Scalloped Wreath Gingerbread Cookies

By kelsa94

Scalloped Wreath Gingerbread Cookies are a delicious and decorative addition to any holiday dessert table. These cookies get glazed and iced with different shades and consistencies of green royal icing to make beautiful, festive little wreaths made completely out of gingerbread for a festive holiday dessert.

Ingredients

• ROYAL ICING:
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 recipe Royal Icing
• Green food coloring
• Red food coloring
• 1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, about 4-1/4 cups
• 3 tablespoons meringue powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, molasses, and vinegar until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill about 3 hours or until dough is easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a cookie sheet; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough portion at a time to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2 to 3-inch flower-shape or scalloped round cookie cutter, cut out dough. Using a 3/4 to 1-inch round cookie cutter, cut out a circle from the center of each cookie. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.

Using a decorating bag fitted with a small round tip, pipe an outline around edges of each cookie with frosting-consistency Royal Icing tinted light green and flood cookies with glaze-consistency Royal Icing tinted dark green. While icing is still wet, pipe glaze-consistency light green icing on dark green base to make sprigs of greenery. Pipe dots of frosting-consistency red-tinted Royal Icing for berries.

ROYAL ICING:
In a large mixing bowl stir together the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and cream of tartar. Add the water and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined; beat on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes or until icing is very stiff. If not using right away, cover bowl with a damp paper towel and cover paper towel with plastic wrap; chill for up to 48 hours.