Gingerbread Cookies Valentine's Edition
Who says that gingerbread cookies are reserved for Christmas?
Equipment
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Cookie cutter
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (350 grams)
- ⅗ cup powdered sugar (80 grams)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ tbsp honey
- ¼ cup softened butter (100 grams) + 3 tbsps
- 4 tsp spice mix
- 2 tbsp white chocolate powder
Icing
- 1 ¼ cups icing sugar (200 grams)
- 4 tsp milk
- a pinch of food coloring
Instructions
Making the dough
- In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, powdered sugar, spices, white chocolate powder, a pinch of salt, baking powder, and soda. Add them all by sifting, as the dough will be flakier.
- Melt the butter and add it to the dry ingredients along with the eggs.
- You can use either your hands or a mixer with dough attachments. You are going for soft, elastic, non-sticky dough.
- Pack up the ball of dough in plastic wrap, and leave it in the fridge for about an hour. It’s important because it will be easier to spread out.
Spreading Out
- Preheat the oven to 360° F (180°).
- Spread out the dough directly on the baking paper that you previously lightly dusted with flour. Roll it out to half a centimeter-thick sheet.
- Now, take the molds and press them into the dough.
- If you want your cookies to be softer, leave them ticker, about one centimeter. Transfer them to the baking tray carefully and arrange them leaving a bit of space in between them. They are oven-ready at the same moment.
Baking
- Oven-bake your cookies at 360° F (180°) for 10-15 minutes. Baking time depends on the thickness and crispiness. If you want them extra crispy, wait for them to brown on the edges.
- Leave them to cool out on the rack for about 10 minutes, and you’re ready for the next step.
Making Royal Icing
- While the cookies rest, make two-ingredient royal icing. Simply mix powdered sugar and milk, plus food coloring optionally. The blend should be silky, shiny, and drip from the spoon, but keep its shape for a moment.
- Test it by trickling it on one cookie, if it’s too runny to overflow, add some more sugar. On the other note, if it’s too thick it leaves bumps behind, add a droplet of milk. Move your mixture to the icing bag and you’re ready for decorating.
Decorating
- Make a frame around the top of your gingerbread cookie, and fill it with the rest of the icing. You can also make two different thickness-icing bags, and use the thicker one only for framing to prevent it from dripping. It will stay as smooth and glazy as ever!
- Don’t touch the iced cookies for about 5-10 minutes until the glaze hardens.
Notes
Always keep your cookies in a dry place as the humidity will undoubtedly mess with their texture.
Always store them in airtight containers, jars, or tins.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 96kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 37mgPotassium: 25mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 65IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg