The moment I have this Christmas gingerbread cookies recipe baking in the oven and the smell of gingerbread in the air then I know it’s officially Christmas! From baking them as plain cookies, Christmas tree ornaments, as an edible wreath, a mini gingerbread house (to be a cute gingerbread mug topper) or more – gingerbread cookies are a truly versatile material to work with.
I keep seeing more and more pre-made gingerbread kits being released in stores but there’s no competition to homemade gingerbread cookies. In fact, if you’re looking for an impressive gingerbread house to make this Christmas then you might want to check out my new Gingerbread Mansion (as I like to call it). That recipe took me a LONG time to perfect but now it’s officially ready to share with everyone.
However, if want you’re wanting is a simple and delicious Christmas gingerbread cookie recipe then you’ve come to the right place. I decided to make my gingerbread cookies into various festive shapes so the sky is the limit as to what you want to create. Personally, I love making Christmas fawn and snowflake cookies. I then top these off with some simple royal icing decorations and they are the perfect treat. Not only for yourself but also as a delicious edible Christmas gift! And, if you’re wanting to make a lot of mini gingerbread houses, these work amazingly to top homemade cupcakes, mugs of cocoa etc. Not only do they look adorable and taste delicious – they are also sure to impress!
I like to use this recipe to make different shaped gingerbread cookies like fawn, trees, and snowflakes. Don’t worry, this recipe is perfect for Christmas gingerbread men, too.
What’s needed
For the Gingerbread cookies
Butter, brown sugar, golden syrup Eggs – I used Clarence Court Leghorn Whites eggs Plain flour, baking powder Ginger, cinnamon
For the Icing
Egg whites Lemon juice, mint extract Icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
Making the cookies
Begin by mixing together the butter, brown sugar, and golden syrup.
Beat them with a mixer until they are light and fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs and incorporate them well. Sift the dry ingredients – flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder – into the buttery mixture. Mix well and make sure there are no lumps of flour.
A pro tip – when the mixture becomes too thick to whisk, use a knife to finish incorporating the ingredients.
Knead the dough until it is smooth, then roll it out to a thin 5mm sheet.
You can easily roll it between two baking sheets and then move the baking sheets into the fridge.
Refrigerate for 15 mins. This will make it easier to cut out the shapes. Now comes the fun part. Roll the dough and using your favorite cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes.
Whatever dough is left, collect, make a ball, and re-roll again so you can cut more shapes.
Place the cookies on a baking tray covered with baking paper.
You can also make a mini gingerbread house. It’s the perfect addition to your latte or warm tea. You can print the template below or just cut out your own small pieces.
If you use the template, just outline each piece over the dough and cut with a small knife or a cutter.
Place on a baking tray covered with baking paper.
Bake the cookies for 8 mins or until lightly browned at 180°C. Leave them on a wire rack to cool completely before icing them. If you don’t then the icing will melt over the cookies.
Making the icing
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they become foamy.
Gradually add the lemon and icing sugar, making sure you incorporate them well into the egg whites.
Beat until the mixture is thick and creamy. Add a few drops of mint extract. Divide the mixture into bowls and tint each one with the desired color (if coloring). Pipe onto the cookies, bringing the different characters to life.
If you are making the mini gingerbread house mug toppers/cupcake topper, use the icing as glue to put together the house. Start by attaching 2 of the sides together and wait 1-2 minutes for the icing to harden before you attach the next side. These mini gingerbread houses are perfect top a mug of hot cocoa or a Christmas latte. They’d also look lovely on top of cupcakes.
Make sure the icing is completely dry before you store the cookies.
Other Christmas Dessert Recipes you might like
For the cookie obsessed, you might like these orange-infused sugar cookies. For a healthier option, you might like this Christmas Yogurt Bark or candy cane jelly and yogurt jars. As always, if you give this recipe a go then let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.
