Glazed Ginger Christmas Cookies
It’s that time of year. Christmas is here! And nothing quite feels like, smells like, represents christmas as much as a ginger cookie! My aunt makes these every year, and as christmas has looked very different in the last two years for my family — maybe for yours as well? –I just needed to make these myself to send some christmas spirit my way. If you’ve been scavenging the internet for the perfect christmas cookie, look no further!
Which spices go into this spiced cookie?
I like a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. That beautiful combo of winter spices. Feel free to add anise, star anise, cardamom, orange peel, or other flavours that give you the christmas feels.
Can I freeze these cookies?
Yes! You can very easily freeze these once baked (without glaze). Defrost them at room temperature and then glaze as per normal once fully thawed.
How long can I store the dough?
You can store this dough wrapped in plastic wrap or beeswax wrap for up to 3 days. It can also be kept in the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature.
How long can I keep the cookies?
These cookies will keep for a surprisingly long time. Stored in a tin box, you can keep these cookies for at least one month– though I’d be surprised if they’re still around by then!
Ingredients:
- 100g honey (or replace with equal parts cane sugar)
- 100g cane sugar
- 200g butter (I used Violife butter block but any butter will work)
- 350g flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
- 1/4 tsp powdered cloves
- 150g powdered sugar
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 175°C.
- Melt the honey, butter and sugar in a Bain-Marie.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and spices.
- Combine the melted butter mixture to the flour and mix with a wooden spoon. Then use your hands to knead the dough a little bit until you have a should be a firm but slightly elastic dough. If the dough starts to get really difficult to knead and crumbles too easily, or feels very oily to the touch: add one teaspoon of cold water at a time, kneading quickly, until the dough comes together and gains elasticity.
- Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 4 mm. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters or a knife tracing cardboard stencils (This is what I did baking them on the road without cookie cutters on hand).
- Bake the cookies for 13 minutes.
- In the meantime make the glaze. Mix powdered sugar with 2 tbsp water (or more if necessary) until you get a thick white sugar glaze.
- After taking the cookies out of the oven, allow to cool fully before glazing.
- Glaze with a spoon, evenly distributing the glaze on top of the cookies, carefully staying away from the edges to avoid sugar spilling and overflowing.
Don’t be surprised if your fellow humans start snatching cookies before the glaze has even set! The most perfect cookies to gift neighbours and friends around the holidays. Good idea to make an extra batch because these disappear real quick…
Wishing you a joyous holiday season! May it be filled with joy, peace, warmth, safety, laughter and good fortune. Approaching the end of another year can bring up a lot of unwanted or difficult thoughts. Be kind to yourself, you’re on your way.