I love the spicy crispness of ginger cookies. Its a perfect blend of spices that warms your palate on cold winter days. Here is an easy gingerbread cookie recipe that can be used for making gingerbread houses or gingerbread cookies.

In a large bowl cream the 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup molasses, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp ground ginger, 1 1/2 tsp ground cloves, and 1 tsp baking soda together until smooth.

Mix in 2 cups of flour and 4 tbsp water. This should create a thick dough. Wrap with plastic wrap or beeswax sheets and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the dough and use different cookie cutters. Make sure not to make the dough too thin or thick. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes or until it is just turning brown. Let it cool completely before decorating.

To make the icing, put 2 cups of icing powder into a mixing bowl. Add 4 teaspoons of corn syrup to the icing powder. Slowly add 1 teaspoon of water at a time and mix well. For thicker icing, use less water.

Decorate the cookies with different designs, add sprinkles or candies while the icing is still wet. Let the sugar icing set over night before storing them into containers.

Ingredients for gingerbread cookies

• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cloves (optional)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tbsp water

Directions

1. In a large bowl cream the 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup molasses, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp ground ginger, 1 1/2 tsp ground cloves, and 1 tsp baking soda together until smooth.
2. Mix in 2 cups of flour and 4 tbsp water. This should create a thick dough.
3. Wrap with plastic wrap or beeswax sheets and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
5. Roll out the dough and use different cookie cutters. Make sure not to make the dough too thin or thick.
6. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes or until it is just turning brown.
7. Let it cool completely before decorating.

Ingredients for sugar icing (egg free)

• 2 cups Icing powder
• 4-5 teaspoons of water
• 4 teaspoons of corn syrup

Directions

1. Put 2 cups of icing powder into a mixing bowl.
2. Add 4 teaspoons of corn syrup to the icing powder.
3. Slowly add 1 teaspoon of water at a time and mix well. For thicker icing, use less water.
4. Let the icing sugar set overnight before storing them into an airtight container.

If you enjoyed this recipe, check out the other ones on the blog.