At a glance
You're making beautifully decorated honey gingerbread cookies that need a full day in the fridge before shaping and baking. The trickiest part is whisking the icing by hand for around 15 minutes until it reaches the right consistency for piping delicate decorations.
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Mix everything together
Mix all the ingredients together and knead into a firm, non-sticky dough. (4 teaspoons honey, and 1.5 teaspoons baking soda, cocoa to taste)
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Chill, then roll out
Let the dough rest in the fridge for 24 hours. Roll it out on a very lightly floured surface. The thickness of the cookies is up to you — some people prefer thicker, chunkier cookies, others like them thin. Just make sure all the pieces are rolled to an even thickness so they bake through evenly without burning.
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Cut out shapes and bake
Cut out shapes, brush with beaten egg, and bake. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for about 8–10 minutes.
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The Best Honey Gingerbread Cookies
bohynekuchyneIngredients — what you'll need
You only need 10 ingredients
Equipment
What you'll need besides the ingredients.
What's in it?
335 kcal
Calories
56 g
Carbohydrates
10 g
Fats
7 g
Proteins
The nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on the specific ingredients used.
About this recipe
The best Christmas gingerbread cookies I know. And the prettiest… My friend Ivana bakes them. Has done for years, always the same recipe. Still just as fragrant, soft and beautiful every time. And she decorates them absolutely stunningly, too — some of the loveliest gingerbread cookies I've ever seen. I love her style and her passion for what she does. Every year, her home smells like a gingerbread cottage in the run-up to Christmas.
Tips from the Yumsto kitchen
Why the gingerbread softens after baking
Honey and baking soda give the cookies their lift and their typical flavor. A day in the fridge lets the flour absorb the honey, so the dough rolls better and the spices mellow. Right after baking the cookies tend to be firm. In a closed tin the moisture evens out and they soften over several days. Beaten egg brushed on before baking gives them shine.
Decorating
Keep the icing covered with a damp cloth, as it dries quickly in the air. Test it with a drop on a cookie, as the recipe says: it should set quickly and not spread. Use thicker icing for outlines and fine lace, and thin it with a drop of lemon juice for flooding. Decorate only fully cooled cookies and let them dry overnight before stacking.
Icing safety and storage
The icing contains raw egg white. If pregnant women, young children, older people or anyone with a weakened immune system will eat it, use pasteurized liquid egg white. Always use fresh eggs. Store the cookies in a closed tin in a cool room; they keep for several weeks. To soften them, add a slice of apple to the tin. Replace it every day or two and watch that it doesn't turn moldy.
When something goes wrong
Hard cookies: they baked too long or are thin. Let them rest in the tin and they will soften. Runny icing: add sifted sugar. Icing cracks while piping: it is too thick, add a drop of lemon juice. Dark bottoms: the baking sheet was close to the lower element, bake in the middle of the oven.
Variations
Homemade gingerbread spice can replace store-bought; it is stronger, so start with less. The author adds cocoa to taste, and more cocoa gives a darker color. Color the icing with gel coloring; liquid coloring thins it.
Common questions
Is icing made with raw egg white safe?
For healthy adults using fresh eggs the risk is low but not zero. For vulnerable groups, use pasteurized egg white.
How far ahead can I bake them?
Two to three weeks before Christmas is fine. They need time to soften.
Why keep the thickness even?
Thin pieces burn before thick ones bake through. The same height means the same time on the tray.
What can I pipe with if I don't have a piping bag?
A plastic food bag with a tiny corner snipped off, as the recipe suggests. A sturdier piping bag with a fine piping tip gives a cleaner line.
Want a recipe like this every Thursday?
One recipe worth heating the oven for, and one tip that saves you time. Nothing else.
