Christmas isn’t Christmas without gingerbread! Whether you bake a house with your kids or buy a pre-made kit from the grocery store, gingerbread is a must-have during the holidays.

I prefer to make gingerbread cookies; it’s less time consuming than making a gingerbread house, and the kids can then help decorate them. Plus, this gingerbread cookie recipe is super easy to make!

Here is my easy recipe:

Easy Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup fancy molasses
1/2 cup cooking molasses
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs and molasses.  In another bowl, mix flour, ginger, baking soda and spices.  Add the flour mixture into molasses mix in batches, mixing well and blending with hands if necessary.

Divide the dough into two flattened balls (discs).  Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Roll out dough to a 1/4″ thickness and cut into shapes using cookie cutters.  Bake at 325F for about 10 minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet or until edges are golden brown.

Royal Icing

1/3 cup pasteurized egg whites (buy a carton in the egg aisle)

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

4 cups sifted icing sugar

In a bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar on mixer until foamy. Gradually beat in icing sugar until stiff, about 5 minutes. When not using, cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying out. Add food colouring paste if you wish. Decorate the cookies by transferring the icing to a piping bag. Add candies or sprinkles right away before the icing dries.

Icing Sugar Glaze

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

2 tbsp  milk

Mix icing sugar and milk until well blended.  Tint glaze by adding a drop of food colouring.  Decorate with sprinkles or candies before the glaze dries out.

Enjoy!