Christmas cookies have the aroma of all good things from the past, able to evoke childhood memories, sweet embraces with grandparents and recollections that touch the heart. Use the free time over the holidays to treat yourself to a sweet day at the stove: teaching children to knead and shape their imagination will be a delicious adventure.
Cinnamon, gingerbread, and cocoa: these festive sweets have fragrant spices from across the world transporting you on a magical journey to faraway places. From Germany to Scandinavia, where they are called Pepparkakor, gingerbread cookies are part of Italian gastronomic tradition too. These can be enjoyed with tea, given as gifts or... hung on the Christmas tree!
Gingerbread Christmas cookies
Classic at Christmas are hearts, stars, and gingerbread men, but there are so many winter shapes to use when making cookies. Let your imagination and creativity run wild with the icing and have fun. Use raffia strands or colored satin ribbons to hang the sweets or create a delicious corner at the table.
Christmas cookies are transformed into a delicious Christmas table decoration. Did you know that in South Tyrol they are traditionally prepared on the first Sunday of Advent? Place them in a large basket together with Christmas balls, dried fruit, and a holly branch and you’ll get a simple and original centerpiece. If you want to create placeholders you can customize the cookies with the icing by drawing the initial of each family member, which can be taken home or posted as a gift to send sweet wishes of happy holidays.
Our recipe for gingerbread cookies
To make the traditional recipe for gingerbread cookies, start by melting 1 oz butter and 7 oz honey together. Then add 1 egg, 9 oz flour, a pinch of salt and baking powder, 3 oz sugar and many other spices like ginger, cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg. (The quantity of spices is up to you, but we suggest a tablespoon of cinnamon and ginger, a pinch of nutmeg and 2 whole cloves minced finely.) Knead the dough and let it rest. Then roll it out and cut out the cookie shapes with your desired stencils. Bake at 355°F (180°C) for about 10-15 minutes.