Transform your holiday baking with these delightful Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies, an artful twist on the classic gingersnap. Crafted with a blend of warm spices and a touch of molasses, these cookies balance rich, festive flavors with a satisfying, delicate crunch.

Each cookie is shaped into a six-pointed star, adding an eye-catching charm to your dessert table. Top them with a ribbon of royal icing to create intricate snowflake designs, making each cookie a unique piece of edible art.

Perfect for gifting or a cozy holiday treat, these gingerbread snowflakes are as beautiful as they are delicious. Embrace the season’s spirit and bring warmth and creativity to your kitchen with this timeless recipe.

Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies: Ingredients Section

All-Purpose Flour
Forms the base of these cookies, lending structure to the dough and creating a tender crumb perfect for every holiday bite.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Adds depth and a subtle richness, balancing the spices with a hint of chocolate warmth.
Ground Ginger & Cinnamon
The heart of gingerbread flavor, these spices infuse warmth and a cozy, nostalgic aroma into every star-shaped cookie.
Molasses
Delivers a dark, caramel-like sweetness, enhancing both flavor and color with a traditional gingerbread richness.
Butter
Softened for a creamy consistency, it brings smoothness and a melt-in-your-mouth texture to each cookie.
Powdered Sugar
The star of the icing, creating a smooth, delicate glaze for decorating the cookies with intricate snowflake designs.

Recipe Tips

Chilling the Dough for Shape and Texture
Chilling the dough is crucial for these gingerbread snowflake cookies. It allows the butter to firm up, making the dough easier to shape and ensuring the cookies hold their star shape during baking. One hour of chilling will create a chewy texture, but if you prefer a crispier cookie, try chilling for at least two hours or overnight. Chilled dough is also easier to cut and form into strips for the six-pointed stars, ensuring each cookie turns out consistent and visually striking.
Mastering the Snowflake Icing Design
Decorating with icing brings these cookies to life, transforming them into snowflakes. To achieve precise, intricate designs, mix the icing until it forms ribbons when drizzled. Using a piping bag with a small round tip gives you control, especially for thin lines and dots. If you’re new to icing, practice on parchment paper before applying it to the cookies. Once you’ve got the hang of it, creating symmetrical snowflake patterns is easy, and the cookies will look festive and professional.
Flavor Customization with Spices
The spices in this recipe offer plenty of room for customization. Ground ginger and cinnamon provide classic warmth, but if you enjoy a bolder flavor, add a pinch more black pepper or cayenne for a gentle heat. For a subtle twist, try adding a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the mix. These small adjustments can deepen the flavor, making each bite of these cookies even more memorable.

What to Serve with Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies

Warm Apple Cider
Pairing these spiced gingerbread snowflake cookies with warm apple cider enhances their cozy, holiday flavors. The apple cider’s natural sweetness and subtle spice beautifully complement the gingerbread, while the warmth of the drink makes it a comforting choice for winter gatherings.
Hot Chocolate with a Cinnamon Stick
Hot chocolate with a hint of cinnamon is an ideal companion for these cookies. The rich chocolate contrasts with the gingerbread’s spice, creating a balanced dessert experience. Serve with a cinnamon stick as a stirrer for added aroma and flavor.
Creamy Eggnog
For a classic holiday pairing, serve gingerbread snowflake cookies with creamy eggnog. The smooth, custard-like flavor of eggnog contrasts beautifully with the spiced cookies, creating a festive, indulgent treat perfect for winter celebrations.

FAQ

Can I prepare the dough in advance?
Yes! You can prepare the dough up to 24 hours in advance. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes until slightly softened.
How do I store the cookies?
Store the decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you want to keep them longer, consider freezing the baked, undecorated cookies and adding the icing after they’ve thawed.
Can I use store-bought icing instead?
Yes, store-bought icing can work for decorating. However, for the best consistency and control, homemade icing is recommended as it provides the right texture for detailed piping.
What makes these cookies chewy or crispy?
The bake time is key! For chewy cookies, bake for around 12 minutes. For a crispier texture, extend the bake time to 15 minutes. Chilling the dough longer can also yield a slightly chewier result.

Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 2 15

Course Cookies

Cuisine American

Servings 30

Ingredients

Cookies
12 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
⅔ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup molasses
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 additional tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper optional
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons water adjust as needed

Instructions

Assemble all ingredients for ease of preparation.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, cloves, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Whisk until the ingredients are well distributed.
In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture turns a pale, creamy yellow, approximately 2 minutes. Incorporate the molasses, vanilla extract, and egg, mixing until fully blended. Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed butter mixture, stirring gently until the flour is just incorporated.
Place a sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface. Transfer the dough onto the wrap, shaping it into a rectangle roughly 1 inch high and 4–5 inches wide. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until the dough is firm and cold, approximately 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a baking sheet with a Silpat mat or parchment paper.
Once the dough has chilled, slice it into 14 or 15 sections, each about 3/8 inch thick. Cut each slice in half, then further divide each half into three strips lengthwise.
Arrange three strips of dough to form a six-pointed star on the baking sheet, leaving space between stars to allow for spreading.
Bake for 12 minutes for chewy cookies or 15 minutes for a crisper texture. Remove from the oven, allowing the cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Let them cool fully, about 30 minutes.
To prepare the icing, mix the powdered sugar with water until it reaches a smooth, ribbon-like consistency. Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small, round tip. Pipe delicate snowflake patterns onto the fully cooled cookies.
Serve and enjoy your festive creations!

Keyword Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies

Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies