Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies
Gingerbread snowflake cookies are a cozy and fun cookie to make for the holidays. The cookie dough comes together quickly and the baked cookies are dressed up with easy royal icing.
Servings: 40 big and small cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Bowls
- Piping bags
- Wilton No. 2 Tip
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten free flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2/3 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the royal icing
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 1/3 cup room temperature water plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Make the Cookies
- Note: this cookie dough requires at least 2 hours of chilling, or overnight. Colder cookies won't spread in the oven and will keep their snowflake shape.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, all spice and cloves and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer), beat butter and brown sugar together using the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes. Do not skip this step. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla and beat again for 1-2 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add half of the dry ingredients and beat until combined. Add the second half of the dry ingredients and mix again on low until combined and the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
- Separate the dough into two equal pieces then dump one half out onto a floured a large piece of plastic wrap. Gently press the dough out into a large disk shape and wrap it completely with plastic wrap. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough then place both halves in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. The longer it chills the thicker it will be. You cannot skip this step or the cookies will spread. You can also freeze the dough at this point. See notes for freezer instructions.
- When you’re ready to bake the dough, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove one half of the dough from the oven and dump it out onto a floured surface. Flour your hands and the rolling pin then roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness.
- Cut out the dough into snowflake shapes and place 1-2 inches apart on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- When there isn’t anymore room to cut out cookies from the dough, roll it back up into a ball and re-roll it out to 1/4 inch thickness. Repeat the process until all the dough is gone. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough.
- Bake in the preheat oven for 9-11 minutes, until just set and the bottom edges of the cookies turn a light golden brown. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Make the Royal Icing
- Add the powdered sugar and meringue powder to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (hand mixer will work too). Mix on low for 30 seconds to combine.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the room temperature water then add the vanilla extract. Increase the mixer to medium-high speed and beat until stiff peaks form (4-5 minutes). When you lift the paddle out of the icing the frosting should create peaks.
- turn the mixer back up to medium speed and add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the icing starts to thin. When you pick up the paddle attachment the icing should drizzle back down into the bowl and leaves lines on the top and just barely melt into the rest of the icing. i used 4-5 tablespoons of water.
Video
Notes
How to freeze the dough: shape the dough into disks and double wrap with plastic wrap then store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to sit at room temperature for an hour or so until it's soft enough to roll out.
How to freeze baked cookies: allow the cookies to cool completely then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before icing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1medium cookie | Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1.5g | Fat: 3.7g | Cholesterol: 13.8mg | Sodium: 67mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 16.7g