Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing

Classic gingerbread cookies, perfect for decorating with royal icing. A fun and festive activity for the whole family!

Prep Time

30 minutes

Total Time

1 hour

Calories

170 kcal

Difficulty

Medium

Equipment

6 items

Cost

£0.28/serving

Season:

🌍 Year-round

Meal Type:

Dessert•Bread

Cuisine:

Asian

Ingredients

Servings

3cupsAll-Purpose Flour(Plus more for dusting)

£0.45

1.5teaspoonsBaking Soda

£0.03

1tablespoonGround Ginger

£0.15

1tablespoonGround Cinnamon

£0.12

0.5teaspoonGround Cloves

£0.08

0.3teaspoonSalt

0.5cupUnsalted Butter(Softened)

£1.25

0.8cupPacked Brown Sugar

£0.35

0.5cupMolasses(Unsulphured)

£0.60

1Egg(Large)

£0.30

1teaspoonVanilla Extract

£0.15

4cupsPowdered Sugar(For royal icing)

£1.50

3tablespoonsMeringue Powder(For royal icing)

£0.75

5tablespoonsWarm Water(For royal icing)

as neededFood Coloring(Gel food coloring preferred, for royal icing)

£1.00

Total Cost

£6.73

£0.28 per serving

Instructions

1.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
3.
Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
4.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
5.
Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight.
6.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
7.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes.
8.
Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each cookie.
9.
Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10.
While the cookies are cooling, prepare the royal icing: In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add the warm water, one tablespoon at a time, and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined.
11.
Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 5-7 minutes, or until the icing is stiff and glossy. Adjust the consistency with more water, one teaspoon at a time, if needed.
12.
Divide the icing into separate bowls and tint with gel food coloring, if desired.
13.
Transfer the icing to piping bags fitted with small round tips. Decorate the cooled gingerbread cookies as desired.
14.
Let the royal icing dry completely before storing the cookies in an airtight container.

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My Notes

Nutrition Information

Nutrition per serving (42g)

170 kcal / 711 kJ

Carbs

31.4g

12% of RDA

Fat

4.8g

7% of RDA

Protein

1.3g

3% of RDA

Detailed Breakdown

Fibre

0.4 g

1% of RDA

Sugar

21.7 g

24% of RDA

Sodium

42 mg

2% of RDA

Saturated Fat

3 g

15% of RDA

Chef's Tips

Chilling the dough is essential for easy rolling and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.

For a softer cookie, bake for slightly less time. For a crisper cookie, bake for a bit longer.

If the royal icing is too thick, add a tiny bit of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency. If it's too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.

Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They can be stored for up to a week.

Make sure the cookies are completely cool before icing, otherwise the icing will melt.

For outlines on the cookies, use thicker icing. For filling in large areas, thin the icing with a bit of water until it's a more floodable consistency.

Cooking Equipment

Oven

Mixing Bowls

Rolling Pin

Cookie Cutters

Baking Sheets

Piping Bags

Wine Pairings

No wine pairing suggestions available for this recipe.

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