Decorating gingerbread cookies is one of the best parts of the holiday season. The smell of gingerbread baking in the oven, the creativity of decorating, and then enjoying the final product – it’s perfect. But when is the right time to decorate gingerbread cookies, before or after baking? There are pros and cons to both methods. Keep reading to learn more about the differences between decorating before and after baking so you can determine the best method for your ideal cookie outcome.
Quick Answer: Decorate After Baking for Best Results
The quick answer is that decorating gingerbread cookies after baking generally produces the best and most consistent final results. Here’s why:
Why Decorate After Baking?
- Icing and decorations set better on baked cookies – The icing and decorative elements will stick to and set up on the cookies better after baking when the cookies have firmed up.
- Less risk of burning decorations – Decorations on raw cookie dough are more likely to burn or over-bake compared to an already baked and cooled cookie.
- Colors look vibrant – Icing and decorative candies will maintain their colors better on a baked cookie without risk of bleeding into the dough.
- Can fully customize each cookie – Cooling baked cookies allows you to get creative and decorate each cookie uniquely versus limited decorating of raw dough.
- Lasts longer – Decorated cookies that are baked before decorating tend to hold up better over time. The decorations don’t slide off or deteriorate as quickly.
So if you want your decorated gingerbread cookies to have the best appearance, taste, and longevity, your best bet is to fully bake them first and then let them cool completely before decorating.
Decorating Before Baking
While decorating after baking generally yields the most consistent results, there are some benefits to decorating gingerbread cookies before baking if you want to create different effects.
Why Decorate Before Baking?
- Create dimension – The raw cookie dough will spread out during baking, taking the decorations with it and creating an impressionistic or dimensional look.
- Fun for kids – Decorating before baking can be fun for kids before you pop the cookies in the oven.
- Add texture – Decorations mixed into the raw dough like sprinkles or nuts can add interesting textures.
- Custom shapes – Shaping and cutting out raw decorated dough makes custom cookie shapes and edges easy.
If you want to decorate before baking, keep these tips in mind:
- Use royal icing – Regular icing will melt and run during baking. Royal icing is thick enough to maintain shapes and decoration.
- Limit thinner decorations – Things like sprinkles and sugars may sink in or fall off raw dough during baking.
- Accept imperfection – Decorations may bleed and cookies may morph compared to decorated baked cookies.
- Watch oven temperature – Bake at a slightly lower temp to avoid burning delicate decorations.
The results of decorating before baking can be rustic, imperfect, and downright fun. But don’t expect precise or professional cookie decorating results with this method.
Decorating Techniques
Once you decide when you want to decorate your gingerbread cookies, there are endless decoration possibilities to unleash your creativity. Here are some popular decorating techniques and ideas:
Royal Icing
Royal icing is the most common gingerbread cookie decorating essential. It hardens as it dries, allowing you to “glue” on candies and sprinkles. Tint it with food coloring for decorating cookie features. Use it to pipe outlines and flood cookies with color. Let it crust completely before stacking decorated cookies.
Piping Bags
Use piping bags fitted with small tips to squeeze out royal icing and draw patterns on cookies. Try round tips for dots and outlines or star tips for decorative shapes. Set icing-filled bags in a tall glass when not piping to keep icing from drying out.
Sprinkles & Candy
Decorate gingerbread cookies with tiny candy-coated chocolates, sprinkles, nonpareils, crushed peppermint, or sanding sugar. Press them into royal icing immediately after piping or use icing to “glue” them on. Arrange red hots for noses, licorice for hair, and candy necklaces or beads for accents.
Stencils & Cutouts
Use paper stencils or plastic cookie cutters as shapes to dust icing sugar over cookies. Carefully lift off the stencil to reveal the shaped dusting below. Or brush cookie surfaces with corn syrup and press on sugared paper cutouts. Gently remove paper once dry.
Writing Icing Pens
Hand-write messages on cookies with store-bought icing pens or make your own by thinning royal icing and transferring to a plastic bag with a tiny tip. Pipe freehand or use toothpicks to “scribe” guidelines. Let writing dry completely before coloring in or stacking.
Glitter, Shimmer, and Metallics
Brush cookie surfaces with lemon extract then sprinkle over edible glitter for sparkle. Dust with luster or petal dust for shimmer. Or mix a metallic sheen into royal icing before decorating for gold, silver, copper, etc.
Don’t limit yourself – get creative with gingerbread decorations! Add mini chocolate chips, dried fruits, crushed cookies, nuts, coconut, graham crackers, cereal, or pretzels. The ideas are endless.
Gingerbread Cookie Decorating Ideas
To spark your creativity, here are some fun ideas for decorating your gingerbread cookies:
Christmas Trees
– Pipe on icing garland and dot with round sprinkles for ornaments. Use a star tip to make a star “tree topper” at the top.
Snowmen
– Stack frosted cookies of graduating sizes and embellish with candy decorations. Add scarves, earmuffs, and buttons.
Winter Village
– Cut out cookie houses, trees, snowflakes, deer, and lakes. Arrange on a cookie background “landscape” and add details.
Snowflakes
– Make pretty lace snowflake patterns with piped royal icing and finish by dusting with shimmer.
Winter Woodland Animals
– Make forest animals like deer, foxes, owls, and bears. Use candies and icing to add faces, eyes, noses, and collars.
Peppermint Swirls
– Pipe swirly icing in peppermint colors on cookies and top with crushed candy canes.
Holiday Messages
– Hand write messages like “Be Merry”, “Ho Ho Ho”, or “Season’s Greetings!” with icing pens.
Monogrammed
– Decorate with friends’ or family members’ initials. Enclose in wreaths, Christmas trees, or ornaments.
The decorating options are endless! Have fun putting your own creative spin on decorating your next batch of gingerbread cookies.
Helpful Decorating Tips
Keep these tips in mind to master beautifully decorated gingerbread cookies:
- Use proper royal icing consistency – Too thin and it will run, too thick and it won’t pipe well. Adjust as needed.
- Divide icing into separate bowls and tint each one with food coloring before decorating. Keep colors consistent across batches.
- Refrigerate unused icing in airtight containers with damp paper towels to prevent drying out.
- Ice cookies fully if flooding with thinned royal icing. Let crust, then reflood for smooth surfaces.
- Chill flooded cookies so icing sets up before decorating. The icing should feel dry to the touch and not sticky.
- Use toothpicks to add support and keep decorated cookies from sagging while drying.
- Work in batches so you don’t over-decorate too many cookies at once before icing dries.
- Store decorated cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper in airtight containers.
Patience and allowing proper drying time between steps will result in cookies that look and taste great!
Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
An excellent base recipe sets you up for decorating success. Here is a foolproof gingerbread cookie recipe:
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional, for rolling dough)
Instructions:
- Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the molasses.
- Gradually mix in the flour mixture until a dough forms. Divide dough in half, shape into discs, and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Lightly dust work surface and rolling pin with powdered sugar. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out shapes using cookie cutters.
- Arrange shapes on prepared baking sheets 1 inch apart. Reroll scraps to cut more cookies.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool completely before decorating.
This flexible dough holds its shape when cut but bakes up nicely soft and a little chewy. The spices give it that signature gingerbread flavor.
Royal Icing Recipe
Royal icing is ideal for gingerbread cookie decorating. It dries hard so decorations stick and piping retains its shape. Here is an easy recipe:
Ingredients:
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 5 tablespoons meringue powder
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions:
- In a stand mixer, beat the powdered sugar, meringue powder, warm water, and vanilla extract together. Beat on high speed for 10 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks form.
- To thin for flooding or writing, stir in additional warm water 1 teaspoon at a time until you achieve the desired consistency.
- For coloring, remove icing to individual bowls for each color and stir in food coloring one drop at a time until reaching the desired shade.
- Pour into piping bags fitted with tips or use immediately to decorate cookies.
The meringue powder is the key ingredient that gives this icing its sturdy texture for decorating. Tint it, flavor it, and adjust the thickness as you like!
Storing and Packaging Decorated Gingerbread Cookies
Now that your cookies are decorated, properly store them so all your hard decorating work doesn’t go to waste! Here are some tips:
- Let decorated cookies dry completely before storing, ideally overnight.
- Stack cookies with parchment or wax paper between layers so icing doesn’t stick.
- Store gingerbread cookies at room temperature inside airtight plastic containers or resealable bags.
- Cookies will keep for 1-2 weeks at room temperature.
- For longer storage, freeze decorated cookies up to 2-3 months.
- When gifting, add cushioning like crumpled tissue paper in tin boxes or cardstock inserts in cello bags.
Proper storage retains the crunchy texture and prevents decorations from sliding off or getting damaged. Share your edible masterpieces right away or let loved ones enjoy later without your decorating efforts going to waste.
Conclusion
Decorating gingerbread cookies is one of the best parts of preparing them. While you can decorate before baking, most pros recommend decorating after fully baking and cooling the cookies first. This helps the icing and decorations adhere and set up properly. Use royal icing to unleash your creativity piping, flooding, writing, and gluing on candies and sprinkles. There are endless edible ways to decorate gingerbread cookies for the holidays or any time of year. Now that you know the best techniques, it’s time to get decorating!