12 Days of Holiday Cookies: Iced Gingerbread Stars

If making traditional gingerbread men is a time-honoured holiday cookie ritual in your family, it may be time to break it (if only slightly). Here we’ve created a modern-twist by using a classic gingerbread cookie recipe to make these adorable star-shapes and then glazed them with royal icing. We’ve kept ours white (to look like shiny glistening stars), but feel free to tint yours any festive colour you like. Pile in a jar and tie with some festive twine for an impressive hostess gift.

Servings

Makes 30 – 40 Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Royal icing for spreading
• Sprinkles or candies for decoration (optional)

Recipe Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add molasses and egg and beat well, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients and mix just until a dough begins to form. Turn out onto a piece of waxed paper and knead gently until dough forms a ball. Pat into a disk, wrap in cling film and chill until firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Remove dough from fridge and divide in half. Place one half back in fridge to keep chilled while you work with the other half. Let stand at room temperature until soft enough to roll, about 5 to 10 min. Place between 2 sheets of parchment or waxed paper and roll dough to ¼ -inch thick. Cut out shapes with a star-shaped cookie cutter. Use a small flat spatula to immediately transfer shapes to prepared baking sheets, spacing shapes about 1-inch apart.
4. Bake until firm and edges just begin to darken, 10 to 18 minutes, depending on size. Cool completely on baking sheets. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.
5. Once cookies are completely cool, ice with plain or tinted royal icing and decorate with sprinkles or candies if you like.