Nothing says it’s holiday time quite like a gingerbread cookie shaped into the iconic figure adorned with white icing eyes, buttons and mouth. This time of year, rolling out soft gingerbread dough and using cutters to make the cookies is a tradition in many homes. But you don’t have to just make the classic gingerbread cookies! Try other recipes to highlight the earthy, spicy holiday flavor of ginger like gingersnap cookies or gingerbread bars. Or, forget cookies altogether and make pumpkin gingerbread or gingerbread cake with lemon icing. For something extra special, try making gingerbread cheesecake and using gingerbread cookies to decorate the top.
Classic Gingerbread Cookies
Keep it simple with this classic gingerbread cookies recipe from Fine Cooking. For the dough, beat together butter and light brown sugar before mixing in flour and seasonings. Refrigerate before rolling out the dough and making it into fun shapes. Using royal icing to create the face, buttons and other features.
Gingersnap Cookies
Chewy. Sweet. Easy. These gingersnap cookies from McCormick come together quickly and stay tender thanks to shortening that’s whipped with molasses, flour, ginger and sugar. Roll dough balls in extra sugar and bake until just crisped.
Pumpkin Gingerbread
Pair two holiday flavors together using this pumpkin gingerbread recipe from Taste of Home. The batter gets its moist texture from pumpkin puree. Bake the bread as the smells of ginger spread throughout your house. Top the loaves with sugar and walnuts.
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
Part brownie, part cake, these gingerbread cookie bars from Chef in Training have a little bit of both. The bar batter gets its rich flavor from a combination of butter (lots of it!), brown sugar, vanilla, molasses, cloves, nutmeg and ground ginger. Bake until cooked through and then top with soft, creamy cheese frosting.
Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Icing
This recipe for gingerbread cake with lemon icing has an unexpected tanginess, thanks to the addition of fruit zest. The cake mix includes the expected ingredients, but also grated ginger instead of ground for a deeper flavor. Whip cream, along with powdered sugar and lemon curd, to smear over the top of the cake.
Gingerbread Cheesecake
How cute is this gingerbread cheesecake from That Winsome Girl? First, make up a big batch of gingerbread cookies to decorate the top of the cake. Next, make a crust using some of the cookie crumbs. Add a layer of cream cheese fluffed with molasses, ground ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. Once you’ve baked the cheesecake, top with the smaller gingerbread cookies.
