Festive Gingerbread Cookies for the Holidays

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, honey, and unsalted butter. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil, which should take about 1 minute.

Once boiling, add in the spices. Mix well, and then carefully stir in the baking soda. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes.

After cooling, whisk in the egg until fully incorporated. Gradually sift in the flour while stirring until the dough comes together. The dough will be slightly sticky, but don’t worry!

For easier mixing, I recommend using a silicone spatula. After mixing, cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 to 1.5 hours, or overnight for better results.

Once the dough is chilled, lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough to a thickness of about 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inches). Use cookie cutters or a glass to cut out your cookie shapes.

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius (about 320 degrees Fahrenheit). Place the cut cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for around 8 to 10 minutes, using the top and bottom heat setting without convection. Be sure to watch closely to ensure they do not over-bake; remove them as soon as the centers have set but the edges do not brown.

For decorating, you can make a simple icing from powdered sugar and egg whites, or use a store-bought mix for convenience. Once the cookies are completely cool, apply your chosen icing to create festive designs.