It’s the holidays, which means it’s time to get into the kitchen and start baking! This gingerbread cookie recipe is the perfect way to show off your holiday spirit – your friends and family will be impressed with your handiwork, and they’ll love the delicious taste of these cookies. You can also use this recipe to bake the components for your Christmas-inspired gingerbread house!

Easy Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (120ml) unsulphured molasses
• 1 tablespoon water

Royal Icing:

• 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) meringue powder
• 6-8 tablespoons (88-120ml) water, divided
• Food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

1. Make the gingerbread dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Beat in the egg, molasses, and water until well combined.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
7. Roll out the dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the dough halves to 1/4-inch thickness.
8. Cut out the gingerbread house pieces: Using a paper template or freehand drawing, cut out the pieces for the gingerbread house, such as the front and back walls, side walls, roof pieces, and door.
9. Transfer the gingerbread house pieces to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
11. Let the gingerbread house pieces cool completely on the baking sheets.
12. Make the royal icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and 6 tablespoons of water until smooth and stiff. If the icing is too thick, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.
13. Decorate the gingerbread house: Transfer the royal icing to a piping bag fitted with a small tip. Pipe icing along the edges of the gingerbread house pieces to glue them together. Let the icing set completely before adding more pieces.
14. Use the remaining royal icing to decorate the gingerbread house with intricate designs, candies, or sprinkles.

Tips for Gingerbread Cookie Decorating

🍪 Get creative with your decorating! Use different colors and patterns of icing to make your gingerbread house cookies stand out.

🍪 Be careful not to overdo it with the candy decorations. A little goes a long way when it comes to these sugary treats!

🍪 Use a variety of gingerbread cookie cutters to add interest to your houses. Try to avoid using the same cutter for all of the pieces.

🍪 Have fun with it! Decorating gingerbread houses is a great activity to do with kids or friends. Enjoy the process and don’t be too worried about perfection.

🍪 Use different kinds of candy and decorations to create unique designs.

🍪 Make mini gingerbread houses that can be used as Christmas tree ornaments.

🍪 Use a mold or cookie cutter to create houses in different shapes and sizes.

🍪 Make gingerbread house “bricks” by baking the dough in thin strips.

Get Baking!

There you have it—a delicious and easy recipe for gingerbread house cookies. With just a few simple ingredients, you can make these festive treats at home in no time. So what are you waiting for? Get baking!