This Thermomix Gingerbread recipe is very easy to make and results in light fluffy gingerbread, perfect for cutting out and decorating.
Gingerbread is such a classic Christmas recipe and I love making up cute gingerbread men every year. They make fantastic homemade gifts too.
While gingerbread is usually not quite as quick as other cookies to make due it needing to be kneaded, the beauty of making it in the Thermomix is that it does all the hard work for you!
I recently took a batch of these easy gingerbread cookies to the school gates at pick up to share out among the kids and parents... and I was told they were the lightest, fluffiest gingerbread anyone had ever had!
Which is just awesome, considering actually how easy it is to make. High fives all round.
Ingredients for Gingerbread
This gingerbread Thermomix recipe uses the traditional gingerbread ingredients. There are just a few things to note:
- Egg - some gingerbread recipes only use the egg yolk. This is great if you are planning to use the egg white to make royal icing. However, I have tried it both ways and haven't really noticed any difference. So I tend to just throw the whole egg in, especially if I don't need the white for icing.
- Golden Syrup - a lot of recipes for gingerbread use molasses. I prefer golden syrup as it is slightly lighter and less sweet... and I always have some in my pantry. However you could choose whichever you prefer, or have available.
- Spices - it's gingerbread, so obviously you need ginger. And yes you really do need a whole tablespoon. It's really not that strong, I promise. I also use a teaspoon of mixed spice, but you could also add in ground cloves and cinnamon instead if that is what you have.
- Sugar - soft brown sugar for me makes the best gingerbread. However if you only have white sugar, that will work too.
How to make Homemade Gingerbread in the Thermomix
Making gingerbread in the Thermomix is super easy. I especially love that it does all the kneading for you!
Firstly, mill the sugar to make sure it mixes in well. Then cream it together with the butter.
Next add in the golden syrup and egg. And finally mix in the spices, flour and baking soda and then use the knead setting to knead it together for another 2 minutes.
Once you have your dough, turn it out onto a floured surface and divide it into two. Shape each half of the dough into a disc (this will make it easier to roll it out later) and cover with plastic wrap.
Now store it in the fridge for at least 2 hours - you can even keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days if you need.
Once you are ready to roll it out, flour your work surface, hands and rolling pin and roll out each disc to around ¼ inch thick.
Use cookie cutters to cut out gingerbread men or other shapes and place them on a lined baking tray, at around 1 inch apart. They won't spread much.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on how chewy or crunchy you like them (see tips below). Then transfer to a cooling rack to allow them to cool completely before decorating them.
Tips for Making Gingerbread
This is a very easy recipe for gingerbread, but here are a few tips to help make sure it works perfectly.
- Don't skip refrigerating the dough. It will be too sticky to roll out. Make sure you keep it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Overnight works too.
- Use plenty of flour on your work surface, hands and rolling pin to counteract the sticky dough. Don't worry if your cookies have flour on them, it will bake off.
- If you like soft chewy gingerbread, roll your dough out slightly thicker and bake it for less time - I do around 8 minutes.
- If you like crunchy gingerbread cookies, roll the dough a little thinner and bake for longer - up to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the cookies though and remove from the oven as soon as they start to go dark brown at the edges.
Making Thermomix Royal Icing
Traditionally making homemade royal icing can be a tricky business. But thankfully the Thermomix makes it pretty easy.
I also use this icing for my Thermomix Sugar Cookies.
To make royal icing in the Thermomix, first you need to whisk up the egg whites, which you do by using the Butterfly attachment and whisking an egg white for 1 minute / speed 4.
Next you set the timer for 2 minutes and the speed to 4. With the motor going, slowly feed the icing sugar through the hole in the lid to incorporate.
With these quantities, the consistency should be good for piping onto your gingerbread cookies. If it seems to thin, just add in some more icing sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until you have the right consistency.
If it is too thick, slowly add some water, ½ tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency.
Transfer the icing sugar to a piping bag. It will to start to dry out and thicken if you leave it in the Thermomix bowl too long. So transfer to the piping bag as soon as possible. If it thickens you can add a drop of water.
Any remaining icing can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If you don't like the idea of using raw eggs in the icing, you can buy Royal Icing Mix that contains pasteurised egg powder - you just add water and mix in the Thermomix for a couple of minutes.
Decorating Gingerbread Men
To decorate a gingerbread man, I find the Wilton number 4 piping tip works best. It is the perfect size to pipe the faces and gingerbread man details.
I like to just pipe the face and little cuffs on the arms and legs and then use Smarties for the buttons. You could just pipe the buttons too, and use different colours if you prefer. Anything goes!
Looking for something a little different? Check out our Star Wars themed Wookie Cookies that use this gingerbread recipe.
Storing Gingerbread Cookies
To store gingerbread cookies, keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Gingerbread should last for up to a month. If decorating gingerbread with royal icing, they should be eaten within a week.
Looking for more Christmas Party Food Ideas? You may also like these:
Pin it for Later!
Mama Loves to Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a booking or purchase using one of these links, we may receive a small commission – at absolutely no extra cost to you.
Thermomix Gingerbread
This Thermomix Gingerbread recipe is very easy to make and results in light fluffy gingerbread, perfect for cutting out and decorating.
Ingredients
- 100g soft brown sugar
- 125g butter
- 125g golden syrup
- 1 egg
- 375g plain flour
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp baking soda
For the icing
- 1 egg white
- 250g icing sugar
- Smarties to decorate (optional)
Instructions
- Add sugar to the Thermomix bowl. Mill for 10 seconds / speed 9.
- Add butter to the bowl. Cream together for 20 seconds / speed 4.
- Add golden syrup and egg to the bowl. Mix for 20 seconds / speed 4.
- Add flour, ginger, mixed spice and baking soda to the bowl. Mix for 10 seconds / speed 5.
- Knead the dough using the knead function / 2 minutes.
- Divide the dough into two and shape into two discs. Cover each disc with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Overnight is fine too.
- When ready to make the cookies, pre-heat the oven to 180C / 350F and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Generously flour your work surface and rolling pin and roll out each disc to around ¼ inch thick.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out your cookie shapes and transfer to the baking tray, spacing them around an inch apart.
- Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes (see notes).
- Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow to completely cool before icing.
For the icing
- Insert butterfly into a clean, dry Thermomix bowl.
- Add the egg white and beat for 1 minute / speed 4 / MC off. Scrape down the sides.
- Set the timer to 2 minutes / speed 4 and slowly feed the icing sugar through the hole in the lid.
- The consistency should be good for piping. If it is too thin, add icing sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the right consistency. If it is too thick, add water ½ a tablespoon at a time until you get the right consistency.
- Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a piping nozzle (I use the Wilton 4 piping tip) to decorate the cookies.
Notes
If you like your gingerbread to be soft and chewy, then make your cookies slightly thicker and cook for around 8-9 minutes.
For crunchy gingerbread, roll them a little thinner and cook for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the cookies and remove from the oven before they start to go dark brown at the edges.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 170Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 96mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 0gSugar: 17gProtein: 2g
Thanks so much for this great recipe Marianne! We just sampled the gingerbread teddies I made with my 26 month old and they’re so soft and delicious! Would highly recommend this recipe for gingerbread that’s light and cakey with a lovely gingeriness without being too spicy. Easy recipe too. I swapped the butter for Nuttelex due to dairy allergy and they still came out beautifully, although this seemed to require a little more flour. Looking forward to trying your chocolate zucchini bread next!
Great to hear - thanks Erin 🙂