
These dark chocolate biscuits are the ultimate spooky treat for Halloween parties or festive snacking. With a rich cocoa flavor and fun piped icing bones, they are as delicious as they are creepy!
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and caster sugar using a whisk or electric beaters until the mixture is smooth, pale, and fluffy.
Sift in the plain flour and cocoa powder, then add the black food colouring. Mix until a uniform dough forms. Wrap the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes; this makes it much easier to handle and roll.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough to a consistent thickness of about 1cm.
Use a person-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the biscuits. Arrange them on 2-3 large baking trays lined with parchment paper. Gather any excess dough, reroll, and repeat the process. Chill the cut-out shapes for another 30 minutes to help them retain their detail during baking.
Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan / gas mark 4). Bake the biscuits for 18-21 minutes, or until they are firming up around the edges. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl. Gradually stir in 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of water, mixing constantly until you achieve a thick, pipeable paste. Transfer the icing to a piping bag and snip a tiny hole at the tip.
Pipe bone shapes and a skull onto each biscuit to create a skeleton effect. Let the icing set completely before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.
Chilling the dough twice is the secret to preventing the biscuits from spreading, ensuring your skeletons don't look distorted. If you don't have black food coloring, the high cocoa content will still provide a dark enough base for the white icing to pop.