Midnight Black Cocoa Cutout Cookies + “Blood” Pomegranate Glaze

A cookie as dark as October at 5 pm. These crisp-edged, tender-center cutouts hold their shape perfectly and wear a glossy red glaze that looks dramatic without tasting like food dye. Think deep cocoa, a hint of salt, and a bright, tangy finish. So light the oven. Pull on your favorite apron. We’re making cookies that taste like October at 5 p.m., and look like a vampire tailor dressed them.

Yield: ~24–30 cookies at ¼-inch (varies by cutter size)

Ingredients

Cookies

Ingredient	US Amount	Metric (g/ml)	Notes
Unsalted butter, cool room temp (65–68°F)	1 cup	227 g	Slightly cool butter helps no-spread texture
Powdered sugar	1½ cups	180 g	Sift if clumpy
Large egg	1	50 g	Room temp
Pure vanilla extract	2 tsp	10 ml
All-purpose flour	2⅓ cups	300 g	Spoon-and-level if not weighing
Black cocoa powder	⅔ cup	65 g	Hershey’s Special Dark is not the same; use true black cocoa for color, I would recommend https://amzn.to/476F5Ek
Fine sea salt	¾ tsp	3 g
Milk (only if needed)	1–2 tsp	5–10 ml	Use to bring dough together if crumbly

“Blood” Pomegranate Glaze

Ingredient	US Amount	Metric (g/ml)	Notes
Powdered sugar	1¾–2 cups	210–240 g	Adjust to desired thickness
100% pomegranate juice	¼ cup + more to thin	60 ml+	Start with 60 ml, add by teaspoons
Light corn syrup or honey	1 tsp	5 ml	Adds shine + slower crusting
Fine sea salt	Pinch	~0.5 g	Balances sweetness
(Optional) red gel color	1–2 drops	—	Deepens ruby tone without flavor

METHOD: Ultra-Detailed, No-Spread Workflow

1) Prep & Temperature Control (5 minutes active)

1. Set racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat 350°F / 175°C (you’ll chill before baking, but preheating stabilizes the kitchen temp).

2. Line 2–3 sheet pans with parchment (not silicone; parchment encourages crisper edges).

3. Lightly dust a sheet of parchment for rolling; have a second sheet to go on top.

Why: No-spread cookies rely on cool dough + minimal air incorporation + cold pans.

2) Cream—but not fluffy (2–3 minutes)

1. In a stand mixer with paddle (or hand mixer), beat butter + powdered sugar on medium-low (speed 3–4) just until smooth, no visible sugar pockets, about 60–90 seconds. Scrape bowl and paddle.

2. Add egg + vanilla; mix 30–45 seconds until glossy and homogenous. Scrape again.

Target texture: Silky and cohesive, not light/whipped. (Too much air = puff/spread.)

3) Combine Dry & Form Dough (2–3 minutes)

1. In a bowl, whisk flour + black cocoa + salt until uniform (black cocoa clumps).

2. Add dry mix to the mixer in 2 additions on low. Mix just until it looks like damp crumbs starting to clump. If it seems sandy and won’t hold when pinched, drizzle in milk ½ tsp at a time (usually 1–2 tsp total) until it gathers.

Check: Pinch a bit—if it holds a clean edge without cracking, you’re there.

4) Roll Between Parchment (5 minutes)

1. Divide dough in half (about 290–300 g each). Shape into rectangles.

2. Sandwich each piece between parchment and roll to ¼-inch (6 mm) thick. Keep edges straight for efficient cutting.

3. Slide the parchment-sandwiched sheets onto pans and chill 30–45 minutes (or freeze 10–15 minutes) until firm but not rock hard.

Tip: Rolling first, then chilling = zero cracks and faster production.

5) Cut, Pan, and Shock-Freeze (10 minutes)

1. Peel the top parchment, dust cutters lightly if sticky, and cut bats/cats/coffins.

2. Transfer shapes to prepared pans with ~1 inch spacing.

3. Freeze 10 minutes to “set” edges. Meanwhile, gather scraps, press together (don’t knead), re-roll between parchment, and chill again before cutting.

No-spread insurance: Cold dough + cold pans = sharp silhouettes.

6) Bake (8–10 minutes per tray)

1. Bake two sheets at once on the upper-middle/lower-middle racks 8–10 minutes, rotating pans front-to-back and swapping racks at the halfway mark.

2. Doneness cues: Tops look matte, edges feel dry and set; the surface should not look oily. They may seem soft in the center—carryover heat finishes them.

3. Cool 5 minutes on the pan, then move to a rack to cool completely (30–40 minutes).

Avoid overbake: Black cocoa hides browning—use time + touch cues, not color.

7) Mix the Glaze (3 minutes)

1. In a bowl, whisk powdered sugar (start with 210 g) + 60 ml pomegranate juice + 1 tsp corn syrup/honey + pinch salt until smooth and ribbon-thick (think white glue).

2. Adjust: If too thick, add juice ½–1 tsp at a time; if too thin, add sugar by 1 Tbsp until it slowly self-levels. Add 1–2 drops red gel if you want a darker, blood-red hue.

Target viscosity: A spoonful drizzled back should disappear into the surface in 8–10 seconds.

8) Glaze Cleanly (10–15 seconds per cookie)

Dip method (glossiest):

1. Hold a cooled cookie upside-down and dip just the surface into glaze. Lift, let excess run off 2–3 seconds, then flip upright.

2. Gently coax glaze to the edges with a toothpick if needed; pop any bubbles.

3. Place on a rack over parchment to drip; set 45–60 minutes (or 20–30 with a fan).

Spoon method (for intricate shapes):

1. Spoon glaze onto center, push to edges with the back of the spoon or a small offset spatula.

2. Clean the edges with a damp fingertip for razor-sharp lines.

Optional garnish: scatter a few pomegranate arils on a serving platter (not on the cookies; moisture will spot the glaze).

9) Finish, Store, and Make-Ahead

• Texture: Crisp edges day 1, tender center. Glaze fully cures in ~1 hour; stack with parchment only after dry.

• Storage (glazed): Airtight at cool room temp up to 4 days.

• Storage (unglazed): Airtight 1 week or freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the closed container to prevent condensation.

• Make-ahead dough: Rolled sheets wrapped well: refrigerate 48 hours or freeze 2 months. Cut from cold; add 1–2 minutes to bake time if rock-cold.

Troubleshooting & Pro Tips

• Spreading? Dough was warm, butter too soft, or you over-creamed. Fix: chill cut shapes 15 minutes and bake on chilled pans.

• Crumbly dough? Add milk ¼–½ tsp increments; knead minimally to avoid toughness.

• Dull glaze? Increase corn syrup/honey to 1½ tsp or whisk an extra minute to smooth micro-bubbles.

• Bitter notes? True black cocoa is low-fat and can read intense; the glaze is designed to balance it. If sensitive, sub 10–15 g of the black cocoa with Dutch-process cocoa.

Optional Variations

• Spiced Noir: Whisk ½ tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp cardamom into the dry mix.

• Raspberry “Blood”: Swap pomegranate juice for strained raspberry purée; thin with a few drops of lemon juice.

• Sandwich Cookies: Pipe vanilla bean buttercream between two cookies; drizzle with a thin line of glaze for effect.