Decorating Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread cookies are a classic holiday dessert. Their simple flavor profile and lack of complex texture begs for some decoration. Cookie cutters help with the visual appeal, but I often feel pressure to add something more complicated. Royal icing, a mixture of egg whites and sugar, is the standard go-to, but can be a fair amount of work to prepare. To be fully food-safe, the egg whites should be pasteurized. Sous vide can be used to pasteurize eggs, but requires over an hour and some planning. Having multiple colors requires several bowls, food coloring, and (eventually), a lot of clean up. Finally, royal icing taste can best be described as serviceable.

I tried a new approach with my latest batch: chocolate. Place some chocolate chips in a bowl with a teaspoon or so of oil and microwave for 20 seconds. Stir and repeat, microwaving for 10-15 seconds at a time. Once the chocolate starts melting, stir it for a bit before returning to the microwave, because the residual heat can be enough to continue to melt the chips for some time. It is best to avoid overheating the chocolate. I used both Ghirardelli white chocolate chips and Kirkland semi-sweet chocolate chips and both melted easily without burning, though cheaper brands may not work as well.

The chocolate can be used for spot decorations or coating the whole shape, and have an added bonus of adding a great-tasting flavor. Chocolate and gingerbread go together surprisingly well, and even those who scoff at white chocolate not being “real” chocolate will likely find it superior to royal icing. A little colored sugar can add an additional flair.