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Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing Recipe

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4.8 from 119 reviews

Classic gingerbread cookies made with warm spices and molasses, baked to soft perfection and decorated with smooth, colorful royal icing for a festive holiday treat. This recipe includes detailed instructions for making the dough, chilling, baking, and decorating with easy-to-pipe royal icing in multiple colors.

Ingredients

Scale

Gingerbread Cookie Dough

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (50g)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
  • 1/4 cup dark molasses (70g)
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, fluffed and spooned (290g)
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt

Royal Icing

  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (454g or 1 lb. box)
  • 3 Tbsp meringue powder (28g)
  • 1/3 cup water, room temp (80g)
  • 2 Tbsp vanilla or almond extract (24g)
  • Additional water to adjust flooding consistency
  • Red gel food coloring
  • Green gel food coloring
  • Black gel food coloring

Optional Decorations

  • 1 cup white sanding sugar

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Dough: Cream butter and both sugars using an electric mixer on medium-high for about 2 minutes until lighter in color. Add the egg and molasses and mix on medium until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Incorporate the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt on low speed until just combined, then scrape the bowl again.
  2. Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two halves, flatten each into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour in the fridge or 15 minutes in the freezer. Overnight chilling is possible; allow dough to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before rolling.
  3. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: About 30 minutes before rolling, heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
  4. Roll and Cut Cookies: Roll out one dough portion on a flour-dusted surface or on plastic wrap to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters, placing cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Optional: chill cut-out cookies again for 15 minutes in the fridge or 5 minutes in the freezer for less spreading.
  5. Bake: Bake cookies one sheet at a time on the middle oven rack for 10-11 minutes. Edges should be set while centers remain slightly soft. Let cool on the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  6. Reuse Dough Scraps: Knead leftover dough scraps, rewrap, and chill until ready for the next batch. Repeat rolling, cutting, and baking with remaining dough.
  7. Make Royal Icing: Whisk powdered sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Gradually add water and extract, mixing first at low speed and then medium until stiff peaks form (about 2-3 minutes). Thin icing by adding water 1 Tbsp at a time until soft peaks form and icing holds shape.
  8. Color Icing: Separate icing into portions for colors: 8 oz white (leave uncolored), 2 oz red, 2 oz green, and 3 oz black. Use gel food coloring to tint each, and place in piping bags sealed at the top.
  9. Adjust Flooding Icing: Thin remaining white icing with 1 tsp water additions until flooding consistency is reached, able to run off a spatula in a thick stream and settle in about 8 seconds. Place in a piping bag.
  10. Decorate Cookies: Using piping bags with very small openings (1-2 mm), pipe thicker icing to outline and add details, then flood with thinned white icing inside outlines. Sprinkle sanding sugar over wet icing if desired for sparkle. Allow icing to dry for several hours until firm.
  11. Storage: Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months. Use parchment paper between layers if stacking.

Notes

  • Chilling dough helps prevent spreading and improves texture.
  • Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without altering icing consistency.
  • Allow cookies to cool completely before decorating to prevent icing from melting.
  • Thinning royal icing slowly ensures proper flood consistency for smooth finishes.
  • Store cookies in airtight containers to maintain freshness; freeze for long-term storage.

Keywords: Gingerbread cookies, royal icing, holiday cookies, Christmas cookies, spiced cookies, molasses cookies, decorated cookies

Find it online: https://todayfoodrecipe.com/gingerbread-cookies-with-royal-icing-recipe/