Gingerbread Cookies

The cutest soft-decorated gingerbread cookies. Your kids will LOVE making these. The gingerbread decorating ideas are easy and always look great!

Course: Baking

Cuisine: New Zealand

Keyword: gingerbread cookies, gingerbread cookie recipe, soft gingerbread recipe, gingerbread nz, gingerbread cookie decorating ideas

Servings: cookies

Calories: 181kcal

4.41 from 59 votes

Start by whisking the dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg
Separate the eggs, gentley whisk together the 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg.
In a large mixing bowl beat/cream the butter, caster sugar and, golden syrup. I use an electric beater for this.
While beating slowly pour the eggs into the creamed butter, sugar, and syrup.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, one third at a time. By this I mean add one third of the dry ingredients, mix until combined and then add the next third until all the dry ingredients have been added. I use a wooden spoon for this stage.
Split the dough into two balls, flatten these into disks (makes it easier for rolling later) wrap in cling wrap or a beeswax wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius.
Bring the gingerbread dough out from the fridge, allow it to soften. Roll out each disk to 5mm thick, I do this between two sheets of baking paper. Use cutters to cut your gingerbread into Christmas shapes. Re-roll the offcuts until you have used all the dough.
Bake the cookies on baking paper-lined trays for 10-15 minutes. They will be golden when cooked. Cool the cookies completely on cool racks.

Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl. Add 2 Tablespoons of the icing sugar and whisk until well combined.
(This makes ALOT of royal icing, but means you have plenty for lots of colours, flood icing if you decide to. But you can halve the recipe)
Continue to add the icing sugar 3-4 tablespoons at a time whisking between every addition. When you have added about half of the icing sugar add the lemon juice. Continue adding and shisking in the icing sugar until it is all gone.
You can now diivide the royal icing into smaller bowls and colour with food colouring if desired. Use piping bags to decorate your cookies.

My top tip for making gingerbread cookies with your kids is to do it on a day when you aren't in a rush when you are feeling patient. Because honestly baking with kids doesn't always end up as fun as it looks on Instagram!
You can freeze the uncooked dough wrapped. in cling film for up to 3 months, you can also freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Plain flour: I have successfully made these gingerbread cookies with gluten-free flour.
Caster Sugar: These cookies are lovely made with brown sugar.