Merry (almost) Christmas!
I feel like I started celebrating the season super early this year and Christmas still snuck up on me! The holidays are always a busy time, but it is the best kind of busy.
In honor of it almost being the best day of the year, today I am sharing my favorite recipe for the most classic Christmas cookie of all time – the gingerbread cookie. I have made batches and batches of these treats already this year, but this recipe is not new to me; I’ve been making these to decorate with my family and Maj for years. I found the recipe in high school and have not looked back since. It is absolutely perfect! (You can find the original recipe here.)
The cookie itself is fantastic. It’s only mildly sweet, which allows the flavor of the spices to really stand out. For lack of a better description, these cookies taste like Christmas! The texture is dense, soft and chewy. The cookies hold their shape pretty well throughout the baking process and you can make them into any size or shape you want. (I would caution, though, that this recipe may not be the best choice for gingerbread house-making. They are probably a bit too soft to hold up under the weight that would be placed on them.)
While the cookies may be eaten by themselves, the best part of making gingerbread cookies is decorating them! The royal icing recipe I am including is my favorite for this purpose, as it is fairly simple and produces just the right texture to decorate these guys.
Making gingerbread cookies is a fun Christmas tradition that I look forward to every year. Once y’all try this recipe, I’m sure you will too!
Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
For cookies:
- 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 c. (180 g) dark brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 c. molasses
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
- 3 c. (410 g) all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. ground ginger
- 1-3/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
For frosting:
- 1 tbsp. meringue powder
- 2 tbsp. cold water
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 c. powdered sugar
- For cookies: Cream butter and dark brown sugar, about 3 mins. on medium speed.
- Add egg, molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and beat on medium speed for about 1 min. more.
- In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Add to wet ingredients and mix on low until a slightly crumble dough forms.
- Split dough into two sections. Wrap each in plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Dough may be refrigerated up to 3 days, but be sure to bring it back to room temperature before rolling.
- Once the resting period is over, preheat oven to 375˚. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Generously flour your work surface and rolling pin. Unwrap one portion of the dough and roll out to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut out desired shapes and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with other portion of dough.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 7-10 mins., just before the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
- For frosting: Using a hand mixer or the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, beat meringue powder and cold water on high about 2 mins.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix on low until all sugar is mixed in. Increase speed to high and beat until the icing begins to become stiff and holds its shape when the mixer is stopped, about 4 – 5 mins.
- Spoon frosting into a pastry bag and decorate cooled cookies.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! Happy baking!
<3 Meg
