Add baking gingerbread Christmas ornaments to your holiday to-do list. It is easy to make, one-bowl recipe to make these fully customizable cookie ornaments to decorate your Christmas tree.
Every year, I can't get enough from holiday baking, and these cute gingerbread Christmas ornaments are not an exception.
A few years ago, I started making holiday cookies and turning them into Christmas tree decorations. The most fun I get when I use unusual Christmas cookie cutters, some fancy ones.
To make cookie ornaments, I chose a no-fail dough, the gingerbread dough. I finally adapted a recipe for gingerbread cookies created by the French chef Gilles Marchal.
Experimenting with different cookie cutters and decorations, I ended up with plain cookies arranged into gingerbread Christmas garland.
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Edible ornaments vs. non-edible ornaments
Before making Christmas ornaments, it is advisable to decide if you want to proceed with edible or non-edible decorations.
Edible Christmas tree ornaments are mostly gingerbread or sugar cookies made with the real cookie dough, baked, and hanged on a tree.
Non-edible ornaments are usually made with different spices, applesauce, and white glue, dried in the oven, then tied with a piece of twine or ribbon for hanging on the tree.
While both edible and non-edible ornaments are fun to make with kids, edible ones are yummier and safer when kids want to taste “the dough” or ready decoration.
Edible Christmas ornaments also make a great edible gift during the holiday season. Moreover, you can eat these treats right from the tree!
How to make gingerbread cookies into ornaments
To turn gingerbread cookies into Christmas tree ornaments, make sure to punch a hole in each cookie using a plastic straw, but not too close to the cookie edge.
Then use a ribbon, a string, lace, or raffia for hanging in the tree. You can tie each cookie individually or make a gingerbread cookie garland.
How to decorate Christmas cookie ornaments
You can leave cookie ornaments bare, undecorated. Just make a hole in the cutout cookies before baking, tie on a ribbon, and hang on a tree.
Or you can arrange pieces of dried fruit or nuts on each cookie before baking. It brings additional texture to this sweet baking project.
If you want to personalize cookies, use alphabet cookie stamps set before bringing cookies in the oven.
The simplest way to decorate baked cookie ornaments is to brush them with Royal icing and sprinkle with Belgian pearl sugar, edible glitter, or holiday sprinkles.
The more elaborate way to decorate these ornaments is to use homemade or store-bought decorating cookie icing.
In any way, use different varieties of cookie cutters, kids friendly or grown-up themed ones, and decorate cookie ornaments in any way you desire. The possibilities are endless.
Why this recipe works
- One bowl, easy recipe is great during a busy holiday season.
- The recipe results in a batch of cookies to please the crowd.
- These cookies make a beautiful edible gift during the holidays.
- Making a small hole in each cookie before baking makes unique Christmas tree ornaments.
- Cookies are fully customizable: leave them plain or decorate them any way you desire.
- This gingerbread ornament recipe is universal: make scented cookies or omit ground allspice and make regular almond cookies.
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for detailed amounts and instructions. I recommend making this recipe as written for the best results.
Butter: use unsalted softened butter to make these cookies. take it out of the fridge 1 to 2 hours before you start.
Almond flour: it brings melt-in-your-mouth texture to these cookies.
Icing sugar: make it yourself with a coffee grinder or purchase a store-bought powdered sugar.
Salt: it enhances the flavor of cookies.
Flour: the recipe calls for all-purpose flour.
Egg: use one large egg.
Ground allspice: use this spice or replace it with a mixture of ground clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
How to make gingerbread ornaments
To make the cookie dough, place softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until smooth. Add almond flour (photo 1) and mix.
Then add icing (powdered) sugar, ground allspice, salt, flour and egg, and mix again until the dough becomes homogeneous (photo 2).
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to the thickness of about ⅕ inch/5 mm. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 300 F/150 C. Take the cookie dough out of the fridge and cut cookies, using Christmas cookie cutters. Save, press together, and re-roll the dough scraps (you need to chill the rolled dough before cutting the cookies again.)
Make a small hole in each cookie using a plastic straw. Arrange cookies on a baking sheet covered with parchment (photo 3) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or till the light brown color (photo 4).
Expert tips
- Beat softened butter using an electric mixer. Combine the rest of the ingredients with a rubber spatula or your hands if you do not have a stand mixer.
- Decorate baked cookies any way you desire.
- Store Christmas cookie ornaments in an airtight container for up to 2 to 4 weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can make cookie ornaments in advance. Bake them and keep in an airtight container. You can layer cookies with pieces of parchment paper.
Edible gingerbread decorations last up to 4 weeks.
Store cookie ornaments in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
I don't recommend freezing Christmas cookie ornaments since they can be affected by moisture.
Love cookies? Try these next!
- German Cinnamon Star Cookies – Zimsterne
- Healthy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Authentic Italian Shortbread Cookies
- Browse all the Cookie Recipes
If you ever need to adjust your baking pan and re-calculate the amounts of ingredients to make your favorite dessert, try this simple Cake Pan Converter.
Recipe
Gingerbread Christmas Ornaments
Add baking gingerbread Christmas ornaments to your holiday to-do list. It is easy to make, one-bowl recipe to make these fully customizable cookie ornaments to decorate your Christmas tree.
- Total Time: 1 hour (plus chilling time)
- Yield: 50 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 10.5 oz (300 g) butter
- 1 ⅓ cups (125 g) almond flour
- 1 cup (125 g) powdered (icing) sugar
- 2 pinches of salt
- 2 cups + 6 ¼ tbsp (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground allspice
Instructions
- To make the cookie dough, place softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth. Add almond flour and mix. Then add icing (powdered) sugar, ground allspice, salt, all-purpose flour, egg, and mix until the dough becomes homogeneous.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to the thickness of about ⅕ inch/5 mm. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 300 F/150 C. Take the cookie dough out of the fridge and cut cookies, using Christmas cookie cutters. Save, press together, and re-roll the dough scraps (you need to chill the rolled dough before cutting the cookies again.)
- Make a small hole in each cookie using a plastic straw. Arrange cookies on a baking sheet covered with parchment and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or till the light brown color.
Notes
- Beat softened butter with an electric mixer and combine the rest of the ingredients with a rubber spatula or your hands if you do not have a stand mixer.
- Decorate baked cookies any way you desire.
- Store Christmas cookie ornaments in an airtight container for up to 2 to 4 weeks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 2.6 g
- Sodium: 44 mg
- Fat: 6.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.7 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.3 g
- Cholesterol: 16 mg
Keywords: gingerbread Christmas ornaments, gingerbread ornaments, gingerbread Christmas tree decorations, gingerbread ornaments recipe, Christmas ornament cookies,
The nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool. Please, read the disclaimers in our Privacy Policy.
The recipe was adapted from https://www.lemonde.fr/. It was originally published on December 24, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.
Dannii says
These are super cute. I think my kids would love making these and hanging them on the tree.
★★★★★
Irina says
Sure thing, Dannii. These cookies are fun to make, fun to hang on the tree, and fun to eat 🙂
Chris Collins says
These are so fun! Perfect for the kids to get involved and help 🙂
★★★★★
Irina says
You are right, Chris. Please, have fun 🙂
Danielle Wolter says
What a cute idea! This would be a great family project for Christmas.
★★★★★
Irina says
I agree with you, Danielle. Please, enjoy the recipe 🙂
Beth Sachs says
I'm definitely adding these to my Christmas bake list. The kids will love helping me make them.
★★★★★
Irina says
Yes, it is one of the best baking projects with kids, Beth. Please, enjoy it!
John says
When I was little, we used to make cinnamon ornaments. I believe the recipe was 1 c. of cinnamon and 1 c. of store-bought applesauce. It makes a dough that can be rolled out and cut into shapes. Dry in a low oven for a few hours. They smelled amazing and probably look a lot like gingerbread!
★★★★★
Irina says
Oh, John, you are talking about non-edible cookie ornaments. Yes, I agree with you. Please try edible cookie ornaments this time. 🙂 Please, enjoy the recipe.