Gingerbread Cookies

4.41 from 59 votes

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

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Resting Time20

Total Time1

Course: Baking

Cuisine: New Zealand

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

Servings: cookies

Calories: 181kcal

Author: Stacey

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. Set aside the egg whites for the royal icing.
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.

(This makes A LOT of royal icing, but means you have plenty for lots of colours, flood icing if you decide to. But you can halve the recipe)
Whisk or beat the egg whites until frothy.
Add the icing sugar, one third at a time, beating between each addition until all the icing sugar has been added. If your icing gets too stiff to beat at this point, add a little of the lemon juice.
Add the lemon juice one tablespoon at a time, beating between each addition. Your royal icing should be smooth, white and glossy and ready for piping.
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 Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies with gluten-free flour.
- Golden Syrup: This can be substituted for molasses

- Spices: I use a combination of ground ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. You can skip the nutmeg if you don't have it in your pantry. If you are doing this replace it with extra cinnamon.

Royal Icing: I decorate my cookies with royal icing, food colouring, sprinkles, and sweets. To make your own royal icing you will need egg whites, icing sugar and lemon juice. You can of course decorate your gingerbread with buttercream or melted chocolate if you prefer.

Use white royal icing to decorate your Christmas stars, any white decoration will look great
Squiggles
Polka dots,
Spirals
Solid white flood icing
Add colourful sprinkles