Gingerbread cookies, the spiced Christmas cookies to build a beautiful Santa’s village or to use as decorations for the house or the Christmas tree. Gingerbread cookies are spiced butter cookies, easy to make, and really very good. I made them for the first time this year, thinking to myself that since they had ginger I might not like them, but there isn’t just ginger in these cookies, also cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and honey that make them really special cookies, and in fact, I loved them so much, I hoped they would last a bit longer, but they were so good they disappeared in the blink of an eye. However, they can be made in advance, a few days ahead, great to give as Christmas gifts, also great in a mixed cookie gift pack for Christmas gifts.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 40 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas
Ingredients for making gingerbread cookies
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cold butter
- 1/4 cup wildflower honey
- 1 medium egg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch cloves
- 1 pinch baking soda (tip of a teaspoon)
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tbsps powdered sugar
- as needed Lemon juice
- sprinkles (optional)
Tools for making gingerbread cookies
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Fork
Steps to make gingerbread men and Santa’s village
In a large bowl, put the flour, sugar, powdered spices, baking soda, and cold butter from the fridge, honey, and salt, work to obtain a sandy mixture.
Now add the beaten egg and knead until you get a homogeneous dough. It will take some time to bind the dough well because at first it will seem like there are too few liquids, but as you work, the butter will warm up and incorporate into the dough, which will bind, working vigorously with both hands. If it turns out too dry, add a little more egg, beating it in a small bowl and adding a little at a time, but it shouldn’t be necessary. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for at least half an hour.
Take the dough again, work it to make it more elastic and easy to roll out, and with a rolling pin roll it out into a sheet about 1/4 inch thick, and with cookie cutters give it shape, gingerbread men, houses, trees, stars, bells, and so on.
Cut out all the cookies, using the scraps that you compact and roll out again, transfer to a baking sheet on parchment paper, or with silicone mat, bake the cookies in a static oven preheated to 338°F for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
When they are cool, decorate with sugar icing. I make it quickly with powdered sugar and a bit of lemon juice, about 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar in a bowl and a little lemon juice at a time until you get the right consistency, a writing icing.
Transfer the icing into a parchment paper cone and decorate as you see in the photo, making designs that match the object or subject to be decorated. We can add colored sprinkles. Let dry.
When the icing is completely dry, store in a closed container, so they will keep for several days as good as freshly made. Pay attention to humidity.
