But, we do know that care packages are a reminder of home and that their service is appreciated. I hope this box made my soldier smile. 🙂