Gingerbread Stars

Soft gingerbread stars, glazed with a icing or dipped in dark chocolate.

It is safe to say it is winter. We have already had a few days with minus temperatures and with maximums barely reaching 5C. Classical Christmas music is playing softly in the background, the Christmas lights are up and we have just finished decorating our small Christmas tree.

Currently a batch of gingerbread stars are cooling on the window sill, ready to be decorated, and another batch baking in the oven. It feels and smells like Christmas.

A TREAT

I am looking forward to an afternoon oat latte. Hopefully the cookies will be decorated by then.

Half these biscuits will most likely not survive another week in our home and the other half will be given as homemade Christmas gifts. to friends. Wrapped beautifully and festive, these make a wonderful homemade gift.

Add some sprinkles or edible glitters to give them an even more festive look.

MAKE A COOKIE BOX

Make a cookie box by adding a few different homemade cookies, arrange them beautifully in a box or tray and gift that to a loved one.

These filled lebkuchen hearts or mince pie truffles will be especially wonderful together with these gingerbread stars.

BEAUTIFUL WAY TO SERVE

When you have friends or family over I suggest arranging and presenting the gingerbread stars in the shape of a wreath. Not only will this look impressing, but it will look even more festive and beautiful.

Not convinced yet? These are easier to make then you might think. Decorate them however you wish. Simply dip them in an icing glaze or dark chocolate or use your talented piping skills to add beautiful patterns on the cookies.

I still have to learn to decorate cookies, so drizzling or dipping them in an icing glaze or melted dark chocolate is my preferred option. It is easy and let's be honest, a very delicious combination with the gingerbread spices.

TO MAKE THESE YOU WILL NEED

• plain flour

• coconut sugar

• brown sugar

• baking powder

• ground cinnamon

• ground ginger

• pinch ground nutmeg

• ground allspice

• cacao powder, unsweetened

• maple syrup or honey

• vegetable oil

• almond milk, or milk of choice

AND TO DECORATE

• icing sugar

• lemon juice

• dark chocolate

STORING THE COOKIES

Once the icing or chocolate glaze has set store in an airtight container.

OTHER FESTIVE RECIPES TO TRY

filled lebkuchen hearts

chocolate & marzipan festive buns

mince pie truffles

orange & mince "pie" star bread

vegan almond linzer cookies

GINGERBREAD SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE

gingerbread overnight oats

gingerbread pancakes

healthy gingerbread smoothie

GINGERBREAD STARS

Soft gingerbread cookies, coated in dark chocolate or a lemony icing, these make the perfect Christmas treat.

Prep time: 20 minutes (will depend on the amount of biscuits/size you make)

Cooking time: 8 - 10 minutes

Quantity: about 20 - 25 stars, but will depend on the size of the cookies

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE GINGERBREAD

• 250g plain flour

• 80 g coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

• 60g brown sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• pinch ground nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

• 2 tsp cacao powder, unsweetened

• 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil

• 60ml almond milk, or milk of choice

FOR THE ICING GLAZE

(Quantity will depend on how many you want to coat in the icing glaze)

• 60g icing sugar

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

(Quantity will depend on how many you want to coat in the icing glaze)

• 75g dark chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE GINGERBREAD STARS

1. In a mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated.

2. In another bowl mix all the wet ingredients and stir until well incorporated. The oil will sit on top, but that is fine.

3. Pour the wet into the dry and mix thoroughly. It will feel like the mixture doesn't have enough liquid but keep mixing as it will all get together. If it really is too dry, add 1 tbsp extra almond milk. Don't be tempted to add too much more liquid as the dough should not be too wet or too sticky.

4. Preheat the oven to 180C /160C fan.

5. Prepare a baking tray.

6. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll about 5 - 7 mm thick.

7. Using a different star-shaped cookie cutter sizes, cut out as many stars as possible. The amount will depend on the size of the cookie cutter you chose to use.

8. Carefully transfer the stars onto the baking tray.

9. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool in the tray for 5 - 10 minutes before transferring until a cooling rack. Depending on the size, you will probably have to bake the cookies in batches.

10. Once the cookies have cooled you can start the decorating.

FOR THE ICING

1. Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice until a runny glaze.

2. Dip one side of the cookie in the glaze, decorate however you wish and place back on the cooling rack until the glaze has set.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE

1. Melt half the chocolate in a bowl over a steaming pot - make sure NO water gets into the melted chocolate as this will make the chocolate lumpy.

2. Once melted, remove from the heat and add the rest of the chocolate.

3. Stir until everything is melted.

4. Dip one side of the cookie into the chocolate and place it back on the cooling rack until the chocolate has set.

STORING THE COOKIES

Once the icing or chocolate glaze has set store in an airtight container.

HAVE YOU MADE THIS?

If you have, I would love to see your creations on Instagram.

Make sure to leave a review below and give it a rating.

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