Gingerbread Cookies Royal Icing (Printable Version)
Crisp on edges, tender ginger-spiced cookies decorated with smooth royal icing for holiday charm.
# What You Need:
→ Gingerbread Cookies
01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
03 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1/2 cup molasses
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Royal Icing
12 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
13 - 1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
14 - 3 to 4 tablespoons warm water
15 - Food coloring (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Beat butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Incorporate molasses and egg, mixing until homogeneous.
02 - Whisk flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl until evenly blended.
03 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, blending to form a soft dough.
04 - Divide dough in half, shape each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters.
07 - Place cut cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are firm. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Combine powdered sugar and meringue powder in a bowl. Gradually add warm water while beating with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form (about 4 minutes). Adjust consistency if necessary. Add food coloring if desired.
10 - Transfer icing to piping bags and decorate cooled cookies. Allow icing to set before serving or storage.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Crisp edges with a tender center—the textural contrast that makes you want another one the moment you finish.
- Royal icing hardens to a glossy finish, so you can stack them without worry, and they actually taste better the next day.
- The molasses and warm spices feel fancy enough for a gift box but humble enough to eat straight from the cooling rack.
02 -
- If your dough is too soft after an hour of chilling, pop it back in the fridge for another 30 minutes—warm dough spreads in the oven and loses its shape.
- Royal icing thickens as it sits, so if it firms up too much while you're piping, add just a few drops more water and beat again.
- Don't skip the meringue powder thinking you can just use egg whites; meringue powder is already pasteurized and won't separate or weep.
03 -
- Add a pinch of black pepper to the spice mix—just 1/8 teaspoon—and suddenly the ginger feels sharper and more alive, like someone turned up the volume.
- If royal icing cracks while setting, it means the room is too warm or it dried too fast; next time, let it set slowly away from heat and drafts.