Ghost Cookies

To prepare ghost cookies, first place the soft but still plastic butter, cubed, in a bowl 1. Add the powdered sugar 2 and mix with a wooden spoon until you achieve a creamy consistency 3.

Then add the seeds from a vanilla bean 4 and pour in the lightly beaten eggs 5. Mix well with the spoon 6.

Don't worry if the mixture seems separated 7. Add the flour all at once 8 and start kneading with your hands 9.

When the flour starts to absorb, transfer the mixture to a work surface 10 and knead it with your hands. Knead just enough to obtain a smooth dough 11. At this point, roll it out between 2 sheets of parchment paper 12 and place it in the refrigerator to firm up for 30 minutes.

After this time, take the dough and place it on a floured work surface 13 and roll it out with a rolling pin until you get a thickness of about 1/8 inch 14. If the dough is too hard, let it acclimate before rolling it out. At this point, using a heart-shaped cookie cutter (3x3 inches), cut out your cookies 15.

Carefully lift them one by one 16 and re-knead the scraps. Repeat this operation until you obtain about 25 hearts. Then divide each in half 17. Take one half and form a drop shape with your hands by twisting the final tip 18.

This way, you'll get about 50 little ghosts 19. Now, with a 1/2 inch smooth nozzle, create the mouth 20 and with a smaller one, 1/4 inch, create the eyes 21.

The first little ghost is ready 22; repeat the same operation for the others 23 and gently transfer them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 24.

Bake the ghost cookies in a preheated static oven at 340°F for 13-15 minutes. When they are just golden, take them out and let them cool 25, then sprinkle with powdered sugar 26 and serve your ghost cookies 27!