Although we don’t celebrate Christmas I love the spirit during this time of year. In keeping with the spirit of the season I thought I should make some Easy Gingerbread Cookies with my 12-year-old, but of course after attempting a few he decides he’s had enough.
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
I am sure it’s a little different trying to bake cookies with little girls. My son thinks baking and decorating cookies are far too complicated for him and far too much work. Eating, of course is no problem.
As you all know my middle name is “simple”. I love keeping things simple and easy. Therefore these cookies are exactly that way.
My friend shared her recipe with me, however I did adjust the recipe according to my taste. As you would know I don’t do super sweet anything, For me sugar is always used in moderation.
However, if you prefer much sweeter cookies feel free to add more sugar. I am sure most people think gingerbread cookies are complicated but really they are not.
I also tried to stick to simple ingredients. Most ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Although I used Demarera Sugar, normal brown sugar is also fine.
Making the Cookies
If you are not a professional baker or you’re just starting out it can take a little longer to cut out the cookies and decorate them.
I am no decorator so it took me at least 2 hours to decorate my cookies. I also don’t have a very steady hand so I had to really focus. But please know that you don’t have to decorate them like I did.
If you want to use dots instead of lines go ahead. Decorate them, how ever you wish. Cookie making is supposed to be fun after all.
Of course, if the kids are making them you are not going to stress over whether they’re perfect or not. It’s about letting them have a ball decorating their own cookies.
My friend lent me her little cookies cutters so I got to make some really cute cookies. The cookies cutters were about 4cm in diameter so I got about 40 cookies from the dough.
You can use any shape you want.
The Cookie Dough
Like most cookie dough you beat the butter and sugar and then add the other ingredients. The dough should be pliable. You will need to roll it out so you don’t want a crumbly dough.
You can refrigerate your dough before cutting the shapes, about an hour should do. It’s easier to create perfectly neat shapes if your dough is cold.
To be safe I refrigerate my dough another 30 minutes after cutting them. When the dough is cold it doesn’t spread in the oven.
Royal Icing
I made a royal icing for these Easy Gingerbread Cookies. My friend gave me a recipe she’s been using for years and the ratios work perfectly. The only thing I did was “cook” my egg whites and adjust the amount of lemon juice.
The raw eggs never appealed to me. I decided to “cook” my eggs, like you would for a swiss meringue. I put a bowl with the egg white on a pot of simmering water and whisked until it warmed up.
It is then beaten with the icing sugar and you add some lemon juice to reach the desired consistency. For these cookies I didn’t use a nozzle in my piping bag.
If you have one feel free to use it. I hardly do much fancy cookie decorating so I don’t use the little nozzles much. Although I am sure I have it in my giant cookie decorating box.
If you do try this recipe please drop me a comment and a star rating. It is always appreciated.
More Cookie Recipes to try:
Shortbread (Made with just 3 Ingredients)
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 125 gram/1/2 cup butter
- 1/3 cup demerara sugar with treacle syrup
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 1&1/3 cup cake wheat flour
- 2 tsp ground dry ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Royal Icing
- 1 large egg white
- 150 gram icing sugar about 1 cup and 2 tablespoon
- 1 tsp lemon juice may require more
Instructions
Cookies
- Beat the butter and sugar until creamy
- Mix in the golden syrup
- Slowly add in the flour and bicarbonate of soda. Mix until you form a soft dough. You may require a couple more tablespoons of flour. Ensure the dough is not stiff
- Roll the dough into a ball, flatten and wrap in clingwrap. Refrigerate for one hour
- Line two cookies sheets with parchment paper and set aside
- Roll out the dough, about 1/2cm thickness and cut into shapes. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius
- Refrigerate for another 30 minutes and bake for 10-12 minutes. If you want it softer bake for less time or a bit more crunchy bake for a little longer
- Cool on wire rack
Royal Icing
- Bring a saucepan, half filled with water to a simmer. Place the egg white (room temperature) in a heatproof bowl and place on top of the pot. Ensure the water doesn't touch the bowl
- Whisk the egg white until it becomes foamy and warm to the touch
- Remove the bowl and using an electric mixer or by hand, whisk the egg white together with the sifted icing sugar, about 1-2 minutes. Add lemon juice to reach the desire consistency. I added 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Place the icing in a piping bag and cut a tiny hole. Once the cookies are cool you can decorate them as desired
Notes
- The amount of ginger was perfect for us but feel free to add more if you wish
- These cookies were not super sweet so here too you can adjust the amount of sugar according to your preference
- You will have some remaining royal icing. Unfortunately you cannot use any less that one egg white. I have seen people freeze royal icing so you could try that. Although I have not tried it myself. You can use the icing for my basic butter cookie recipe too.
- I used the Robertson's brand of mixed spice. It is easily found in most supermarkets
- Although I used Demerara Sugar with Treacle Syrup you can use normal brown sugar if you wish
- Please sift your icing sugar for the royal icing or you will have lumps in the icing
- If you happy to use the egg white without cooking feel free to do so
