Gingerbread Cookies

Storing and Planning Ahead

Keeps 2 weeks in an airtight tin. Undecorated cookies freeze 3 months; the dough freezes 3 months rolled and wrapped.

How to Make Gingerbread Cookies

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1. Whisk the flour, all the spices, bicarbonate of soda and salt together.

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2. Beat the butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes until light, then beat in the egg, treacle and vanilla. The mixture may look split — it will come back together.

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3. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined into a soft, sticky dough.

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4. Divide in two, flatten into discs between sheets of baking paper, and roll each to 5 mm thick while still in the paper.

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5. Chill the rolled sheets flat for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

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6. Peel off the top paper and cut out shapes, transferring them to lined trays with a palette knife. Re-roll offcuts between paper.

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7. Freeze the cut shapes on their trays for 10 minutes — this is what keeps the edges sharp.

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8. Bake at 175°C / 345°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set and the centres still look slightly soft. They firm up as they cool.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

9. Cool completely on a rack. Whisk the egg white, icing sugar and lemon juice to a pipeable royal icing and decorate.

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Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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A Few Pointers

• Rolling the dough before chilling, rather than after, saves you fighting a rock-hard disc later.
• Bake shapes of similar size together so they finish at the same moment.
• For crisp gingerbread, roll to 3 mm and bake 2 minutes longer.

Why the Method Is What It Is

Rolling the dough between sheets of baking paper avoids working in extra flour, which is what makes gingerbread dry and brittle. Chilling the cut shapes just before baking sets the butter so the edges hold rather than spreading, which is essential for anything you plan to ice.

Good Alongside

Mulled wine or hot chocolate · Serve through the festive season with tea · Make extras for gifts

Quick Answers

Nutrition per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

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