Gingerbread Cookies for Glaze Painting: 3 Gingerbread Dough Recipes + Painting Tutorial

What kind of gingerbread should be painted? This is a question many housewives ask themselves. For the design or pattern to look perfect, the gingerbread must be even, smooth, and free of cracks and other defects. These cookies are already beautiful in their own right, and any decoration will make them truly luxurious.

In this article, I'll share tried-and-true gingerbread recipes with you, as well as a wonderful decorating tutorial. Get inspired, choose your favorite dessert recipe, and surprise your family and guests with charming and delicious treats.

Classic gingerbread cookies for painting

I'd like to share a recipe for classic gingerbread cookies that are perfect for decorating. They turn out smooth and even and hold their shape while baking. You can decorate them with either white or colored icing.

Ingredients

• Flour - 200 g
• Butter (soft) - 100 g
• Sugar - 100 g
• Egg C1 - 1 pc.
• Honey (liquid) - 3 tsp.
• Soda - 1 ½ tsp.
• Ginger - 2 tsp.
• Cinnamon - 1 tsp.
• Cloves - ½ tsp.

Cooking time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings: 1 (approximately 500 g gingerbread)

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

We prepare all the necessary ingredients.

Step 2

In a deep bowl, combine flour, spices, and baking soda. Sift the mixture through a sieve.

Step 3

Beat soft butter with sugar until fluffy.

Step 4

Add the egg and pour in the liquid honey.

Step 5

Mix the mixture with a mixer until smooth.

Step 6

Add the dry ingredients mixture in small portions and knead into a soft dough.

Step 7

Divide the dough into two parts, wrap each in cling film and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Step 8

We take the dough out of the refrigerator, roll it out and cut out various shapes.

Step 9

Bake the gingerbread cookies at 180 degrees Celsius for 5-7 minutes. Cool the finished cookies and decorate them as desired.

Gingerbread dough without honey

This is a great recipe for gingerbread dough without honey. It's made with burnt sugar and turns out incredibly fragrant, tender, and elastic. It's a joy to work with. You can adjust the amount and type of spices you use for the dough to your liking. The gingerbread turns out beautiful, smooth, and crack-free. Any patterns will look absolutely gorgeous on them.

Ingredients

• Sugar - 250 g
• Water (boiling water) - 100 ml
• Butter - 100 g
• Flour - 400-450 g
• Egg (yolk) - 1 pc.
• Soda - ½ tsp.
• Salt - ¼ tsp.
• Cinnamon - 1 tsp.
• Nutmeg - ¼ tsp.
• Allspice - ½ tsp.
• Ginger - ½ tsp.

Cooking time: 45-50 minutes

Servings: 1 (approximately 900 g gingerbread)

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

Pour sugar into a saucepan with a thick bottom and place over medium heat.

Step 2

Melt the sugar and bring it to a dark amber color.

Step 3

Remove the pan from the heat, pour in boiling water and gently stir the mixture.

Step 4

Place the pan back on low heat, add butter to the hot mixture and stir until smooth.

Step 5

Add salt, spices and soda.

Step 6

Stir the spice mixture thoroughly until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 7

Transfer the custard base to a glass bowl and let it cool slightly for 10 minutes. Then add the yolk and mix well.

Step 8

Add sifted flour and knead into a plastic dough.

Step 9

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, preferably overnight. Then you can cut out the gingerbread cookies and bake them.

Master class: "Painting New Year's Gingerbread Cookies"

I'd like to share a wonderful tutorial on decorating Christmas gingerbread cookies. It features three ideas for decorating these confections. The same principle can be used to decorate treats for any holiday or theme. You'll need: gingerbread Christmas trees, icing (for filling and lining), food coloring, pastry bags, and a little imagination.

Ingredients

• Protein glaze
• Food colorings - green, red, yellow, silver, gold
• Sugar

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

Servings: 1

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

Place the icing into a pastry bag, draw outlines on the items and let them harden a little.

Step 2

Fill the designs with a more liquid icing.

Step 3

Remove any air bubbles using an awl or toothpick. Let the gingerbread cookies sit for 1-2 hours to allow the icing to dry thoroughly. To speed up the process, you can place them in the oven (50-70 degrees Celsius, convection mode) or in a dehydrator.

Step 4

Let's decorate the first version of the Christmas tree. Use red and yellow icing to create a garland. You can change the colors if you like.

Step 5

Let's decorate the second version of the Christmas trees. Using white icing, we draw patterns on the tree to imitate snow.

Step 6

Sprinkle the white icing with sugar.

Step 7

We draw Christmas tree decorations using red and yellow icing.

Step 8

Let's decorate the third version of the Christmas tree. Apply a stencil with any pattern to the gingerbread and cover it with thick icing.

Step 9

Remove the stencil. Fill the empty space with dots or other shapes.

Step 10

When the glaze on the pattern has hardened, paint it gold or silver.

Step 11

Bright, elegant and simply charming gingerbread cookies for the winter holidays are ready.