Top 8 gingerbread dough recipes

Gingerbread cookies are one of the most beloved treats for children and adults worldwide. They are incredibly delicious, tender, and incredibly aromatic. They can be shaped and decorated to suit your taste. Gingerbread cookies are a traditional dessert for many holidays. They are given as gifts to loved ones or served with tea, coffee, and other beverages.

In this article, I'll share tried-and-true gingerbread dough recipes, as well as useful information about this baked good. Explore each recipe for making this delicacy. Choose your favorite and delight your loved ones with a delicious homemade dessert.

Types of gingerbread dough

Gingerbread dough is one of the oldest in the world. According to archaeological research, sweet pastries made from honey and flour were already being made in Ancient Egypt.

Gradually, gingerbread confections began to spread across Europe. They were first made by the Germanic tribes, followed by the East and West Slavs. Butter, sugar, eggs, nuts, candied fruit, and all sorts of spices were gradually added to the dough. And the treats made from it became known as "pryaniks."

There are two types of gingerbread dough: raw and choux. They differ in the preparation methods.

Raw This dough is also called regular dough. It has a loose yet viscous consistency. It's quite simple and quick to prepare. First, you need to prepare the sugar syrup. Then, gradually add melted butter, spices, honey, eggs, and other ingredients.

Brewed method Making gingerbread dough is considered more ancient and complex than regular dough. Flour is added to hot syrup, everything is mixed, and the resulting dough is left to rest for 3-4 weeks in a cool place. All other ingredients are added immediately before baking. Nowadays, the classic choux pastry method is rarely used. Typically, the choux pastry base is thoroughly cooled, after which the other ingredients are immediately added, the dough is kneaded, and the gingerbread is baked.

Regardless of the type, gingerbread dough is incredibly soft and elastic. It's very easy and pleasant to work with. Gingerbread cookies can be shaped using printing, cutting, or molding. They bake for a few minutes and then cool fairly quickly. Gingerbread cookies are typically decorated with a meringue glaze, which can be tinted any color, and various painting techniques are used.

Honey gingerbread dough

I present to you a recipe for honey gingerbread dough. It's very soft, elastic, and fragrant. It makes incredibly delicious and beautiful gingerbread cookies that will leave no one indifferent.

Ingredients

• Honey - 200 g
• Powdered sugar - 200 g
• Butter 82.5% - 100 g
• Spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom) - 1 tsp.
• Cocoa powder - 1 ½ tsp.
• Salt - ½ tsp.
• Baking powder - ½ tsp.
• Flour - 600 g

Cooking time: 30-35 minutes

Servings: 1 (50-60 gingerbread cookies, depending on size)

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

In a deep bowl, mix powdered sugar, honey and butter.

Step 2

Place the bowl in a water bath and, stirring continuously, bring the mixture to a homogeneous state.

Step 3

Add spices, salt, and cocoa and mix thoroughly. Then remove from the water bath.

Step 4

Add eggs to the mixture when it has cooled to room temperature and mix well with a whisk.

Step 5

Mix the flour with baking powder and pour it through a sieve into the honey mixture in several stages.

Step 6

Mix the mixture thoroughly each time.

Step 7

Once all the flour has been added, knead the dough with your hands, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Step 8

We take the dough out of the refrigerator, roll it out and form the gingerbread cookies.

Gingerbread dough for cake toppers

Looking for holiday cake decorating ideas? Decorate it with charming gingerbread toppers. They can be molded into any shape and decorated with colorful icing to suit your taste. The gingerbread dough topper recipe is incredibly simple. Even a novice pastry chef can make it.

Ingredients

• Flour - 360 g
• Baking powder - 3 g
• Butter - 220 g
• Sugar - 170 g
• Egg C1 - 1 pc.
• Vanillin - ⅓ tsp.

Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Servings: 1 (30-40 gingerbread cookies, depending on size)

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

Sift the flour through a sieve and mix with baking powder.

Step 2

Place soft butter in a separate container.

Step 3

Add powdered sugar to the butter and beat with a mixer until fluffy and smooth.

Step 4

Add vanillin and mix the mixture well.

Step 5

Add the egg and mix the mixture again until smooth.

Step 6

Mix flour with baking powder and add in small portions to the butter mixture.

Step 7

Each time, mix the mixture well with a mixer or whisk.

Step 8

Knead the dough with your hands, wrap it in cling film and put it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Step 9

We take the dough out of the refrigerator, roll it out, cut out figures and insert wooden skewers into them.

Step 10

Bake the gingerbread toppers at 160 degrees for 8-10 minutes, then cool and decorate to your taste.

Choux gingerbread dough

This is a very simple recipe for choux pastry made with milk. It produces incredibly tender, airy, and delicious gingerbread cookies. They make a perfect addition to family tea parties and a wonderful snack throughout the day. If desired, you can add cocoa or any spices to the dough, and replace the sugar with honey.

Ingredients

• Milk - 250 ml
• Flour - 625 g
• Sugar - 250 g
• Salt - a pinch
• Vegetable oil - 50 ml
• Egg C1 - 1 pc.
• Egg yolk - 1 pc
• Baking powder - 30 g
• Vanilla sugar - 15 g

Cooking time: 35-45 minutes

Servings: 1 (1.2 kg gingerbread)

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat well, but do not boil.

Step 2

In a deep bowl, mix 100 g of sifted flour, salt and sugar.

Step 3

Pour hot milk into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until smooth.

Step 4

Pour vegetable oil into the hot mixture, stir and leave to cool until warm.

Step 5

Add the egg, yolk and vanilla sugar to the cooled custard base.

Step 6

Mix everything thoroughly until smooth.

Step 7

Mix the remaining flour with baking powder and add it to the custard mixture in several stages, mixing well each time.

Step 8

Knead the gingerbread dough by hand or using a food processor.

Step 9

Roll out the prepared dough, cut out gingerbread cookies and bake them at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

Step 10

Cover the cooled gingerbread cookies with icing and serve with tea.

Gingerbread dough

The original gingerbread dough recipe definitely includes honey. However, if you're making gingerbread to order or as a gift, be sure to check with the recipient for any allergies.

Ingredients

• Honey - 165 g
• Sugar - 100 g
• Ground ginger - 1.5 tsp.
• Cinnamon - 1 tsp.
• Butter - 125 g
• Soda - 2 tsp.
• Egg - 1 pc.
• Flour - 500 g

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Servings: 1

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

Prepare the ingredients. All ingredients should be at room temperature, and the flour should be sifted beforehand.

Step 2

In a saucepan, combine honey, sugar and spices.

Step 3

Place the mixture on the fire and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Cook for about a minute, until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Step 4

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add soda, stirring constantly.

The mass should become lighter and increase in volume.

Step 5

Add butter.

Stir with a whisk.

Step 6

Pour the dough into a deep container and cool to about 60 degrees.

Step 7

Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Step 8

Add sifted flour in small portions.

Knead the dough with a whisk.

Step 9

When the dough becomes dense enough, place it on the table and knead it with your hands for a few more minutes.

Step 10

The finished dough should be wrapped in cling film and cooled in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Raw dough for gingerbread

This is a recipe for a wonderful gingerbread dough made using the raw method. It's very soft, pliable, and tender. Gingerbread made from this dough is incredibly delicious and aromatic. However, it's crucial not to over-dry them when baking.

Ingredients

• Flour - 370 g
• Honey - 100 g
• Sugar - 140 g
• Water - 80 ml
• Butter - 50 g
• Baking soda - 3 g
• Cinnamon - ½ tsp.
• Cognac (optional) - 1 tbsp.
• Salt - a pinch

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

Servings: 1 (30-35 gingerbread cookies, depending on size)

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

We prepare the necessary ingredients.

Step 2

In a deep container, mix the sifted flour, soda and cinnamon.

Step 3

Place the honey in a saucepan, add sugar and water.

Step 4

Heat the resulting mixture over low heat, stirring continuously, until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Step 5

Add butter to the hot syrup and mix thoroughly.

Step 6

Cool the resulting mixture until lukewarm and pour it into a deep bowl. At this point, you can add cognac. It will not only impart a pleasant aroma to the dough but also prolong the freshness of the gingerbread.

Step 7

Pour the dry ingredients mixture through a sieve and mix thoroughly until smooth.

Step 8

Knead the dough with your hands for 1 minute and let it rest for 1-2 minutes.

Step 9

Roll out the dough, cut out figures from it and bake the honey gingerbread for 12-13 minutes at 200 degrees.

Step 10

Cover the cooled gingerbread with protein glaze.

Gingerbread dough without honey

This is another wonderful gingerbread dough recipe without honey. It's made with caramel syrup and turns out delicious, aromatic, and elastic. It's a joy to work with. You can adjust the amount and type of spices to suit your taste.

Ingredients

• Sugar - 250 g
• Butter - 130 g
• Eggs C1 - 2 pcs.
• Water - 110 ml
• Rye flour - 150 g
• Wheat flour - 300-320 g
• Baking soda - ½ tsp.
• Salt - a pinch
• Citric acid - a pinch
• Cinnamon - ½ tsp.
• Ginger - ⅓ tsp.
• Allspice - ⅓ tsp.
• Nutmeg - ¼ tsp.

Cooking time: 35-45 minutes

Servings: 1 (40-50 gingerbread cookies, depending on size)

Step-by-step recipe

Step 1

Prepare the ingredients.

Step 2

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

Step 3

Pour the water into a separate container and bring it to a boil.

Step 4

Mix the soda with all the spices.

Step 5

Add a pinch of salt to the eggs and stir lightly.

Step 6

When the sugar begins to melt and change color, stir it and bring it to a homogeneous state.

Step 7

Reduce the heat to low. Add a pinch of citric acid to the melted sugar, pour in boiling water, and stir thoroughly.

Step 8

Add the remaining sugar and stir the mixture until it is completely dissolved.

Step 9

Remove the syrup from the heat, add the spice mixture with baking soda and stir gently.

Step 10

Add butter and mix the mixture again.

Step 11

Add half of the wheat flour and the egg mixture one by one.

Step 12

Each time, mix the mixture thoroughly until smooth.

Step 13

Add the remaining wheat flour and rye flour and mix everything thoroughly again.

Step 14

Knead the dough with your hands, wrap it in cling film and put it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

Step 15

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, roll it out, and cut out shapes. Bake the gingerbread cookies at 180 degrees Celsius for 8-10 minutes.

Step 16

Decorate the finished gingerbread to your taste.

How long can you store gingerbread dough and can you freeze it?

Gingerbread dough has a multitude of advantages. It's fairly easy to make, a joy to work with, and the baked goods it produces are incredibly delicious and aromatic. It also keeps for a long time, which is incredibly convenient. You can mix up a large batch at once and bake it into a variety of treats step by step.

Depending on the ingredients, gingerbread dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. The more natural honey and spices it contains, the longer its shelf life. However, to prevent the dough from spoiling, drying out, or absorbing odors, it's crucial to prepare it properly.

Once prepared, divide the gingerbread dough into portions that can be used at once. Each portion should be carefully wrapped in plastic wrap. It's recommended to store the wrapped dough in a sealable container.

Gingerbread dough can be frozen. Its shelf life increases to 6 months. Before freezing, divide the dough into the desired number of portions and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Gingerbread dough should be defrosted naturally. First, place it in the refrigerator, and once thawed, remove it and let it sit at room temperature.

Follow these recommendations, and the gingerbread dough you prepare will retain all its qualities for a long time.

Mistakes when making gingerbread dough

Although gingerbread dough is fairly easy to make, there are several common mistakes that can lead to baking failure. Let's take a look at each of them.

Poor or prolonged mixing

Gingerbread dough should be kneaded very carefully and quickly for 1-10 minutes, depending on the amount and composition. It should be smooth and elastic. Over-kneading will result in tough, tasteless gingerbread.

Too much or too little flour

Too much flour will result in crumbly, uneven dough, and dense, tough finished products. Not enough flour will cause the dough to spread during baking. Carefully monitor the consistency of the dough. It shouldn't be too thick or too runny. Flour comes in different grades, and sometimes you may need slightly more or less than the recipe calls for.

Excessive amount of soda

If you add a lot of baking soda to the dough, it will also spread during baking and may even burn.

Uncooled custard base

The custard base for the gingerbread cookies should cool to room temperature. If it's not cooled, the dough will be uneven and won't hold its shape well. The finished product will be soft and rubbery. To speed up the cooling process, pour the custard base into a deep bowl and place it in a larger container of cold water.

Not enough leavening agents

If there is not enough baking powder in the dough, the gingerbread will not rise and will turn out too dense and hard.

Always stick to the recipe, using all the specified proportions, and always choose fresh, high-quality ingredients. But be sure to also monitor the dough's consistency, and if it's too runny or too thick, adjust it promptly. Then your gingerbread will always be delicious, tender, and beautiful.

Video - Classic Gingerbread Dough Recipe

This video recipe for classic gingerbread dough is easy to make at home. It produces tender, delicious, and aromatic gingerbread cookies that will delight both adults and children.

The video's creator clearly demonstrates the entire process and shares helpful tips for making the perfect gingerbread dough. This video also demonstrates a printing method for forming and filling the gingerbread cookies. The resulting cookies are very smooth, beautiful, and elegant. They are perfect not only for serving with tea or coffee, but also for special occasions, giving them to friends, family, or colleagues.