Fun and easy ideas for decorating Christmas gingerbread biscuits
Christmas is coming! And as we will probably spend more time at home this year, what better opportunity to take advantage of and make some gingerbread biscuits? We're here to share some interesting facts about this typical Christmas sweet and give you some ideas on how to decorate them, both in the typical biscuit shape with Christmas decorations and converted into beautiful gingerbread houses.
Take note!
The tradition of gingerbread biscuits
Christmas meals are loaded with traditional dishes with many different flavours, but for a lot of people, gingerbread is the quintessential Christmas flavour.
Ginger has been used for centuries (particularly in Asian cultures) not only for its medicinal properties but also for its particular spicy and fresh taste, which has led to its use at Christmas to become a tradition all of its own.
Home-made gingerbread biscuits are usually made from a fine dough and can be crafted into a variety of different shapes. What we like most about this recipe is that it's a process in which the whole family can participate, so it becomes the perfect fun experience for at-home plans!
Did you know?
Here's an interesting fact about the history of gingerbread biscuits. Did you know that in some parts of the world, this is children's first foray into the culinary world?
And it's not surprising that the little ones always love to help make the dough and taste it (how clever!).
Now that we have all this information, let's get right into showing you how to decorate your gingerbread biscuits for a super-fun Christmas at home.
Don't have the recipe for the dough? Don't worry! If you want an easy, home-made, kid-friendly recipe for gingerbread biscuits, note down all the ingredients in this article.
How to decorate gingerbread biscuits
Once the dough has been rolled out into a thin layer, it's time to use the pastry cutters. You can make gingerbread biscuits in the shape of a Christmas tree, a little man, a star, a heart, or round biscuits… There are an infinite number of options! If you're really creative, you can even design your own shape.
Bakers of all ages can participate in this step because the dough is flexible and easy to manipulate. Also, with the help of the IKEA pastry cutters, you'll be able to cut out the shapes in a flash. And if, in addition to the shape, you want to make gingerbread biscuits with Christmas decorations, use decorating pencils and bring them to life in full colour.
Tip: don't forget to sprinkle a bit of flour or sugar on the table or worktop where you are going to cut the dough so it doesn't stick.
An easy and delicious gingerbread house
If you want to do something different with the gingerbread dough that's not the traditional biscuit, think bigger.
A safe bet in these cases is always a gingerbread house. The various pieces are glued together and decorated with icing, so that the house will last throughout Christmas. However, considering how delicious the house is, some sections may magically disappear over time. The theme, architecture and level of complexity depend completely on you. What do you think? It's time to bake!
The IKEA gingerbread house
A little fun fact: do you know how to say gingerbread house in Swedish? Pepparkakshus! Yes, we know that the name isn't easy at all but what we do know is that assembling the IKEA gingerbread house is!
With our gingerbread house kit, all you need to worry about is how to decorate it. Want to see some ideas? We show you step by step in the following video on how to assemble a Christmas gingerbread house in a flash.
Enjoy the magic of Christmas by making the most delicious and fun recipes with your family. If you liked this article and are looking for more ideas, don't miss out on this selection:
We love it when customers use our products in a creative way. Why not try to do something new with them yourself? But do remember, any modifications or changes that you make to IKEA products will prevent them from being resold or used for their original purpose, thus invalidating IKEA product warranties and your right to return them.
