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glazed snowflake gingerbread cookies

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings 18

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp instant espresso powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter at room temp
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg at room temp
  • 2 tbsps molasses
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

for the glaze:

  • 2 tsps meringue powder
  • 2 tbsps warm water
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp butter melted
  • pinch of salt
  • sprinkles and/or sanding sugar of choice for decorating

Instructions

  1. Line a non-rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare a second piece of parchment of the same size.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, espresso powder, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until well combined.
  3. Combine room temp butter along with both sugars in the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat on medium using the paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides using a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg then mix for an additional minute. Mix in the molasses and vanilla for another 30 seconds. Finally, add the dry ingredients from step one and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together.
  4. Using your hands, form dough into a disc shape then place on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Top the dough disc with the second piece of prepared parchment then, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it’s ¼ inch thick. Place in the freezer for one hour to chill.
  5. After one hour, remove the dough from the oven, slide the parchment onto the counter (off the baking sheet) and let thaw for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F. Prep two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Remove the top piece of parchment paper then cut dough into snowflakes using a snowflake-shaped cookie cutter (or whatever your desired shape is). Place snowflakes on the prepared baking sheets. Gather the dough scraps then roll them out and cut again to make more snowflakes.
  7. Bake the cookies (one pan at a time) until golden and only just firm to touch, 9-10 minutes (if you bake them too long, they won’t be as chewy). Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool.
  8. While the cookies are baking, make your glaze: Quickly whisk together the meringue powder and water in a medium bowl until foamy. Mix in the powdered sugar, melted butter, and salt using a rubber spatula until smooth.
  9. Once cookies are completely cool, spread the glaze over each snowflake then dust sprinkles over top while the glaze is still wet.
  10. Let the cookies dry at room temperature for at least 1 hour before stacking or putting in containers.

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from Eating Well.