Gingerbread cookies
Instructions
Gingerbread dough:
Roll and cut out:
Decorating icing:
Tips
Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also sometimes be the busiest. This is why it is great to know that these cookies can be prepared well in advance and stored in multiple different ways. In a refrigerator, gingerbread cookie dough will stay good for to 1-2 weeks, if you keep it tightly wrapped, or you can freeze the uncooked cookies either as an unrolled dough or cookies for up to 3 months in the freezer wrapped tightly in cling film. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator.
Questions about gingerbread cookies
Baking delicious Christmas treats that may also double as homemade, edible decorations in your house or on your Christmas tree is easy with our recipe for gingerbread cookies. Below, you can learn more about making, decorating, and storing the spiced cookies.
With our gingerbread cookie recipe, it is easy to make cookies that taste just as good as they look after you finish decorating them. Simply prepare the dough and let it rest for a couple of hours, making it firm and workable, before rolling it out and using your favourite cookie cutters to make fun shapes. Bake the cookies, and as you allow them to cool until they crisp up, remaining chewy in the middle. Then, whip up your homemade icing so you are ready to decorate. Serve the cookies with a nice hot beverage or take a leaf out of Santa's book and enjoy them with a glass of cold milk!
The easiest way to make a recognisable gingerbread man is to use a cookie cutter in the desired shape. After baking and cooling the cookie, use a sweet, homemade icing to decorate the gingerbread man-shaped cookie. Give him his characteristic look by outlining the edge or making zig-zag patterns at his wrists and ankles and giving him eyes, a smile, and buttons – or maybe a stylish butterfly, tie, or winter scarf.
Because a gingerbread cookie is a slightly dry and chewy cookie containing little moisture, they have a long shelf life compared to other kinds of homemade cookies. Undecorated, these cookies will keep for 2-3 weeks if stored in an airtight container placed somewhere cool and dark. Decorated with royal icing, as suggested in our recipe, the decorated cookies should be enjoyed within 2-3 days.
Gingerbread cookies may be prepared in advance and frozen. Undecorated, baked ones will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Store them in an airtight container, separated by sheet or wax paper if you have more than one layer. Take them out and let them to thaw for about 15-30 minutes before decorating them. Refrain from decorating the cookies before storing them as frosting and decorations do not hold up well in the freezer.
Exact baking times may, as you have possibly already experienced, depend on your oven. The recommended baking time for these Christmas cookies is 5-7 minutes. Check on your cookies after 5 minutes but do not despair if you need to bake them for a little longer than 7 minutes. When the cookies are golden and their edges firm when gently touched, they are done.
Baked gingerbread cookies should be stored in an airtight container in a place that is both dark and at least somewhat cool. Whether or not you have decorated the cookies, they may be stored at room temperature. After decorating your cookies, store them in a single layer so the decorations are not ruined. Never put away cookies before they are completely cool as trapped heat may cause them to become soggy.
Royal icing made from icing sugar and egg whites is a great choice for decorating the spiced Christmas cookies. Getting the consistency right is key to creating a beautiful-looking gingerbread cookie with icing and colourful decorations. If your gingerbread icing has become too thick, try adding a bit off water. If it is too thin, on the other hand, try to keep beating it. If this does not help, try adding a bit more icing sugar. Experiment with finding a consistency that works for the gingerbread decorations you want to create.
Ingredients
Gingerbread dough:
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Dark syrup
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150 ml |
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Brown sugar
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250 g |
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Butter
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200 g |
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Double cream
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150 ml |
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Ground ginger
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1 tbsp |
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Ground cinnamon
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1 tbsp |
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Ground cloves
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½ tbsp |
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Ground cardamom
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½ tbsp |
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Ground white pepper
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½ tsp |
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Baking soda
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1 tbsp |
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Flour
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650 g |
Decorative glaze:
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Icing sugar
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200 g |
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Pasteurised egg whites
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3 tbsp |
Other recipes
Festive gingerbread cookies
With our easy gingerbread cookie recipe, it is simple to make a tasty treat that is sure to get anyone who tastes one into the Christmas spirit. Their characteristic spice blend has a warm aroma, and the scent they spread throughout the house is sure to have everyone running for the kitchen to take part in what may be the funniest part of making Christmas cookies – the decoration. These crispy and chewy cookies can be decorated however you like. Gingerbread decorations are a fun way to make your own Christmas décor and with hanging gingerbread ornaments you can even add them to your Christmas tree.
If you are looking for other ways to enjoy the spiced, Christmassy bakery and its spices, why not have a look at our recipes for heart-shaped soft gingerbread cakes or a beautiful gingerbread house which may, just like these cookies, be decorated with friends and family for a jolly holiday experience.
Make the perfect icing for gingerbread cookies
The ideal kind of icing to use to decorate gingerbread cookies is royal icing. Royal icing is easy to make and requires just two ingredients: icing sugar and egg whites. Using this type of icing for decoration purposes is great because it dries fast and hardens without dulling or losing shape as it sets, making it stick better to the cookies – something that is needed if they are to be used as gingerbread ornaments for hanging. Add food colouring to make different vibrant colours so you can create the perfect festive look.
How to decorate gingerbread cookies
Gingerbread cookies can be decorated in a myriad of ways. Just remember to let the cookies cool and crisp up around the edges before doing so. The homemade royal icing can used to make wonderful patterns in different colours to make the cookies resemble whatever they are shaped as – whether that be a white or silver snowflake, a red heart, a multi-coloured gingerbread man, or a green Christmas tree with a gold star and red ornaments.
You can also use the icing to 'glue' on decorative features like tiny sugar pearls and children scraps with holiday motives like Santa Claus or cherubim angels or to 'catch' edible glitter in festive colours. Decorating cookies is a wonderful way to be creative in the kitchen for children and adults alike, and you might even try having a friendly contest to see who can decorate the best gingerbread cookies.
Add your own touch
To give your Christmas cookies a refreshing twist, experiment with adding lemon and orange juice and/or zest to you batter. The tanginess and slight touch of bitterness that citrus brings to the cookies gives them a delightful zing. You can also add chopped candied ginger to the batter. This will give a more intense ginger flavour and a unique chewiness to the cookie.
Another way that citrus flavours may be incorporated into this gingerbread cookie recipe is to add lemon or orange juice or extract to the sweet icing. If you want to experiment with fun flavours that are even more out there, a few drops of a flavouring oil, like a Christmassy peppermint, may also be used to spice up a royal icing.