Whether you’re baking up a storm for Christmas season, or keeping the kids busy with cookie decorating – this is the perfect frosting to spread on your beloved gingerbread cookies.
Have you ever wondered where gingerbread men first originated? While some say you can trace gingerbread right back to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, we can credit gingerbread cookies as we know and love them today to Queen Elizabeth I of England. It’s said she would cleverly have the cooks mold biscuits to resemble her VIP guests and members of her court. Let’s call it clever diplomacy and creativity during the Elizabethan era.
These days, gingerbread men are very much a firm fixture of the holiday season – with these tasty little cookies often seen swinging from Christmas trees or adorning festive cookie trays. Just to make them even better (and cuter) piping a little decorative frosting adds some extra sweetness and a little room for creativity. I mean, no gingerbread man is complete without some eyes and a mouth made of frosting, right? So, next time you bake up a batch of sweetly spiced gingerbread men, don’t forget that frosting!
How to perfect your frosting…
There’s nothing worse than biting into a perfectly decorated gingerbread cookie with a less-than-delicious frosting. Sometimes, to the misfortune of our tastebuds, the icing on gingerbread men and gingerbread houses is made more for the presentation than the taste. This recipe satisfies both aspects. The taste is lovely, sweet but not the kind of sweet that hurts your teeth and gives you a bellyache. Well, unless you eat too many, and it’ll be hard not to.
And while there are loads of recipe variations for gingerbread cookie frosting, I’ve found these specific ingredients give me the best presentation and taste. Let’s break down the importance of each ingredient:
- Confectioners’ sugar is a frosting must, don’t replace it with granulated sugar because it doesn’t dissolve as nicely.
- Vanilla extract adds a glorious pop of flavor and complements the sweet sugar.
- Corn syrup is the ingredient people often want to swap for something else, or leave out entirely. You may leave it out, but corn syrup is ultra important for the sake of presentation because it helps prevents crystallization, giving the icing a luscious glossy texture.
- Room temperature water is obviously your liquid and allows everything else to mold together. This is the one ingredient I would say you could substitute with milk if you want to have a creamier-tasting frosting.
- Finally, don’t forget that pinch of salt. I limit salt when and where I can and I used to not use it in baking as it’s usually written as an optional ingredient, but in the case of frosting, go for it to balance out the sweetness a bit. A tiny pinch will do the trick.
Add in your choice of food coloring and have fun decorating! I prefer reusable squeeze bottles because not only are they more environmentally friendly, I find they make the frosting easier to apply.
FAQs & Tips
How to Make Ahead and Store?
If you want to prepare this frosting in advance, follow the directions as specified and then store the frosting in a sealed container. The frosting can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How Do I Get the Right Consistency?
If you’ve followed the recipe and find that the consistency of your icing is too runny then try adding more confectioners’ sugar. Slowly add more and stir until you’re satisfied. You can also let the frosting cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before transferring to squeeze bags or bottles. Likewise, if the frosting is too thick then mix in a few more drops of water.
Do the Cookies Need to be Cooled Before Frosting?
Yes, you must wait for the cookies to be completely cool before frosting them otherwise your precise festive decorations will melt together. The heat of the cookies will alter the consistency of the frosting and make it runny.
Serving Suggestions
Don’t be limited by the name of this recipe. This frosting goes wonderfully on Gingerbread Houses, cupcakes, Snickerdoodles, Gingersnaps and more. If you’re baking up a ton of Christmas cookies and are on the hunt for other delicious recipes then try out these Chocolate Snickerdoodles or my personal favorite, Christmas Treasure Cookies.
Gingerbread Cookie Frosting
Ingredients
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
- 4-5 tablespoons water room temperature
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, corn syrup, and 4 tablespoons of water. Begin stirring with a fork until the mixture starts to come together.
- Switch to a whisk and add the remaining water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a consistency where it drizzles smoothly from the whisk but still holds shape for a few seconds.
- If using food coloring, add a drop or two to the frosting and stir well. Add more coloring as needed to achieve the desired hue.
- Transfer the frosting to squeeze bottles or piping bags fitted with a small round tip. Outline the gingerbread cookies with frosting first, then fill in the centers.
- Allow the frosting to dry completely, which may take up to 24 hours, before storing or serving the cookies.
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