Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies made with honey and love are perfect for a holiday baking session with the family! I love the holiday season and the holidays would not be complete without making a Gingerbread Man! Making cookies is so much fun for the whole family. One of the real joys is that you can make these gingerbread cookies anything you want… a gingerbread lady, a gingerbread baby, a gingerbread Christmas tree, a gingerbread unicorn, the list could go on and on so get creative and have fun with it!

My daughter actually asked me to make a “Ninjabread Man”, it is from her book “The Ninjabread Man“. That was a new one for me! Below is a picture of the “Ninjabread Man” that I made for her. Try not to laugh too hard, Ninjas are not my specialty. If you happen to design your own “Ninjabread Man”, or any fun gingerbread designs, please email me a picture, I would love to see what others come up with and get some new ideas!

I am always trying to make things a little bit healthier. So, I decided to make these cookies using organic honey instead of molasses because everyone needs a little honey in their life. Honey is possibly one of the best natural sweeteners you can use. It has both nutritional and medicinal properties. Honey is filled with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It also has antibacterial properties, which is great when it comes to preserving the cookies. Not only is it better for you, but it also tastes better in my humble opinion.

Please note, I strongly recommend that you make the cookie dough the day before you are going to make your gingerbread cookies. The cookie dough is so much easier to work with after it has been refrigerated overnight. If the dough is not cold, it does not hold it’s shape well and is sticky. Trust me, you want your cookie dough to be cold if you want your cookie shapes to resemble anything other than a mess.

Note: The printable recipe is located at the end of this post. Please visit The Scoop for my latest posts or you can search or browse my Recipe Index.

Healthier Gingerbread Cookie Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter – softened to room temperature.
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey – I always use organic honey.
• 2 tbsp applesauce
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• Cookie Icing for decorating the cookies.

How to make Gingerbread Cookies with Honey and Applesauce

Make the cookie dough:

First, in a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together. Then, beat in the egg, vanilla, applesauce and honey. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir to mix. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well to combine and form cookie dough. Split the dough in half and press the dough to form two circles. Wrap each cookie dough circle in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 4 – 6 hours, but I recommend overnight.

Shape, Bake, and Decorate your Gingerbread Cookies:

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Only take one circle of dough out of the refrigerator at a time so that the dough stays cold. Making the cookies in batches is helpful. Place the circle of dough onto a large piece of parchment paper on a flat work surface. With a rolling pin, roll and flatten the cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Using cookie cutters, press shapes into the dough. 

Carefully remove the excess dough from around your cookie shapes. Place the cookies on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 – 10 minutes. The edges of the cookies will just start to turn golden brown when they are finished. Carefully remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool on baking sheet for 1 minute, then carefully transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating. 

Here is the fun part! Decorate your cookies however you like. Once you have decorated your cookies, allow the icing to set for 4 hours before you stack the cookies. Store your cookies in an airtight container.

I wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season!

Print Recipe

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies made healthier with honey and applesauce.

Course

Dessert

Cook Time

8 minutes

Servings

cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature.
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tbsp applesauce
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• Cookie Icing for decorating.

Course Dessert Cook Time 8 minutes Servings cookies Ingredients 3 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature. 3/4 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup honey 2 tbsp applesauce 1 large egg 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp ground ginger 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp allspice Cookie Icing for decorating.

Instructions

Cookie dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together.
2. Beat in the egg, vanilla, applesauce and honey.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir to mix. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well to combine and form cookie dough.
4. Split the dough in half and press the dough to form two circles. Wrap each cookie dough circle in plastic wrap.
5. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 4 - 6 hours, but I recommend overnight.

Shape, Bake, and Decorate

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place the unwrapped refrigerated circle of dough onto a large piece of parchment paper on a flat work surface. With a rolling pin, roll and flatten the cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Using cookie cutters, press shapes into the dough. Carefully remove the excess dough from around your cookie shapes and place the cookies on the parchment-lined baking sheets.
3. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 - 10 minutes. The edges of the cookies will just start to turn golden brown when they are finished.  
4. Carefully remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool on baking sheet for 1 minute, then carefully transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.
5. Decorate your cookies however you like. Once you have decorated your cookies, allow the icing to set for 4 hours before you stack the cookies. Store your cookies in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

I strongly recommend that you make the cookie dough the day before you are going to make your gingerbread cookies. The cookie dough is so much easier to work with after it has been refrigerated overnight. Only take one circle of dough out of the refrigerator at a time so that the dough stays cold. Making the cookies in batches is helpful.