There’s something undeniably nostalgic about spiced cookies — the kind that fill your kitchen with the warmth of cinnamon, ginger, and a hint of cocoa. Whether you’re baking for the holidays or just craving a cozy treat, these honey-spiced cookies with royal icing strike the perfect balance of soft, sweet, and lightly crisp edges. Plus, decorating them can be half the fun (especially if you’ve got some company and a piping bag in hand)!
Gingerbread Style Cookies
The holiday season just isn’t complete without a batch of gingerbread cookies. With a perfect balance of cinnamon, ginger, and honey, these little treats bring all the festive cheer to your kitchen. This recipe yields around 20 medium cookies.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 110 g Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- 100 g Honey
- 100 g Fine White Sugar
- 1 Egg Yolk (Don’t throw the egg white away! Use it to make the icing)
- 250 g Flour
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Cocoa Powder
- 1½ tsp Ginger Powder
- 1½ tsp Cinnamon Powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
Royal Icing
- 190 g Powdered Sugar
- 1 Egg White
- ½ tsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
- Whisk in the egg yolk, vanilla, and honey until fully combined.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, and salt, then fold to form a soft dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Shape the dough into balls or roll it out and cut with cookie cutters.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes until the edges are firm but the centers remain soft.
- Cool the cookies on a wire rack completely before decorating.
- Whisk powdered sugar, egg white, and lemon juice to make icing, adding extract if desired.
- Decorate the cooled cookies and let the icing set before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below.