The Halloween season is upon us! If you are looking for a quick and simple cookie treat that is all cute and no spook, I’ve got just the design for you. It’s a simple skeleton cookie with a Day of the Dead skull vibe that will be just the thing for little goblins!

I gathered inspiration from a few of my favorite cookie peeps (I’m looking at you Make Me Cake Me and Munchkin Munchies!) and came across the perfect decorating sprinkles to create these easy Halloween skeleton cookies. Here’s a brief how-to for you to try!

Start with your favorite roll out cookie recipe and a gingerbread man cookie cutter. I loved the general look of this bear cutter, so I trimmed the ears off before baking to make my skeleton shape. It worked like a charm!

Ice the entire base of the cookie and while it’s still wet, drop bone sprinkles where the limbs would be (these particular candy decorations I found at Target). Let the icing slightly set, about 30 minutes. I use an oscillating fan or small portable heater fan to speed up the drying process.

After the base is ready, pipe the ribcage and a skull-like face. Immediately add eye sprinkles in place. I came across these Wilton Tattoo Daisy Sprinkles by chance and knew they would be the perfect detail for my skeleton cookies! They bring a bit of whimsy to the design and make the decorating so easy. Always a bonus in my book! 😉

Included in the jar of bone candies I mentioned above were these black bats. I stuck a few to the top of the skulls when the icing was still soft to simulate a batty bow. Just an FYI, they were sort of large, so I had to hold it in place a few extra seconds to get it to stay. Looks sweet though!

Once the cookies are completely dry*, preferably overnight, finish the skeleton cookies by drawing a big smile with an edible food marker.

*My impatience in waiting to see the end result caused my marker to go through the icing on a few, so really, try and wait. When this occurs there will be marker bleed and frustration and then shame. I hate messing up at the very end because of my restlessness. ARG!

And they’re done! My cute-not-scary easy skeleton cookies for Halloween!

One last note, dear readers…I created these guys for this year’s 4th annual Go Bo! Foundation Bake Sale, held in beautiful Door Co., WI. This cause is so dear to my heart, because it is based on the notion of kindness and was started in honor of a young man wise beyond his mere 13 years on this earth.

Bo Johnson was a boy who’s message to us all was to help one another out, pay it forward, and to always be kind. After his passing from a rare from of leukemia in 2012, the Go Bo! Foundation was created by his awesome mom, Annika. This non-profit helps kids with cancer and their families by assisting them financially, as well donating to organizations dedicated to childhood cancer research.

Thanks to the tireless work of JillFCS and FlourGirl Patissier, many of us have watched this bake sale grow exponentially since the very beginning (last year this mighty, homegrown sale raised $25,000 for the foundation, with the help of cookie artists from all over the world!). I’ve had the honor of meeting Annika and several of Bo’s incredible doctors, and listened them speak so highly of a remarkable boy and his vision. I am truly humbled to be a part of it all. We hear you, Bo, and we our doing our best to carry on your wish! GO BO! ❤

Find more information about the bake sale on the Facebook page, Go Bo! Foundation Bake Sale, and the foundation it supports at www.gobofoundation.org.