Gingerbread Cookies And Christmas Cookie Icing For The Holidays

Healthy gingerbread cookies and Christmas cookie icing to help you create delicious gingerbread boys and girls I have a whole wheat gingerbread cookie dough for you to try. Kids love them and they will never know the secret whole wheat ingredient.

If you want to REALLY get into gingerbread houses and cookies check out Gingerbread Houses Heaven - They share gingerbread house designs, recipes, decorating ideas, kits, and photos. All things gingerbread!

Cookie Cutters

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Cut Out Cookies

"The Complete Book of Baking"

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 cup margarine or butter, softened

• 1/3 cup molasses

• 1 egg

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

• 1 cup whole wheat flout

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons ginger

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a large bowl beat sugar and butter or margarine until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; blend well. You may need to wrap and refrigerate the dough before rolling it out.

Heat oven to 350

On lightly floured surface roll out 1/4 of the dough at a time to 1/8 inch thickness. keep remaining dough refrigerated.

Cut with floured cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on un-greased cookie sheets. Bake for 6-9 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute and remove from cookie sheets.

Christmas Cookie Gift Boxes

The "Cookie Swap" book is a huge favorite of mine. Julie's ideas for gingerbread cookies are unconventional and you will be so inspired by the beautiful photos and recipes, like the gingerbread gift boxes above which I made for gifts this year.

See my full review of Cookie Swap. And interview with the author Julia Usher.

TIP: Cover your bowl after the icing is done with a damp towel to keep it from drying out. Use a decorating cone or a piping bag with a small round tip for decorating. Or you can save the mess and work with premade and colored icing in tubes.

Link to Candyland Crafts to purchase Cookie Icing supplies and everything else you will need to make and decorate cookies.

Royal Icing Recipe

* 3 egg whites * 1 pound confectioner's sugar * 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar * A squeeze of lemon juice

Combine all ingredients, beat at high speed for 5-10 minutes, depending on your mixer.