Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies
They say Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year and I totally agree with that, but it is also the busiest time of the year. I am always looking for things that will allow me to do all the traditional things I have done in the past, but also will help save time so the holidays are enjoyable instead of becoming stressful. Things like these Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies really help make the season a bit easier. They are made with a Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie Mix and only take a few minutes to make so I can give the people on my list something homemade and still be able to get a little sleep at night.
Aren’t they cute little cookies? Seriously, they are delicious and very simple to make. So go to the store now and buy the Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie Mix and bake a batch for work tomorrow. Your co-workers will love you even more than they do right now!
Supplies for Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies:
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Cookies:
- Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie Mix
- 1 Stick (4 ounces) of softened butter
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 egg
Icing:
Traditional Thumbprint Cookie Recipe:
- 1 1/4 cups of Confectioners Sugar (10-x powdered sugar)
- 2 tablespoons of milk
Ingredients
Cookies:
- Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cookie Mix
- 1 Stick 4 ounces of softened butter
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 egg
- Don't add the tablespoon of water that the package recipe calls for
Icing:
Traditional Thumbprint Cookie Recipe:
- 1 1/4 cups of Confectioners Sugar 10-x powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons of milk
Instructions
Gingerbread Cookies:
- Place all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix them together until well blended.
- The cookie dough will look clumpy but that is how it is supposed to look.
- Use a teaspoon or small cookie scoop to measure out even amounts of dough.
- Roll them into balls and bake them in a 375 degree oven for about 6 minutes.
- When you remove them from the oven, immediately use the back of the measuring teaspoon to make an indent in the cookies.
- Let them cool completely before you decorate them.
Royal Icing:
- I used my Half a Batch of Royal Icing Recipe to make these. Royal icing dries hard and is great for shipping or packing cookies.
Traditional Thumbprint Icing Recipe:
- Or you can use the more traditional icing for thumbprint cookies that made with confectioners sugar and milk.
- Mix the confectioners sugar and milk until smooth.
Color the Icing:
- Place a small amount of the white icing into a piping bag or a Ziploc bag.
- Mix the brown by adding a small amount of Warm Brown, Lemon Yellow and Super Red AmeriColor Food Gel and mix until you get a gingerbread brown color. Place it in a piping bag or a Ziploc bag.
Decorate:
- Fill each indention with the gingerbread colors and then make a wavy line of white through the center. Let the cookies dry completely.
Let’s get started!
I love making these cookies because they are easy, fast, and delicious and you can get a lot of cookies from one cookie mix. If you get a little creative with the icing people will know what kind of cookie it is without having to ask you. I am going to place them in little Christmas tins and add a tag with a gingerbread man cookie to the top that is held on with a pretty Christmas ribbon. It’s a fun way to spread a little Christmas cheer.
- To make the cookies, place one stick of softened butter in a bowl.
- Add one egg.
- Add 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Don’t add the water that the recipe on the back of the bag tells you to add. Leave it out.
- Mix well.
- The dough will look clumpy and that is alright because that is how it is supposed to look.
- It may look clumpy but when you roll the cookie balls they will stick together.
- Look at all of these little gingerbread thumbprint cookies just waiting to be baked! I don’t know if I can wait 6 minutes for them to bake.
- I know you might be tempted to make the indentions in the cookies before you bake them but don’t do it yet. It works better if you wait until they are fresh out of the oven.
I love this part!
- Once you remove them from the oven, wait about one minute and then use the back of a measuring spoon to make the indents for the icing. Don’t wait longer or they will become too firm.
- Let them cool before you add the icing.
- Mix and tint the icing. I used royal icing because it dries hard and will work great for stacking the cookies in tins, placing them in jars, or for shipping them.
- If you are looking for a more traditional icing you can mix 1 and 1/4 cups of Confectioners Sugar (10-x powdered sugar) with 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Place some white icing into a piping bag fitted with a #2 tip or you can place it in a Ziploc bag.
- Mix the gingerbread color by mixing Americolor Warm Brown, Lemon Yellow, and red until you get a gingerbread color. It doesn’t take much gel so add a little at a time until you get the color you want.
- Fill each cookie with the gingerbread-colored icing and immediately add a wavy line with the white icing to the center of each cookie.
- Let them dry completely before packing or stacking them.
Now that I have a few more gifts done I am going to get a cup of hot chocolate and go to Dollywood to see a few shows and all of the Christmas lights. I am going to have a small tin of these gingerbread thumbprint cookies in my bag to enjoy while watching the shows. That is another Christmas tradition of ours. I wish you could join us for a Tender Tennessee Christmas and go see a few shows with us. Let me know if you come to town. Maybe we can get a cookie or something!
Bear hugs,
I love these cookies! Simple and cute and you can instantly tell that these thumbprints represent gingerbread! Merry Christmas, Lisa!
I will never be able to make gingerbread cookies like you Sue! You are like the gingerbread cookie queen! I think your mini ginger pop cookies are my favorite gingerbread cookies of all time!
For those of you who haven’t see them, here is the link: http://www.munchkinmunchies.com/2014/11/mini-sugar-cookie-ginger-pops.html
Awww, Lisa, You are SO sweet! I see now that you are going to Dollywood…have a wonderful time!
Amy Grant’s version of Tender Tennessee Christmas always reminds me of my late sister; she loved that song. I do too. <3
Adorable!
Enjoy yourselves in Dollywood while making new memories. Be safe.
Thank Janis! Have a great week!
Tender Tennessee Christmas is one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs! Dollywood at Christmas time must be really something! I’ve never been there. Sounds like something for the bucket list! My Dolly and Kenny “Once Upon a Christmas” album is on constant replay this time of year. Merry Christmas Lisa!
Dollywood is amazing this time of year Donna. Something came up the other day and we didn’t go but are going this week. I will try to take some pictures for you. Everything is covered in lights. I think if you stand in one place for to long they will wrap you in lights! LOL
And the shows are really good. I wish you could go with us! 😉
Gingerbread, chocolate, cute and simple are my favorite combinations! 🙂
I love all things gingerbread Kim! I wish we lived closer so we could grab a cup of hot chocolate and catch up on life! Maybe one day!
I made these cookies just as the recipe stated. I haven’t even made it to the icing part yet, but the kids are loving them. I may not end up doing that because they won’t stop eating them.
Anyways thanks for the recipe! Will definitely make them again!