I discovered gingerbread cookies as an adult, just a few years ago!
When I was a child, they couldn’t be found, at least not in my area.
Then came Ikea, Halloween, globalization, and a thousand new and delicious things from around the world.
I started experimenting with some recipes because I wanted to create those beautiful gingerbread houses I saw online: delightful and decorated with royal icing.
So, as I experimented, I discovered this recipe that I’ve been using for many years now, and honestly, I no longer know whose creation it originally was.
I found it suitable for building the houses, delicious to eat, and very easy to make – simply fantastic.
You can decorate your cookies with royal icing, I’ll leave the recipe below:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Day
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven, Electric Oven
- Cuisine: European
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
I have listed the ingredients in the order they should be added to the stand mixer
- 6 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups butter
- 1 3/4 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 tbsp ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- A few ground cloves
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla
Tools
To make gingerbread cookies, we only need a few tools: you can also knead by hand, but the dough will be rougher.
- 1 Stand Mixer
- Plastic Wrap
- Cookie Cutters
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Ovens
- Baking Paper
Steps
Let’s start mixing
I use the sanding method. I add the flour and all the powdered ingredients including spices and all the butter cut into small pieces to the stand mixer.
I attach the paddle attachment and start mixing the butter and powders at low speed until there is no more visible butter and the mixture looks like sand.
At this point, I add honey and sugar, start the mixer, and let it run for a few minutes. After a few minutes, I add the eggs and restart the mixer at medium speed until the sides of the bowl are clean and all the ingredients have come together in a dough.
I take the gingerbread dough and wrap it in plastic wrap.
I place it in the refrigerator for a whole day.
After resting in the fridge for twenty-four hours, I take my dough and quickly knead it with my hands on the workbench.
Now I can roll it out with a rolling pin and cut shapes with my cookie cutters.
I place the cookies on the baking sheet with parchment paper (if you like the one in the photo, you can find it in the tools) and bake in a preheated oven at 340°F for about 15 minutes.
Let cool and decorate as you like with chocolate or royal icing.
Storage
Gingerbread cookies can be stored for a week in a well-sealed airtight container. A tin box is ideal!
