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5 from 1 vote

Gingerbread Cookies

A holiday favorite! With classic royal icing and an easy glaze for all your holiday cookie decorating.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cookies, gingerbread, glaze, holiday
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 6863kcal
Author: Tricia

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ¼ cup hot water
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tablespoons ground ginger
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • Optional toppings:
  • Royal Icing (see recipe below)
  • Assorted candies
  • Sugar Crystals
  • Colored sugar
  • Vanilla glaze (see recipe below)

For the Icing:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon Meringue Powder

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 tablespoons hot water
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Cookies:

  • Beat the butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy. In a large measuring cup combine the baking soda and ¼ cup hot water. Stir until dissolved then add the molasses.
  • In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt and allspice. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the molasses mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Shape the dough into a ball and cover and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll the dough out to ¼-inch thick on a lightly floured work surface. Cut dough into desired shapes. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Spoon Royal Icing into a piping bag fit with a small tip and pipe icing onto the cooled cookies. Add candies, crystals or colored sugar as desired. Allow the icing to dry completely. Store cookies in an airtight container.

For the Icing:

  • Beat the sugar, water and Meringue Powder together until stiff peaks form.
  • Use immediately.

For the Glaze:

  • Stir ingredients together until smooth.
  • Lightly glaze each cookie as desired.

Notes

  • Gingerbread cookie recipe adapted from December 2011 Southern Living.
  • Cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months.
  • Royal Icing recipe adapted from Wilton.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 6863kcal | Carbohydrates: 1224g | Protein: 77g | Fat: 192g | Saturated Fat: 118g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 48g | Trans Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 488mg | Sodium: 2453mg | Potassium: 5883mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 689g | Vitamin A: 5687IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 901mg | Iron: 50mg