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Gingerbread cookies with Christmas shapes
Traditional gingerbread cookies decorated with royal icing for Christmas

Traditional gingerbread

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Cakes and Desserts

The secret to gingerbread's longevity and softness is the special relationship between honey and rye or wheat flour. The sugars in honey (fructose, glucose) bind moisture from the air, so the cake doesn't dry out, in fact, it gets softer over time. The dough's dark brown colour and characteristic taste come from the bicarbonate of soda browning due to alkalinity, alongside the spices.

🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 10 mins
⌛ Total Time 40 mins
🍽️ Servings 40 servings
🔥 Calories 65 kcal
🌍 Cuisine International

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Mixing bowl
  • Rolling pin
  • Cutters
  • Baking sheet with baking paper

Allergen Information

⚠️ Cereals containing gluten
⚠️ Eggs
⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Sift the dry ingredients together: flour, spices, salt, and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.

Tip: Sifting not only aerates the flour, but helps distribute the bicarbonate of soda so there are no bitter hotspots.
2 ✓

Heat the butter and honey together in a small saucepan just until the butter melts. Let cool to lukewarm, then stir in the eggs.

Tip: Do not overheat! If the honey is hot, it coagulates the egg (scrambled eggs), and the dough absorbs too much flour.
3 ✓

Pour the honey mixture into the flour, and knead together. It might be sticky at first, but don't add more flour!

Tip: The dough becomes manageable whilst cooling, as the butter solidifies and the flour hydrates.
4 ✓

Wrap in cling film, and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours (but best overnight).

Tip: During resting, spice aromas permeate the dough, and the structure relaxes (gluten relaxes), making it easier to roll.
5 ✓

Roll out on a floured surface to 3-4 mm thickness, and cut out shapes. Bake at 180°C for 8-10 minutes.

Tip: Take out when the edges are just starting to brown, but the middle still seems soft. It will harden whilst cooling.

Recipe FAQ

Why did it get hard?
You overbaked it. Gingerbread still seems soft when taken out of the oven, it hardens whilst cooling. If it is already hard in the oven, it's too late.
Why did it deform?
The dough was too warm, or you used too much bicarbonate of soda. Rest the dough in the fridge before cutting.

Ingredients

  • 500 g Plain flour
  • 150 g Icing sugar
  • 250 g Mixed flower honey
  • 100 g Butter
  • 2 pcs Eggs (Medium)
  • 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Ground ginger
  • 0.5 tsp Ground cloves
  • 1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 pinch Salt