The Gingerbread Wreath

Gather your family and friends for a fun afternoon making gingerbread for this festive, edible wreath. We recycled last year’s recipe from Heather Land to create this merry masterpiece.

Recipe by HEATHER LAND | Photo by KELLY MOORE CLARK

Make one or more days in advance and allow house pieces to dry out for sturdier construction. Substitute equal parts of dairy butter and all purpose flour. Use half for snowflakes and half for cookies. The gluten free recipe makes for a lighter, less dense cookie. 

INGREDIENTS FOR DOUGH: 

2 sticks butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 TBSP cinnamon

2 TBSP ground ginger 

3 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp baking soda

4 cups  all-purpose flour {GF or Wheat}

2 TBSP water

FOR ROYAL ICING: 

1 lb   powdered sugar (sifted if lumpy)

2       egg whites

1 tsp almond or vanilla extract 

     Should be around the consistency of Elmer’s glue – a little thick but runny enough to pass through the tip of small squeeze bottle or piping bag. 

In a large mixing bowl, cream all ingredients (except flour) until smooth. Blend in flour and water to make a dough that resembles play dough – not sticky. CHILL FOR 30 MINUTES. The dough, in the fridge and you, by the fire. 

Lightly flour a smooth surface and roll out dough to about 1/4” thickness Use a snowflake cookie cutter to cut out the shapes.

Bake on parchment lined baking sheet for 10-15 minutes – careful not to let edges burn.  {*Bake cookies 8-10 minutes}

Cool on baking sheet (let snowflakes sit out and dry overnight). 

Glue snowflake cookies together (two sets of hands works best) and hold them until they stick. Allow them to sit and dry for a bit. Repeat in a circular format until you complete the wreath. This may take a few trys. This is the fun part. Enjoy the process. If all else fails, hot glue it! 

Allow your “glue” to dry while you ice cookies or have an intermission dance party. Use your glue to decorate and make your masterpiece. The more, the merrier. In every way. A gingerbread wreath will last for months on your open countertop. Eat only at your discretion.