Super Soft Gingerbread Cookies Made With Honey
These super soft gingerbread cookies made with honey are perfect for those wanting a traditional spiced cookie without molasses. Perfect as Christmas cookies or to enjoy all winter season.
Equipment
- 1 Electric Mixer
Ingredients
- 300 g all-purpose flour (approx. 2 1/4 cups)
- 3 eggs
- 80 g unsalted butter (approx. 1/3 cup)
- 80 g brown sugar (approx. 1/3 cup)
- 170 g honey (approx. 1/2 cup)
- 1 Tbsp orange extract
- zest from one orange
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp allspice
For the sugar glaze:
- 120 g icing sugar (approx. 1 cup)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar. I recommend using an electric mixer for best results.
- Add in the eggs and mix until well incorporated.
- Mix in the honey, orange zest, orange extract, and all the spices.
- Add half of the amount of flour and the leavening agents (baking soda and baking powder).
- Mix with the electric mixer until all the flour is incorporated. I recommend using the electric mixer at low speed.
- Now pour in the rest of the flour and fold it in with a spatula. Don't overmix. Stop when there is no dry flour in the bowl.
- Your cookie dough should be creamy and sticky. You don't need to add more flour unless your dough is too runny.
- Cover your bowl with cling film and put it in the fridge for about 3 hours. You might need less or more depending on the temperature of your fridge.
- Alternatively, you can put your dough in the freezer for half an hour to an hour (again, depending on your freezer's temperature).
- Preheat your oven to 170°C (338°F).
- Take the cookie dough out of the fridge (or freezer). The dough should be hard but not rock solid. You should be able to scoop the dough out easily.
- Line your baking tray with parchment paper.
- Add some water in a small bowl and dip your hands in between each dough ball shaping.
- With your hands wet, scoop out about a tablespoon of dough and shape it between your hands. The result should be a smooth ball.
- Lay the dough balls on the tray with some space in between as they will flatten while baking.
- Bake them for about 15 minutes or less if you make smaller cookies. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn.
- They should come out golden brown and slightly soft to the touch. They will continue to cook inside while out of the oven. You don't want to overbake them.
- Let them cool off completely before adding the sugar glaze on top. Use a wire rack for that as it will allow the air to circulate and avoid a soggy cookie bottom.
- Make the glaze by mixing the icing sugar, lemon juice, and water into a bowl.
- With a pastry brush, glaze each cookie with the icing sugar mix. It should be creamy and slightly runny but not too thin.
- As the glaze is drying, you can decorate the cookies as you wish. I like them plain, but you can get creative. Use pieces of candy, dry fruits, or colorful icing to create a festive cookie.
- Let them air dry for as long as they need to. Or, if you are in a hurry, you can put them in the oven to dry at the residual heat left from the baking process. Make sure the temperature is low, so you don't bake the cookies more.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Serving: 70gCalories: 165kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!