Old-fashioned gingerbread cookies are packed with all the delicious flavours and textures of traditional gingerbread cake but in a soft delicious portable water iced cookie. These vegan cookies would make wonderful inexpensive festive gifts for loved ones, friends, teachers, work colleagues and acquaintances. Pop into a home-made gift box or jar, and decorate with a festive ribbon or bow and home-made labels.
50gramsdark brown sugar[or light soft brown sugar]
80gramsvegan margarine[such as Stork]
100gramsgolden syrup[or replace with light molasses]
4teaspoonsdried ginger
1pinchsalt
Decorate:
125gramsicing sugar[powdered sugar]
3tablespooncrystalized ginger [candied ginger][optional] chopped into 19 small pieces
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160 Fan / 180C / Fahrenheit 356 / Gas 4.Line the baking tray with parchment paper.
Add the margarine, golden syrup and sugar into a small saucepan. Gently heat, stirring frequently, until everything is melted and combined.
80 grams vegan margarine, 100 grams golden syrup, 50 grams dark brown sugar
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger into a mixing bowl. Stir through the salt.
185 grams plain flour, ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 4 teaspoons dried ginger, 1 pinch salt
Pour the melted mixture into the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the pot so that all the mixture is removed.
Mix everything together, bringing it all into a cookie dough ball.
Using a teaspoon, pick up heaped teaspoonfuls and roll the dough into ball shapes. Place the balls on to the baking tray leaving at least an inch or few cm's between each cookie.[each cookie will weigh about 20-22 grams each]
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and firm to touch although don't press too hard as they will still be soft inside.My cookies were baked at 10 minutes using an electric oven at 180C. Check fan ovens a few minutes earlier as these tend to bake a few minutes faster.
After 5 minutes cooling on the baking tray remove and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
Decorate:
Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl. Stir through 4 teaspoons of water to make a smooth runny paste. Although not too runny as it needs to easily coat the cookie without completely running down the sides.Add an extra few drops of water if the water icing is too thick. I used just under 5 teaspoons of water. [If the icing becomes too runny simply stir a few more teaspoons of icing sugar through until its thickened]
125 grams icing sugar
Dip the top of each cookie into the water icing and move it around to ensure its evenly coated. [or use a teaspoon and dollop some icing over the top of the cookie and carefully spread it to the sides.Place each iced cookie back onto the wire rack so that any icing that runs down the sides can drip away from the cookie. Alternatively just set the cookies on parchment paper.
Optional: Add a small piece of chopped crystalized or candied ginger on to each cookie. [Although the crystalized ginger may be too fiery in taste for some people especially kids. If so perhaps add a halved or quartered glace [candied] cherry on to each cookie, or a wee vegan sweetie or candy, for example a Jelly Tot.]
3 tablespoon crystalized ginger [candied ginger]
Leave until the icing has set. To speed this up pop the cookies into the refrigerator just until the icing sets.
Notes
Nutritional information is intended for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients can vary.
Iced gingerbread cookies will keep for at least 4-5 days, perhaps a few days more if stored somewhere cool and dry. Un-iced cookies can be stored longer.
Store within a cookie tin/tub or a glass cookie jar. Wrap in parchment paper and kitchen foil if storing in a plastic food container or if not eating within the next few days.
The cookies can also be wrapped if storing in a cookie tin/tub and this will keep them fresher for longer.
Un-decorated cookies can be frozen for 3-4 months, well wrapped.
The crystalized or candied ginger may be too fiery in taste for some people and kids, so if this is an issue simply omit or replace with a halved glace [candied] cherry or a wee vegan sweetie or candy, such as a Jelly Tot or chocolate drop/button.
Stork baking spread was used for this recipe.
If your outwith the UK and can't source golden syrup then replace with light molasses. Darker types of molasses may change the flavour too much creating a richer cookie, but it could still be tried out and the flavour may be preferred!