Quick and Easy Gingerbread Cookie Decorations

The simple sweet and spice combination that makes the cookie famous doesn't need to be overshadowed by any of these 6 simple ways to decorate gingerbread cookies.

Both you and I share a love for gingerbread. Just a few years ago, I gave you all my go-to recipe for gingerbread cookies, and since then, you've repeated my success with it time and time again. This is a tried and true recipe that never fails to please. After baking, the cookies maintain their shape and have just the right amount of sweetness and spice. All the people adore them. They freeze well, making them a great option for the hectic holiday season. Our recipe for Soft Gingerbread Cookies is the best you'll find.

You may be wondering what to do for embellishment after you've made them. I'll tell you what I know about making them look good with minimal effort on your part.

Listed below are some of my go-to methods for quickly and simply decorating gingerbread cookies:

1. Frosting fit for a king
2. Candies
3. We're just sprinkling sugars on top here.
4. Stamping with a rubber
5. Tempting confections that melt in your mouth
6. Sprinkles

It may not seem like much, but that's part of the fun: You can make some truly special holiday cookies with just a few inexpensive supplies and a few minutes of your time. In addition, I find joy in stocking up on seasonal sprinkles and sweets. A show of hands, please: who agrees with me

One, use royal icing to adorn gingerbread men.

One of the most traditional, and therefore essential, gingerbread cookie decorating techniques is the use of candy. Egg whites (or commercial meringue powder), powdered sugar, and water are the only ingredients in royal icing, a very simple icing. Since it hardens quickly, it can also be used as "glue" for gingerbread structures. It complements the cookie's sweetness and soft texture with a satisfying crunch. However, it's not so tasty that you'll want to smother the cookie in it. When decorating gingerbread with royal icing, all you need are some simple lines and outlines.

I simply whip up a batch of my foolproof royal icing (ideal for decorating gingerbread houses, but equally at home on cookies). To decorate your gingerbread house, mix up the frosting (my recipe is available here), divide it between several disposable piping bags, secure the ends, and snip off a small portion of one of the bags' tips. This is a great method for kids to use when decorating cookies. So simple

Make candy ornaments for gingerbread men

I think it's fun to use seasonal candies as cookie decorations. In this case, I went to town with a bag of holiday M&Ms. Sixlets and gumdrops can also be used. As previously mentioned, I "glued" my candies to the cookies with royal icing. Minimal effort required, excellent sticking power.

Sprinkle sugars on gingerbread men and decorate them.

When it comes to gingerbread cookies, I adore decorating with chunky sprinkling sugar (especially colored ones). Using a cookie cutter, arrange the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with coarse sugars and press them gently into the uncooked dough before baking. Follow the recipe and set aside to cool.

The soft cookies contrast nicely with the coarse sugar. They turn out beautifully, and (best of all) require no more effort than a couple of quick shakes of the wrist before being baked. A simple way to spice up your holiday cookies

If you're interested in grabbing some of the sugars I used for garnishing, here they are.

Use rubber stamps or fancy rolling pins to add flair to your gingerbread cookie decorations.

Wow, this is so entertaining. Just before baking the gingerbread cookies, I lightly pressed some rubber stamps I had into the dough, using the stamps to make simple designs with a little soap and water. Next, I baked it according to the recipe's instructions. I'm in awe of how easy and enjoyable they were to make, and of the variety of stamps available. To my delight, the words came out clearly, and the snowflakes were a lot of fun. It's not necessary to use holiday-specific symbols; simple shapes like hearts and stars will do.

For the holidays, my mom found me this link to a jolly Danish-inspired carving of a rolling pin. Including Reindeer I've been thinking about it, and I think it would go wonderfully with this dish. Have you ever used a rolling pin that was hand-carved? Let me know how you feel about it!

Make candy melt "paint" and use it to decorate gingerbread cookies with a paintbrush.

This was a lot of fun to play around with. I didn't want to cover the entire cookie in chocolate or colored candy melts because I think that would ruin the flavor and texture of what is otherwise a fantastic cookie. Therefore, I melted the candy melts in a small bowl and painted on the colored chocolate using a high-quality, clean paintbrush. How lovely it was! Candy melts can be used to either completely cover the cookie or just decorate the top, as with the stocking. Sprinkles are welcome as well, of course.

Keep in mind that less is more, and don't smother the cookie in chocolate chips or candy melts.

Sprinkle some cuteness on your gingerbread men by.

In contrast to the past, cute sprinkles are now much more accessible. Prior to moving to Salt Lake City, I would either order specialty sprinkles online or visit a restaurant supply store there. You can get sprinkles just about anywhere now, and Wilton sells adorable four-bottle sets of them that you can find in a ton of stores. For the holiday season, I've had great success locating lovely sprinkle mixes on Amazon. Don't believe me?

Before baking, I pressed various sprinkles into the gingerbread dough. This is a great, low-effort way to personalize the cookies for the party. Before decorating a large batch of cookies, you may want to see how the sprinkles work. Some of the sprinkles I used leaked or melted when cooked, but many others were unaffected. Put them in the oven and decide which one you like best once they're done.

Now you know 6 simple ways to adorn gingerbread cookies for the holiday season. There's nothing too pricey, time-consuming, or difficult to find, and everything is suitable for children.

Making something that serves as both a holiday decoration and a gift is one of my favorite holiday traditions to share with my children, and this is one of our favorite holiday treats to make together.

I've got the best recipe for Soft Gingerbread Cookies, so you can use these techniques to decorate them.

Thank you so much for being here to enjoy so many recipes with me and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, full of joy and festive decorating!