Gingerbread just isn’t quite complete without a little frosting flair. Whether it’s delicate swirls, playful dots, or full-on sugar-coated masterpieces, icing brings your cookies to life. Each carefully piped one cookie at a time.
It’s easy to reach for a store-bought packet, but honestly? Making your own icing at home is delightfully simple and gives you full control over the consistency, flavour, and the choice of a healthier coloring agent.
Now, I’ll admit: icing is one of the rare places where I still lean into good old-fashioned sugar. I’ve tried alternatives — syrup is out of the question, coconut sugar turns it brown and doesn´t work, and stevia-based versions kind of work, but do not give the perfect crisp result you’d like. So for now, I make peace with powdered sugar and move on with joy. But rest assured, if I ever crack the code on a refined sugar–free icing that holds up in both taste and structure, you’ll be the first to know.
Until then, here’s my go-to recipe — sweet, firm enough for piping, and easily tinted with a touch of nature’s colour palette.
Gingerbread Icing
Ingredients
Preparation
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In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until foamy. Begin adding the icing sugar gradually, whisking continuously until fully incorporated and the mixture is thick and glossy.
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Add a drop of lemon or lime juice for acidity. If desired, tint your icing naturally — a pinch of matcha powder for a soft green, turmeric for golden yellow, or beetroot powder for blush pink, blueberry powder for blue etc.
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Transfer the icing to a piping bag or cone and decorate cooled gingerbread cookies as your inner artist sees fit. Let the designs dry for a bit of time.
Note
- A note on sugar quantity: The amount depends on the size of your egg. For a size M egg, 150–180 g of icing sugar usually does the trick. For a size L egg, you may need closer to 200 g. The icing should be thick enough to hold its shape, so don’t be afraid to adjust the sugar.
- For color, add a teaspoon of matcha (green) or turmeric (yellow)
- If you’re out of icing sugar, you can make your own by blitzing granulated sugar in a coffee grinder or high-speed blender.
