These soft gingerbread cookies with icing are the best you’ll ever try. They fill the kitchen with a heavenly aroma of honey, ginger and cloves—just as European-style gingerbread should.
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Who doesn’t love soft gingerbread cookies with icing at Christmas? I bake these every year and decorate them with my family. This soft gingerbread cookie recipe leans toward Central European tradition rather than the typical North American version.
The main difference is the sweetener: German and Central European gingerbread often use honey instead of molasses. The result is cookies with a warm, pleasant honey aroma that pairs beautifully with ginger and spice.
What ingredients are used in these soft gingerbread cookies
- All-purpose flour
- Fine (confectioners) sugar
- Eggs
- Honey
- Softened butter
- Lemon zest
- Baking soda
- Gingerbread spice blend (ginger, cloves, cinnamon, allspice)
How to make soft gingerbread cookies
The process is straightforward, but a few tips will help ensure consistent results. Below are the key steps and some practical advice.
Use a stand mixer if you can. It speeds up mixing and makes the process easier, so you’ll have more energy left for decorating. A paddle attachment will combine the ingredients quickly and evenly.
Separate dry and wet ingredients. Prepare everything in advance. Sift the flour and confectioners’ sugar together, then add lemon zest, baking soda and the ground spices.
Homemade gingerbread spice blend
Gingerbread spice: Use your preferred mix or make your own. A simple, balanced blend is cinnamon (2 tsp), ginger (1 tsp), ground allspice (1/2–1 tsp) and ground cloves (about 1/2 tsp). Cloves are potent, so use sparingly. If you have premixed gingerbread spice, about 4 teaspoons will do.
Chill the dough well. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. For best results, chill overnight—this relaxes the gluten and reduces stickiness. Remove the dough from the fridge about 30 minutes before rolling so it’s easy to handle.
Rolling and baking
Flour the surface when rolling. The dough shouldn’t be overly sticky, but dust your work surface and rolling pin as needed. Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch (3–5 mm) thickness and cut shapes—ginger men, hearts, stars, or any shapes you like.
Arrange the cut cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them so they don’t stick together. Before baking, brush the tops lightly with warm water to help them stay soft. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10–12 minutes—when the edges begin to brown slightly, remove them from the oven.
After baking, brush the cookies with a whisked whole egg or just the yolk for a glossy finish. Let them cool on the baking sheet, then transfer to a plate and decorate with icing once completely cooled.
How to decorate gingerbread cookies
Icing: I use an egg-white icing (royal-style) because it sets firmly and dries relatively quickly. Decorating is the best part—sit down with the family and let everyone unleash their creativity. Use a piping bag with a tiny cut for fine lines or decorate more freely for a rustic look.
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GINGERBREAD SOFT COOKIES – PERNICKY
Julia
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 560 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 360 g fine sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 4 tbs honey
- 50 g softened butter
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- zest from one small lemon
- 1 large egg
- a little warm water
Icing
- 2 large egg whites
- 750 g confectioner (icing) sugar
Instructions
For the gingerbread dough
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix on medium-high until a smooth dough ball forms. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch (3–5 mm) thickness and cut into shapes.
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Place shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet spaced about 1 inch apart. Brush lightly with warm water and bake 10–12 minutes, until edges begin to brown.
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Remove cookies from the oven and brush with a whisked whole egg or yolk for shine. Let cool before decorating.
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Allow cookies to cool completely on a rack or plate, then decorate with icing.
Icing
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In a bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer on low to medium speed, then increase to high until soft peaks form.
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Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and continue mixing on high until the icing is smooth and thick.
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Transfer icing to a piping bag and cut a tiny hole for decorating. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
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