These Christmas Gingerbread Cookies are a delightful twist on classic gingerbread with an added touch of fresh orange glaze.
Table of Contents
Christmas Gingerbread Cookies with a Zesty Twist!
Hi Folks,
Perfect for December baking sessions, these cookies combine the warm spices of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves with a bright citrusy finish. They are ideal for holiday gatherings, gift-giving, or indulging at home. They make for a fun baking day with the kids and add a little something extra to your cookie trays.
Why You’ll Love This Orange Gingerbread Recipe:
- Classic Holiday Flavors: This Christmas gingerbread recipe packs all the warm flavors of the season: ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, balanced with a sweet, zesty orange glaze.
- Versatile Decorating: After the glaze is applied, these cookies can be decorated with royal icing or festive candies, letting you create everything from gingerbread men to little holiday wreaths.
- Perfect for Gifting: Pack these in a festive container, and you have a precious homemade gift.
Christmas Gingerbread Ingredients:
Per Serving Cost: $0.26
Recipe Cost: $6.27
- 4 cups all-purpose flour: $0.96
- 1 tsp. salt: $0.01
- 1½ tsp. baking powder: $0.02
- ½ tsp. baking soda: $0.01
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon: $0.06
- 1½ tsp. ground cloves: $0.15
- 2 tsp. ground ginger: $0.10
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg: $0.08
- 16 tbsp. unsalted butter: $1.98
- 1 cup sugar: $0.25
- 1 cup molasses (blackstrap molasses recommended): $1.78
- 1 large egg: $0.22
- 1 cup powdered sugar: $0.25
- 3-4 tablespoons orange juice: $0.40
NOTE: Recipe prices and the amounts needed are based on grocery store websites. Actual costs may vary depending on your ingredients. Ingredient prices were updated in October 2024.
Required Equipment:
- Stand mixer or electric mixer
- measuring cups and spoons
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk attachment or paddle attachment
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters (they should be around 4-inch shapes to get 24 cookies out of this recipe)
- Baking sheets
- Silicone baking mats OR parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
How To Make Christmas Gingerbread:
Make The Cookies:
- Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a large mixing bowl.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Add the molasses and egg and mix until combined.
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Divide the dough in half, form it into disks, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill for about one hour before rolling the dough out.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters.
- Place cut-out dough onto lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make The Glaze & Finish:
- Add powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of orange juice to a small bowl. Mix with a fork until combined. Add orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- Pour the glaze into a shallow pie plate. Dip the cookies, face down, into the glaze.
- Let excess glaze drip off, then place the cookies on the wire rack. Allow them to dry for at least 1 hour before serving.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- For a Spiced Boost: Add a pinch of ground allspice or a splash of vanilla extract to the dough for a deeper flavor.
- Brown Sugar Substitute: If you prefer a richer, more caramel-like flavor, you can replace the white sugar with light brown sugar in the cookie dough.
- Make it a Cake: To create a gingerbread cake instead, press the gingerbread cookie dough into a 9-inch cake pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes at 350°F. Frost with the orange glaze or a rich cream cheese frosting for a Christmas gingerbread cake twist.
Storage and Serving Tips
- SERVE: After the glaze is done drying, these cookies are ready to eat!
- STORE: These glazed gingerbread cookies will keep covered at room temperature for up to 5 days. After 5 days they start to get a little stale.
- FREEZE: If you plan on freezing these, do not glaze them before freezing! Glaze them once they’re thawed before serving or gifting. The unglazed cookies will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- THAW: Thaw the cookies for about an hour at room temperature.
Recipe FAQs:
Can I use royal icing instead of the orange glaze?
Yes, royal icing is a great alternative, especially if you want to decorate with intricate designs. It also hardens nicely for packing and gifting.
Can you speed up the glaze drying process?
Yes, to speed up the process, pop them into the refrigerator, and the glaze will set in about 20 minutes instead of an hour.
Can I substitute the molasses?
If you’re out of blackstrap molasses, dark corn syrup or maple syrup can work in a pinch, but the cookies will have a lighter flavor and color.
How do I know when the cookies are done baking?
Watch the edges; they should look set and slightly firm. Avoid overbaking to keep the cookies soft.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes:
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Christmas Gingerbread
people
These Christmas Gingerbread Cookies are a delightful twist on classic gingerbread with an added touch of fresh orange glaze.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric mixer
- large mixing bowl
- Whisk attachment or paddle attachment
- rolling pin
- Cookie cutters (they should be around 4-inch shapes to get 24 cookies out of this recipe)
- baking sheets
- silicone baking mats OR parchment paper
- wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookies:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 16 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
Orange Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
For the Gingerbread Cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the molasses and egg and mix until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Divide the dough in two, form it into disks, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least one hour before rolling out.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters.
- Place cut-out dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.
- Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 mire minutes.
For the Orange Glaze:
- In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of orange juice. Mix with a fork until combined. Continue to add orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
To Finish:
- Place a wire rack over a cookie sheet. Pour the glaze into a shallow pie plate.
- Dip the cookies, face down, into the glaze. Let excess glaze drip off, then place the cookies on the wire rack.
- Allow to dry at least 1 hour before serving. To speed up the process, pop them into the refrigerator, and the glaze will set in about 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 249IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
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Amazing. All the family loved
This is perfect for our holiday baking!! My kids really loved it!
This looks so delicious and tasty! My kids are going to love this recipe! I can’t wait to give this a try!
I am all about the gingerbread recipes at the moment. The orange glaze sounds amazing too.
Easy, delicious, and perfect for the holiday! Another winner for the holiday cookie rotation. Thanks!
My kids and I love hanging out and baking holiday cookies. Everyone gets to pick a favorite and these just jumped to the top of our baking list. They sound fantastic!
What fun!!! Stories and baking are definitely part of our holidays as well, and I think that these items will make them even more fun this year! #client