These gingerbread cookies with all the delicious spices like ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg will make your kitchen smell like christmas as soon as they are in the oven.
After the cookies are baked and cooled down, the real fun can begin: decorate your gingerbread cookies. Spread the icing in several bowls and add a few drops of different food coloring as desired. Put on some christmas music and you are good to go. Let your creativity flow.
Soft in the center, crispy on the edges, perfectly spiced and incredibly delicious – these gingerbread cookies are perfect for the holiday season. I suggest to make at least 2 batches, because everyone will love them and they are gone in no time.
Tools & Equipment
- 2 large baking sheets
- 2 small bowls
- Cookie cutter
- Medium bowl
- Parchment paper
- Plastic foil
- Rolling pin
- Silicone baking mat
- Silicone spatula
- Squeeze bottles
- Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
- Wire rack
Recipe Tips
Spices: the amount of ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg used is quite small. You can taste it in the cookies, but it is not very intense. If you like it stronger, you can adjust it by using higher amounts.
The Dough: chill the dough for at least 2 hours. I left it in the fridge overnight and the next day it was really easy to roll it out and cut it using a cookie cutter. If the dough gets too warm at any point to hold its shape, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes until firm again.
The Glaze: if you don’t have a squeeze bottle, transfer the glaze into a piping bag. A ziptop bag, with a small hole in the corner works perfectly too.
How to make Gingerbread Cookies
Make the Cookies
Weigh your ingredients. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until combined and smooth, for about 1-2 minutes. Add the egg and molasses and beat until combined.
Slowly add the flour mixture on low speed and beat until incorporated. Shape the dough into a thick disk and cover with plastic. Place in the fridge for about 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 177°C / 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and divide into 2 equal parts. Place one half on a silicone baking mat, cover with plastic wrap and roll out with a rolling pin to a thickness of 1,9cm / 1/4-inch. Do the same with the remaining dough.
Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place them on the baking sheet. Re-roll the rest of the dough until all is used. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are slightly brown at the edges, rotating the sheets halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 3 minutes and then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Glaze
Gather your ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until thick and smooth. Add more milk if the glaze is too thick, or more sugar if it is too thin. Divide the glaze in two bowls, add red and green food coloring.
Transfer the glaze into a squeeze bottle and decorate the cookies as desired. Allow to set before serving or storing.
Storage: you can freeze the unglazed cookies for a few months! Place a sheet of cookies into the freezer until firm and then transfer them to an airtight container. If the cookies are already glazed, they will stay fresh for 2-3 weeks when stored in a covered jar, container or wrapped in foil. Keep cookies in a cool and dry place.
My Summary for Gingerbread Cookies
Difficulty: intermediate.
Taste: so deliciously christmassy.
Texture: the cookies are soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside
PROS: gingerbread cookies have a great texture and taste. Decorating these cookies was so much fun and they are a great gift, because they look so beautiful. All you have to do is to put a bunch of these cookies in a nice transparent bag, add a ribbon and that’ s it!
CONS: not much, but decorating these cookies was more work and took quite some time, because I used several colors and decorated all my cookies.
More “Festive” Recipes
- Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Bundt Cake
- Peppermint Bark Cookies
- Sea Salt Vanilla Caramels
- Speculoos Babka
- Vanilla Crescents
Recipe adapted from handle the heat.