Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread Cookies are fragrant with spices and molasses, and have a fantastic texture. Baking these will fill your kitchen with the most delicious scents of the season!
These are the very best gingerbread cookies I have ever made. I try to make them a bit different every year, using different cookie cutters and decorations.
How long do Gingerbread Cookies take to make?
It takes about 15 minutes to make the cookie dough, and then about an hour chilling time in the refrigerator. Once the dough has firmed up slightly, you can roll it out and cut out your shapes, which takes about ½ hour. The baking time is about 8-10 minutes, depending on how thin you roll out your dough.
Let’s talk about the ingredients for Gingerbread Cookies
Spices – The spices make the gingerbread fragrant and delicious! Don’t skip any of the spices.
Molasses – The fancy molasses gives gingerbread cookies it’s signature flavour.
Meringue powder – Used in the royal icing in lieu of egg white, meringue powder is the safer alternative and allows the icing to harden. It can be purchased at cake decorating supply shops or craft stores.
The Gingerbread Cookies Method
You can roll out this dough and cut it into shapes. You can even cut into large rectangles to make a gingerbread house!
Gingerbread Cookies
Equipment
- stand mixer
- Large bowl
- Sieve or flour sifter
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutters Various shapes
- Cookie sheets
- Cookie decorating tips
- Icing bag
Ingredients
Cookies
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper finely ground
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup fancy molasses
Royal icing
- 2-1/2 cups icing sugar
- 2-1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
- 1/4 cup water
Decorations
- Various coloured sugar, sprinkles, etc.
Instructions
Cookies
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in spices and salt until combined. Add egg and molasses and stir until combined. Add flour mixture on low speed. Chill dough for about an hour.
- Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Roll out dough to about 1/8" thick and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely before decorating.
Icing
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend icing sugar and meringue powder until combined. Slowly add water until combined. Beat for 10 minutes.
- Put icing into piping bag with a small round tip. Pipe designs onto cookies, then sprinkle with decorative sugar or sprinkles.
Notes
