Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing

These Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing have crispy edges, tender center and spicy bite and are topped with a light and fluffy royal icing. These cookies have a spicy, pungent bite from the molasses and combination of warm spices. The royal icing has a fluffy texture, but still skins over making the cookies easy to stack for Christmas cookie trays.

I only use real butter in my baking instead of shortening. Vintage recipes typically call for shortening to ensure less cookie spread, however to me it has a waxy texture and lack of flavor so I prefer to just use butter.

Ingredients to make Gingerbread Cookies

Dry Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• Butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
• Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by placing in a liquid measuring cup 1 tsp. of white vinegar and then filling up the measuring cup to the 1/3 c. Another option is to keep dry buttermilk in your pantry and just whip up as needed.
• molasses: There are 3 types of conventional molasses: regular, robust, and blackstrap. The sugar content varies from the way in which it was processed. The lighter the molasses, the sweeter it tastes. When measuring out molasses, lightly spray the liquid measuring cup with canola spray. This will ensure your molasses will pour out easier and you will get every drop measured out.

Make your own ingredients

Vanilla: Purchase Grade B vanilla beans (also called extract-grade), which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor. Place 8 oz. of bourbon (or vodka) in glass bottle or jar. Split 5 – 7 vanilla beans down the middle and add to bottle. Store in a cool, dark place for 3 – 6 months before using. It will keep for many years, so as you use it, just top off with more bourbon and more beans.

Buttermilk: Add 1 T. vinegar or lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup and add cream or whole milk until it reaches the 1 c. measure line and let it sit for a few minutes before use.

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How to make gingerbread cookies

1. GATHER EQUIPMENT

• Basic baking equipment: measuring cups and spoons, liquid measuring cups, spatula, bowls, cookie sheet, Silpat baking mat or parchment paper
• Highly Recommended: cookie cutters, piping bags, piping tips, stand mixer

2. MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH

• PREP: Cut 2 sheets of parchment paper for baking sheets. Whisk together dry ingredients. Pre-measure out molasses by lightly spraying the liquid measuring cup with canola spray. This will ensure your molasses will pour out easier and you will get every drop measured out.
• MAKE BATTER: Mix together butter and sugar, add dry ingredients, add wet ingredients.
• ROLL & CUT DOUGH: Roll out dough between the 2 sheets of parchment. After rolling out the dough between the parchment paper, chill for at least 1-hour to overnight. It is so much easier to cut shapes from chilled dough. Chill the cookie cut-outs again for 5 minutes before baking to keep the dough from spreading out during baking, thus preserving the shape of the cookie.

3. BAKE: 350° for 12 about minutes. Let cookies cool on a bakers rack before frosting them.

4. MAKE ROYAL ICING

• The fluffy frosting in this recipe has a light, marshmallow-like taste. It does involve a few more ingredients and steps than your typical royal icing, but is so worth it.
• For a simple royal icing: beat together 3 egg whites, 3 c. confectioners sugar, 1/2 tsp. cream of tarter and 1 T. vanilla.
• Since I only use natural, pure vanilla extract which tints the frosting, add a few drops of white food coloring to brighten up the frosting.
• Be sure to keep royal icing covered once it has been made. It dries out very fast and will harden.

6. DECORATE COOKIES:

• Fill piping bags with royal icing. Be sure to seal the open end either with a chip clip or Wilton Icing Ties. Keep filled piping bags upright in a glass. Place a moist paper towel at the bottom of the glass, as the icing will dry out fast.
• Easy Method: Fill a disposable tipless piping bag or even a ziploc bag with a corner cut out. I prefer to use tipless piping bags that are anti-burst and also textured. This helps provide a grip when both filling and holding the bag.
• Intermediate Method: Use piping bags filled with a piping coupler and metal tips. Wilton, PME, or Atteco are good brands of tips to use.

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Storage & Freezing

Store the cookies between parchment paper in sealed container or holiday tins. For a simple holiday gift, put some pretzels into a cello bag and tie with a cute bow. To keep during the holiday season, place container in cool part of the house or garage.

Another option is to individually bag each cookie in a translucent cello bag using a heat-sealer. Heat-sealers are simple to use and can really extend the shelf-life of a cookie.

You can also freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Place the cookies between layers of parchment or wax paper. To thaw, place container on counter-top and do not open the lid until they come to room temperature.

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Dietary Substitutions

For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. You can read more about my pro-baking here.

Here are a few basic tips when converting conventional recipes into specialty baked goods.

• Shelf Life: Specialty baked goods tend to dry out faster and have a shorter shelf life than conventional baked goods. Store in an airtight container on counter for 1 – 2 days. For longer storage, freeze up to 6 months. Avoid refrigerating, as it can dry out baked goods.
• Let Batter Rest: Alternate flours can be dense or slightly gritty compared to white flour, so be sure to let the batter rest at least 15 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator before baking. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and produce a lighter, tender crumb.
• Oven Temperature: Alternative flours are delicate and tend to brown faster before the center is cooked through. Reduce oven to 325° and bake “low and slow,” adding a few extra minutes of bake time if needed.

Gluten-Free (no gluten)

• Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe.
• Hydration: Gluten free flours can make baked goods dense. Add 1 tablespoon of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture.
• Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.

Vegan/Dairy Free (no animal products)

• Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture.
• Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
• Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
• Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.

Keto (low carb, high fat)

• Flour: Swap the white flour for almond flour or coconut flour.
• Sweetener: Replace sugar with Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener which calls for a 1:1swap that mimics granulated sugar.
• Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as coconut or almond milk.
• Hydration: Almond flour can make baked goods dense. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture. Add 1 additional egg to help bind the batter.
• Fat: Add up to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.

Wholesome (minimally processed)

• Flour: Swap out 1/3 to 1/2 of the white flour with King Arthur white whole wheat flour or King Arthur 100% whole wheat flour or Bob’s oat flour.
• Sweetener: Replace white sugar with maple syrup or honey. Use 3/4 c. honey for every 1 c. sugar. You can also swap out the white sugar with 1:1 swap using natural cane sugar, coconut sugar or date sugar.
• Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
• Lower Fat: For every 1 c. of butter, use 3/4 c. heart-healthy oil (like canola or extra-light olive) OR 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce + 1/2 c. oil.

Allergen Free (none of the 9 allergens)

• Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend that does not contain tree nuts or soy. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe. Here is a list of some other gluten-free flours to try.
• Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture. Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.
• Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat or coconut milk. Check the labels to make sure they are soy-free and nut-free.
• Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
• Nuts: Omit all peanuts and tree nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, or walnuts.

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FAQ’s

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