Honey Gingerbread Cookies
with Royal Icing
Makes 30 cookies
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces unsalted butter
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups good-quality honey
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 teaspoons ginger
- 4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder (optional)
- 3 large eggs
- 9 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten and mixed with 1 teaspoon water
DIRECTIONS
- Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the sugar and stir until mostly dissolved, then pour in the honey and stir to combine. Cook until very hot and mixture is smooth, but do not boil. Remove from heat.
- Sift together baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Add up to ⅓ cup cocoa powder, depending on color desired. Add to the warm butter mixture and stir until well combined. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer and add 3 eggs, beating until combined. Gradually add in flour, beating all the while.
- When all flour is absorbed, divide the dough in half and wrap in several layers of plastic wrap.
- Store in a cool place for at least 24 hours, or up to a week in the refrigerator. If the dough is refrigerated, bring it to room temperature before proceeding.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375ºF. Unwrap the dough and place on a well-floured work surface. Knead flour into the dough until it is very smooth, pliable, and not sticky. Roll out to ¼-inch thickness for small cookies, a little thicker for larger cookies.
- Use cookie cutters to cut cookies into mermaid-friendly shapes.
- Bake 6 minutes, checking to see if any bubbles form. If they do, gently smooth with a spatula and continue to bake until done, about 9 minutes total for medium cookies and up to 14 minutes for larger ones. Remove to a wire rack and use a pastry brush to apply a coat of the lightly beaten egg. Cool completely.
- Decorate with royal icing (see recipe).