This beautiful Gingerbread Wreath is made from lightly spiced cookies and would make a wonderful festive centerpiece.
It costs approximately $5.85 to make this Gingerbread Wreath. If you decide to eat it, it will serve about 24 people.
For more holiday fun, you can make this Holiday Potpourri and these Cinnamon Apple Ornaments.
Gingerbread Wreath
Gingerbread cookies are a tradition during the Christmas season, and so are Christmas wreaths. This Gingerbread Wreath combines these festive traditions into one perfect wreath that is the best of both worlds.
These cookies do not spread while baking, making them the perfect cookie for assembling this wreath. You’ll love how easy this wreath is to create.
Grab the kiddos to join in on the fun as well. They will love decorating the cookies.
Spread holiday cheer this year by baking your holiday decor instead of buying it! Gift this Gingerbread Cookie Wreath to a friend, or use it as a beautiful centerpiece in your home.
Ingredients and Estimated Cost
Per Serving Cost: $0.25
Recipe Cost: $5.85
- 1 cup granulated sugar – $0.17
- ¾ cup salted butter – $1.68
- ¾ cup molasses – $1.44
- 1 large egg – $0.37
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour – $0.32
- 2 teaspoons baking soda – $0.02
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground ginger – $0.27
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves – $0.04
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – $0.04
- ¼ cup egg whites – $0.36
- 3 cups powdered sugar – $1.14
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. I updated the pricing for this recipe in November 2022.
How to make a Gingerbread Wreath
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the gingerbread cookie dough. Knead very briefly until smooth.
- Divide the dough into two balls of dough. Flatten each dough ball into a disc shape, then wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Next, remove the chilled dough from the fridge and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll the dough to about ⅓-inch thick.
- Using a 10-inch plate as a template, cut a circle out of the dough with a sharp knife.
- Place a 6-inch plate in the middle of the circle and cut out a smaller circle leaving you with a ring of dough.
- Place the ring of dough on a baking sheet.
- Roll out the remaining dough and use cookie cutters to cut different size star shapes.
- Transfer the cookies to the baking sheet and bake both baking sheets for ten minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Then, put the egg whites in a mixing bowl and whisk until frothy.
- Next, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat until smooth and the desired consistency is reached.
- Transfer the Royal Icing to a piping bag and decorate the cookies.
- Using about eight 3.5-inch star cookies, add a small amount of royal icing underneath a larger star cookie and press it lightly onto the wreath ring.
- Repeat with the remaining cookies around the wreath.
- Then, add Royal Icing to the 3-inch cookies and place them on top of the larger cookies. Repeat with the smaller 2.5 and 1-inch cookies until the Gingerbread Wreath is full and looks how you would like it.
- Finally, tie the ribbon onto the wreath and display it as a holiday centerpiece.
***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
- The ground cloves add a complex flavor dimension to the gingerbread. If you are not a fan of cloves, you can substitute them with ground ginger.
Storage Tips
SERVE: If you’re going to eat the wreath, I recommend doing so within the first 5 days of making it.
STORE: The Gingerbread will soften over time. If you’re not consuming them immediately, I recommend you store them in an airtight container where the cookies will be kept for at least a week.
FREEZE: Gingerbread dough can be frozen for up to one month in an airtight container. The baked gingerbread cookies and pieces, iced or un-iced, can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
THAW: Thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours before assembling.
Recipe FAQs
I have included pictures and step-by-step directions in this post for you to create this Christmas Cookie Wreath easily. After baking the gingerbread cookies and making royal icing, you will use the icing to glue the cookies together as you layer them on top of each other around the gingerbread ring.
This dough is best rolled out between two sheets of parchment paper.
Yes, keep the cookie dough in the fridge before rolling it out. The chilled dough helps the dough to not spread during the baking process.
More Christmas Recipes
- Edible Gingerbread Cookie Dough
- Gingerbread Waffles
- Hanging Gingerbread Cookies Gift
- Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chewy Gingerbread Bars
- Gingerbread Cheesecake Dip
- Gingerbread OREO Truffles
- Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Graham Cracker Gingerbread Houses
Gingerbread Wreath
Equipment
- Star-shaped cookie cutters in a variety of sizes (3.5 in, 3 in, 2.5 in, 1 in)
- at least 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper
- rolling pin
- parchment paper for rolling
- piping bag or ziplock bag
- Ribbon, to decorate
- mixing bowl
- measuring cups and spoons
- handheld mixer
- Flour sifter OR fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
FOR THE GINGERBREAD:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup salted butter at room temp
- ¾ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
FOR THE ROYAL ICING:
- ¼ cup egg whites plus a little extra if needed
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
MAKE GINGERBREAD DOUGH:
- Put the sugar, butter, molasses, and egg into a large mixing bowl. Use a handheld electric mixer to combine until any lumps of butter have been dispersed thoroughly.
- Sift in the flour, baking soda, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon and mix on a low speed until the dough clings together, leaving the sides of the bowl clean.
- Use your hands to bring the dough into a ball.
- Lightly flour a surface and turn the dough out onto it.
- Knead very briefly until smooth, then divide into two balls of dough.
- Flatten each dough ball into a disc shape, then wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
PREP OVEN AND BAKING SHEETS:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
CUT COOKIE DOUGH:
- Remove the chilled dough from the fridge. Roll out one of the discs between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of about ⅓ – an inch.
- Leaving the rolled-out dough on the parchment, use a dinner plate (mine was about 10 inches) as a template for a circle. Cut around the edge of the plate with a sharp knife and remove the excess dough. You will be left with a circle.
- Add a smaller plate (mine was about 6 inches) to the center of the dough circle. Cut around the smaller plate, then remove the dough from the center. This will leave you with a ring of dough.
- Slide the parchment paper with the ring of dough onto a baking sheet.
- Roll out the rest of the dough between sheets of parchment. Use the cookie cutters to cut different size star shapes from the dough. You will need at least 8 of the larger-size star.
- Gently transfer the cut-out cookies onto the lined baking sheet.
- Put both baking sheets in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
MAKE ROYAL ICING:
- Put the egg whites into a mixing bowl and whisk until frothy. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time and vigorously beat until smooth.
- At this point, you will need to check the consistency of the icing. It should easily flow in a thick ribbon from a spatula when picked up, and the consistency of toothpaste. If it looks a bit thick, add more egg whites (or cold water), a tablespoon at a time.
- Continue to beat until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Transfer the Royal Icing to a piping bag, then snip the end off with scissors.
- When the cookies have cooled, you can decorate them as desired.
ASSEMBLE THE WREATH:
- For the first layer, you will need approximately 8 of the 3.5-inch star cookies.
- Add a small amount of royal icing underneath a larger star cookie and gently press it onto the wreath.
- Repeat with the remaining cookies working your way around the wreath.
- Next, add Royal Icing to the 3-inch cookies and place them on top of the larger cookies. Repeat with the smaller 2.5 and 1-inch cookies until the Gingerbread Wreath is full and looks how you would like it.
- Tie the ribbon onto the wreath and display it as a holiday centerpiece.
Notes
- These wonderfully versatile Gingerbread Cookies are a tasty and robust cookie choice for a beautiful Gingerbread Wreath.
- The dough is easy to make and will not spread in the oven. The gingerbread cookies are delicately crunchy and gently spiced – perfect for the festive season!
- The ground cloves add a complex flavor dimension to the gingerbread. If you are not a fan of cloves, you can substitute them with ground ginger.
- This large batch of dough will make the wreath surround plus plentiful cookies. You might have some leftovers, depending on the size. They may not all fit on the wreath.
- I used 4 Star cookie cutters in the following sizes: 3.5 in, 3 in, 2.5 in, and 1 in. If you don’t have these sizes, it doesn’t matter. I recommend various sizes, as this makes the wreath look interesting. You could use different cookie cutters such as Christmas Trees, leaves, snowflakes, or anything else festive.
- Once you’ve made the dough, you can use it straight away. However, it will be softer and not as easy to handle, so I recommend chilling the dough for a short time before cutting out the shapes.
- The dough will hardly spread during baking, so you can fit quite a few cookies on the baking sheet. Leave about 1cm in between.
- I recommend you bake for 10 minutes, yielding a crunchier cookie that is more robust for wreath making. For a softer cookie, bake for 8 minutes but be careful during assembly in case the cookies break.
- There is enough Royal Icing to decorate all the cookies and to use as ‘glue’ for the wreath assembly.
- Use pasteurized eggs (for the Royal Icing) as they are safe to eat raw. However, I will caution you against any form of raw egg if you are pregnant.
Nutrition
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Wow, what an adorable idea! Planning to make this for a work pot luck.
I’ve been struggling with what to bring to my mother in law’s house for dinner…this gingerbread cookie wreath is perfect! It won’t take me forever to make and it will definitely give me some bonus points for presentation! Thanks so much!
Such a beautiful centrepiece and perfect for family celebrations. Definitely making this in a few weeks!
I already love gingerbread, but this wreath is absolutely adorable! I can’t wait to make this over the holiday break!