Gingerbread Christmas Cookies Recipe with Icing Sugar Decoration

Directions

1. Make the dough:

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, and cinnamon.

2. Add the diced butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Stir in the brown sugar.

4. Mix the egg and golden syrup together, then add this to the bowl.

5. Stir until a dough forms.

6. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Roll and cut the cookies:

1. Preheat your oven up to 180°C (160°C fan) or gas mark 4.

2. Line both of the baking trays with parchment paper.

3. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the chilled dough to about 5mm thickness.

4. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies.

5. Transfer them to the prepared baking trays.

6. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.

3. Decorate the cookies:

1. In a bowl, mix the icing sugar with water (a teaspoon at a time) until you reach a smooth, pipeable consistency.

2. If desired, divide the icing into bowls and add food colouring to create festive hues.

3. Spoon the icing into a piping bag (or a plastic sandwich bag with the tip snipped off).

4. Pipe decorative patterns onto the star cookies – outlines, snowflake patterns, or even dots and stripes!

5. Sprinkle edible glitter or add sprinkles while the icing is wet for an extra sparkle.

Making the Dipping Sauce (Optional):

1. Heat the Cream: In a small saucepan, heat the double cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Don’t let it boil!

2. Melt the Chocolate: Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately add the chopped dark chocolate. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt.

3. Stir Until Smooth: Gently stir the cream and chocolate together until smooth and glossy.

4. Add Butter and Sweetener: Stir in the butter and honey (or sugar) if you prefer a slightly sweeter sauce. Mix until fully incorporated.

5. Finish with Vanilla: Add the vanilla extract for a hint of warmth and extra flavour.

Pro Tip:

1. These gingerbread star cookies make perfect edible decorations!

2. Just poke a small hole at the top of each star before baking, thread ribbon through once decorated, and hang them on your Christmas tree.

3. Now all that’s left to do is brew a cuppa, nibble on a star, and enjoy the festive spirit! 🎅✨