Recipe: Best Gingerbread Cookies (+ icing recipe)

Makes: 30

Prep time: 15mins (+30mins chill time)

Cook time: 15mins

Cookie Dough Ingredients

• 125g butter, softened

• 1/2 cup (110g) brown sugar

• 1/2 cup (125ml) golden syrup

• 1 egg yolk (save egg white for icing)

• 2 1/2 cups (375g) plain flour

• 1 tbsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp mixed spice

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• Smarties or M & M’s (optional, for decorating)

Icing Ingredients (optional - feel free to buy pre-made icing)

• 250g icing sugar mixture

• 1 egg white (leftover from the cookie dough)

• 1 tbsp corn syrup or glucose syrup

• 1 tsp water

Method

1. Make the cookie dough - In a medium bowl add the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup. Use an electric mixer to beat together until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolk and beat to combine.

2. Add the flour, ginger, mixed spice and cinnamon. Stir to combine.

3. Tip on to a clean bench and knead with your hands until smooth. Form into a ball and wrap in baking paper. Place in fridge and chill for 30mins.

4. Preheat the oven - While the cookie dough is chilling preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius. Line two baking trays with baking paper (or reusable rubber cooking matts).

5. Make the icing - While the cookie dough is chilling make the icing (or take a break if you are using pre-made icing). Place the icing sugar mixture, egg white, corn / glucose syrup and water in a small bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth and shiny, and peaks form when you lift the beaters up. Set aside until ready to use.

6. Roll out the cookie dough - On a lightly floured surface, roll out the cookie dough. If you like a crunchier gingerbread, roll out to about 3mm thick, or if you like a softer gingerbread roll out to about 5mm thick. Use whatever shape cookie cutters you like to cut out shapes in the rolled out dough. Transfer the cookies to the lined trays.

7. Collect any cookie dough scraps, form into a ball, roll it out, cut more cookies and transfer to trays. Continue this process until there is no more cookie dough left.

8. Bake the cookies - Place the trays in the preheated oven and cook for 10-12mins or until lightly golden.

9. Remove from the oven and let cool completley.

10. Ice the cookies - Once the cookies have completley cooled, place the icing in an icing bag with a 2mm nozzle (or zip lock bag with one bottom corner snipped off). Pipe icing onto the cookies and decorate with smarties or M & M’s. Get creative!