Gingerbread cookies with candied orange peel

3 hours cooking time
Take to the stage with these aromatic showstoppers. Melt, knead and roll your gingerbread cookies, then create a grand finale with royal icing and candied orange peel. With festive flavours and intricate icing, these anticipated cookies are brimming with Christmasness, inside and out. As you bake them, the scent of spices fills your kitchen, spreading cheer. Easy-to-make gingerbread cookies taste as delicious as they look, so grab your most festive apron, get out the best ingredients, and start baking.
Gingerbread cookies with candied orange peel Gingerbread cookies with candied orange peel

Gingerbread cookies with candied orange peel

  • 3 hours cooking time
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Take to the stage with these aromatic showstoppers. Melt, knead and roll your gingerbread cookies, then create a grand finale with royal icing and candied orange peel. With festive flavours and intricate icing, these anticipated cookies are brimming with Christmasness, inside and out. As you bake them, the scent of spices fills your kitchen, spreading cheer. Easy-to-make gingerbread cookies taste as delicious as they look, so grab your most festive apron, get out the best ingredients, and start baking.
Take to the stage with these aromatic showstoppers. Melt, knead and roll your gingerbread cookies, then create a grand finale with royal icing and candied orange peel. With festive flavours and intricate icing, these anticipated cookies are brimming with Christmasness, inside and out. As you bake them, the scent of spices fills your kitchen, spreading cheer. Easy-to-make gingerbread cookies taste as delicious as they look, so grab your most festive apron, get out the best ingredients, and start baking.

Method

Cookies
1
Melt sugar, syrup, and butter in a saucepan. Add spices and bicarbonate of soda and stir well.
TIP
For the most flavourful result, use fresh, high-quality ground spices to make gingerbread cookies. Spices lose their potency, aroma, and flavour over time, resulting in a noticeable difference in taste. Maximise your baking joy and craft a larger batch of gingerbread cookie dough and stash the extra in the freezer. Easily available for spontaneous, cosy baking moments – easy and efficient!
2
Cool down and mix in eggs, flour, and salt.
3
Knead into a smooth dough and divide into two round balls. Wrap in cling film and allow to rest for one hour in the refrigerator.
4
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 4.
5
Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 3-4 mm thick. Cut out round shapes with a 5cm round cookie cutter. Place the round pieces of dough on a baking tray lined with baking paper, gather the leftover dough, and roll out again. Continue until all the dough is used.
6
Bake for 10-12 minutes, leave to cool on baking trays until crisp, then move to a wire rack.
Candied orange peel
1
Cut orange peel and place it in a small saucepan with sugar and water.
2
Let simmer for 30 minutes, add more water if the peel dries up.
3
Take the peel out of the sugar, set aside, and cool down.
4
Cut into small pieces and place on a sheet of baking paper for later use.
Royal icing
1
Whisk egg whites until lightly whipped. Add icing sugar, a few tbsps at a time, whisking continuously until all is incorporated. Continue whisking until the icing is smooth, shiny, and thick enough to form stiff peaks when you lift the whisk.
Assembling the cookies
1
Place the icing in a big bowl, dip the cookies halfway, and use a small spatula to scrape the icing from the back and edges of the cookies. Place on a sheet of baking paper.
2
Place the little pieces of candied orange peel on the icing sugar before it sets. Let the cookies rest for about an hour before serving.
3
Store in an airtight container.

EVERYTHING ABOUT GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Flavourful gingerbread cookies are a Christmas staple. To learn more about the classic holiday treat, read our answers to all the most frequently questions about them below.

  • Decorating easy gingerbread cookies with royal icing and candied orange peels allows you to craft delightful Christmas treats. Royal icing, with its smooth and easily spreadable texture, is commonly used to add colour and design, and can be tinted in various shades to elevate its festive appeal. Candied orange peel introduces a tangy, sweet element, complementing the cookies' spices. While round cookies are classic and versatile, exploring alternative shapes or adding various colours to the icing allows for a creative and personalised cookie decorating experience, enhancing the joy of holiday baking.

  • Gingerbread cookies, beloved for their spiced sweetness and durability, typically last quite a while when stored correctly. If placed in an airtight container and stored in a cool, dry place, they can last for about 2-3 weeks. However, if you wish to preserve them for an even longer period, gingerbread cookies can be frozen. Remember, optimal storage conditions and protection from moisture and air are crucial to maintain the cookies' freshness and flavour.

  • While opulent buttercream, and sleek, mouldable fondant might provide a buttery or sugary icing to gingerbread cookies, royal icing emerges as the superior decoration. Why? While regular glaze icing offers a translucent, glossy charm, royal icing triumphs with its ability to dry to a hard, smooth finish. Its durable stability and vivid colour retention, juxtaposing the tender, spiced cookie, create a nice textural contrast, enhancing every bite.

  • Yes, you can absolutely freeze gingerbread cookies. Ensure they are completely cooled post-baking. Then, lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet to flash freeze initially. Once solid, transfer them to airtight containers, layering parchment paper between stacks to avoid sticking. The cookies, ready to enhance future moments with Christmas cheer, can be stored frozen for up to three months. To savour, simply thaw at room temperature and rekindle those warm, spicy aromas that enchant our senses every festive season.

  • Embrace the wisdom of foresight by freezing gingerbread dough for easy baking later. Roll your dough into a log, or shape it flat for easier future rolling, and wrap with care in cling film and a second layer of aluminium foil or a zip-top freezer bag. Your dough, now a promise of future indulgences, will rest perfectly in the freezer for up to three months. When the baking need beckons, thaw it in the fridge overnight, then roll, shape, and bake.

  • Zesty ginger takes the lead in the merry flavour combination, with cinnamon twirling gracefully alongside, offering sweet, woody notes. Cloves, those tiny, unassuming buds, pack a punch of bold, spicy depth. Together these aromatic spices combine with the golden syrup, brown sugar, and butter to ensure the unmistakable, heart-warming essence of gingerbread.

  • Decorating gingerbread cookies is a sweet task that combines creativity and baking. When icing cookies with royal icing, you can employ a couple of different methods. Place the icing in a big bowl, dip cookies halfway, and use a small spatula to scrape excess icing from the back and edges, placing them on baking paper to set. Alternatively, you might opt for using a piping bag for your royal icing cookies: first, outline and then flood the insides with more icing for a smooth, detailed finish. Both methods showcase the enchanting appeal of decorating Christmas cookies.

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Whip up Christmas cheer with delicious gingerbread cookies

Infuse your holiday season with the rich, inviting aromas of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves by dedicating time to crafting gingerbread cookies from scratch. The classic trio of winter spices, melded harmoniously together, forge a quintessential Christmas flavour profile – it is nostalgic and comforting. Each bite of the firm yet tender cookies reveals layers of taste: a peppery zing from the ginger, warm woody undertones gifted by cinnamon, and the bold, pungent sweet-spicy notes introduced by cloves. Embark on a sensory journey with these cookies that captures the essence of festive celebrations.

Decorate with delicious royal icing

Decorate gingerbread cookies with royal icing to impress and delight. The sweet, sugary flavour of the icing complements the aromatic warmth of these spiced treats. When wet, the glossy, white icing is ideal for spreading or piping onto cookie surfaces. Once dried and set, it gains a smooth, matte, and crisp finish. Bite into an iced cookie to experience the satisfying snap this icing gives.

Add a final touch with candied orange peel

Go for irresistible with an orange peel garnish for your iced gingerbread cookies. The vibrant orange hue of the peel looks great against the white royal icing, giving these treats a lively pop of colour. The sugary crystallisation counters the natural bitterness of the orange peel, offering a balanced, zesty flavour. While the peel’s pleasantly chewy texture contrasts the tender cookies with their crisp, hardened icing.

Citrus fruits like orange and clementine are often used in both sweet and savoury dishes to great effect around Christmas. For more sweet options, consider orange cardamom pancakes or a classic orange bundt cake, or make a roasted Brussels sprouts salad with orange fillets and juice.

Get creative, cook

Get out your favourite cookie cutters and turn the aromatic dough into gingerbread men, reindeer, or Christmas trees. Have no cutters in your arsenal? Use a knife to cut the rolled-out dough into gingerbread men cookies of your own design. If you want to take things to the next level, this dough can also be used to make a gingerbread house. If fun shapes or architectural ventures are not for you, divide the royal icing into three portions, add a different food colouring to each portion, place in pipping bags, and use to decorate. This way you can use colours to make festive Christmas gingerbread cookies that look like ornaments and presents or are adorned with stars and snowflakes. You can also decorate with nuts and sprinkles. When it comes to gingerbread cookie decorations, no ideas will land you on Santa's naughty list.

Alternatively, experiment with this recipe for gingerbread cookies by adding sweet and nutty nutmeg, citrusy cardamom, zesty orange peel, or even black pepper for a bit of heat.

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