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

  • 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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