These glazed gingerbread cookies are easy to make and stay soft for days! They have deep gingerbread cookie flavor and the glaze is perfect for decorating! | natashaskitchen.com

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These soft gingerbread pryaniki cookies are a Ukrainian cookie that is easy to make, stay soft for days and are cute as can be! Guess What?! They don’t require any oil or butter – seriously!! They have deep gingerbread flavor and the glaze makes a perfect canvas for decorating these beautiful Christmas cookies with sprinkles and pretty designs. You can easily change them up for any holiday really but there’s just something about gingerbread and Christmas that feels right :).

My nieces and nephews attacked these just as soon as I finished photographing and gave them the go-ahead (ha ha!! See the photo evidence below) and of course they gave rave reviews!

This is the Christmas adaptation of my Mom’s famous mint-glazed pryaniki that everyone in our family is crazy about. They are definitely worth discovering! 

These glazed gingerbread cookies are easy to make and stay soft for days! They have deep gingerbread cookie flavor and the glaze is perfect for decorating! | natashaskitchen.com

Ingredients for Soft Gingerbread Cookies (Pryaniki):

1 large egg yolk
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 /2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract – try our homemade recipe!
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour *measured correctly

*Watch our easy video tutorial on how to measure correctly

Ingredients for the glaze:

2 large egg whites
2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Decor/Toppings:

Food coloring gels as desired.
Crystal Sprinkles or any sprinkles really

These glazed gingerbread cookies are easy to make and stay soft for days! They have deep gingerbread cookie flavor and the glaze is perfect for decorating! | natashaskitchen.com

How to Make Gingerbread Cookies:

1. In a stand mixer, whisk together 1 egg yolk and 1 cup brown sugar until blended then whisk in 1 cup sour cream.

Three photos of a mixing bowl with batter for soft gingerbread cookies

2. Put 1/2 tsp baking soda in a large spoon ramekin and stir in 1/2 tsp white vinegar. It will foam, then pour into the mixing bowl and stir into the batter.

Two photos one of baking soda and vinegar in a bowl and one of it being added to the batter

3. Add 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 tsp ginger, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and whisk until well blended. Now using paddle attachment, add flour 1/2 cup at a time letting it incorporate before adding more. Dough will be very sticky.

Three photos of batter for soft gingerbread cookies in mixer bowl

4. Scoop 1 heaping tsp dough into well-floured hands and roll into 1” balls. Space balls evenly on a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350˚F for 20- 25 minutes (I baked for 22 min) or until barely beginning to golden. Remove immediately.

Two photos one of cookie batter being scooped with an ice cream scooper and one of it being shaped in someone\'s hands

Two photos of baking trays with soft gingerbread cookies

How to Make the Glaze (do this while cookies are baking):

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites on high speed with whisk attachment until foamy and tripled in volume (2-3 min). Reduce speed to low and add 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla, mixing until well blended, scraping down the bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium and beat another 2 minutes or until creamy and smooth (do not over-beat).

Four photos of a mixing bowl with a glaze being mixed in it for soft gingerbread cookies

How to Glaze and Decorate:

1. Once cookies are out of the oven, right away, dip each one in the vanilla glaze, coating only the top of the cookie then set on a wire rack and let rest until glaze is dry and firm. If you want to use crystal sugar or sprinkles, apply right after the cookies are glazed so the sprinkles stick to cookies.

A soft gingerbread cookie being dipped into glaze in a bowl

These glazed gingerbread cookies are easy to make and stay soft for days! They have deep gingerbread cookie flavor and the glaze is perfect for decorating! | natashaskitchen.com

2. If using color, divide remaining glaze between as many ramekins and you want different colors. I used green, red and blue to keep it festive. Stir in gel food coloring and transfer colored glaze to individual ziploc bags and snip off the very tip of the bag. Once the glaze on the cookies is set, pipe on desired designs.

These glazed gingerbread cookies are easy to make and stay soft for days! They have deep gingerbread cookie flavor and the glaze is perfect for decorating! | natashaskitchen.com

These glazed gingerbread cookies are easy to make and stay soft for days! They have deep gingerbread cookie flavor and the glaze is perfect for decorating! | natashaskitchen.com

These make me want Christmas all year long!

A soft gingerbread cookie in someone\'s hand with a bite taken out

Print Friendly Recipe for Gingerbread Cookies:

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Soft Gingerbread Pryaniki Cookies

4.94 from 32 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
These glazed gingerbread cookies are easy to make and stay soft for days! They have deep gingerbread cookie flavor and the glaze is perfect for decorating!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 25 -26 cookies

For the Vanilla Glaze:

Decor/Toppings:

  • Food coloring gels as desired.
  • Crystal Sprinkles or any sprinkles really

Instructions

How to Make Gingerbread Cookies:

  • In a stand mixer, whisk 1 egg yolk and 1 cup brown sugar until blended then whisk in 1 cup sour cream.
  • Put 1/2 tsp baking soda in a large spoon ramekin and stir in 1/2 tsp white vinegar. It will foam, then pour into the mixing bowl and stir into batter.
  • Add 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 tsp ginger, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and whisk until well blended. Now using paddle attachment, add flour 1/2 cup at a time letting it incorporate before adding more. Dough will be very sticky.
  • Scoop a rounded teaspoon of dough into well-floured hands and roll into 1” balls. Space balls evenly on a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350˚F for 20- 25 minutes (I baked for 22 min) or until barely golden. Remove immediately.

How to Make the Glaze (do this while cookies are baking):

  • In the bowl of a mixer, beat egg whites on high speed with whisk attachment until foamy and tripled in volume (2-3 min). Reduce speed to low and add 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla, mixing until well blended, scraping down the bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium and beat another 2 minutes or until creamy and smooth (do not over-beat).

How to Glaze and Decorate:

  • Once cookies are out of the oven and still warm, dip each one in the vanilla glaze, coating only the top of the cookie then set on a wire rack and let rest until glaze is dry. If you want to use crystal sugar or sprinkles, apply right after the glaze so the sprinkles stick to cookies.
  • If using color, divide remaining glaze between ramekins and add desired colors. I used green, red and blue. Transfer colored glaze to individual ziploc bags and snip off the very tip of the bag. Once the glaze on the cookies is set, pipe on desired designs.

Notes

**To measure flour: stir to fluff it up, spoon into dry ingredients measuring cup and scrape off excess flour on top for a level, even measurement.
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Gingerbread Cookies
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

These glazed gingerbread cookies are easy to make and stay soft for days! They have deep gingerbread cookie flavor and the glaze is perfect for decorating! | natashaskitchen.com

A group of children reaching for a plate of soft gingerbread cookies

These glazed gingerbread cookies are easy to make and stay soft for days! They have deep gingerbread cookie flavor and the glaze is perfect for decorating! | natashaskitchen.com

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Molly
    December 18, 2023

    Hi Natasha! I am making these cookies for Christmas cookie boxes 🙂 What is the best way to store the cookies in the refrigerator or on the countertop?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 18, 2023

      Hi Molly! Yes, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature but for longer storing and freshness, you can refrigerate or freeze.

      Reply

  • Nora
    March 12, 2022

    Natasha I have made these a few times; though I do not know how to make pretty decorations like you do. I did make the glaze though. These cookies are a real hit and delicious.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 12, 2022

      I’m so happy to hear they were a hit, Nora! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Rebecca A Hasse
    December 8, 2021

    Yummy! Mine turned out great. I followed the recipe exactly, and they were a bit chewy on the outside and soft on the inside. I also think the spice flavor is just right. I’ll be making another batch of these soon!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 9, 2021

      Hi Rebecca, I’m happy to hear that the recipe was a success! Thank you for the review.

      Reply

  • Samah Dawoud
    December 4, 2021

    Hi Beautiful Natasha. Merry Christmas and Thank you for all your recipes. I’ve tried ALMOST all your Christmas recipes. They are all so so so delicious But my Royal icing always have strong egg smell, do you have any advice to avoid this?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 4, 2021

      Hi Samah! Merry Christmas to you also! That’s interesting to hear, I haven’t had that experience, but now that I’m doing a google search, I’m seeing people make comments about royal icing specifically. This is basically royal icing, and if you are concerned, you can use a different glaze, and the cookies will turn out great.

      Reply

  • Rose
    November 14, 2021

    Do you think one to one gluten free flour would work for this recipe?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 14, 2021

      Hi Rose, I honestly haven’t tested that to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.

      Reply

  • CaroLine
    December 24, 2020

    Blessed and Merry Christmas to you and your family, Natasha!

    Thank you for hosting my favorite cooking site.

    Christmas Love,
    🎄❤️🎄❤️🎄❤️🎄❤️🎄
    CaroLine Kirkpatrick

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 24, 2020

      Hi Caroline, Thank you so much for this thoughtful comment! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

      Reply

  • nancy
    December 22, 2020

    Hi Natasha,
    I love your recipes!
    But these cookies were like little hockey pucks! So, I baked a batch for 10 min instead.
    I was excited to bake these but they were disappointing.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 23, 2020

      HI Nancy, they should be soft inside and not firm. Did you make sure to use baking soda and not baking powder and also be sure to bake them on conventional oven bake mode and not convection mode.

      Reply

  • Michelle
    December 9, 2020

    Can I use a cookie stamp for these cookies?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 9, 2020

      Hi Michelle, I haven’t actually tried that yet to advise. It would be a great idea if you can! If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.

      Reply

  • Mary
    December 9, 2020

    Just to be sure, we are using raw egg whites in the glaze? Are the cookies warm enough to cook the egg whites?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      December 10, 2020

      Hi Mary, yes that is correct. You could go with royal icing instead if you prefer.

      Reply

  • Rosie
    December 6, 2020

    Hi Natasha, First I want to thank you for inspiring me to cook more and for all these amazing recipes with your tutorials.
    In the glaze can I substitute raw egg white with anything else. I am not a big fan of raw eggs.
    Love all your recipes and thx for sharing with us!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 6, 2020

      Hi Rosie, you are most welcome. Thank you for trying out my recipes and I’m happy that you’re enjoying them. I don’t really have a substitute for raw eggs but you could try the glaze from my danish braid, but you will probably have to at least triple the recipe. Enjoy!

      Reply

  • Glenda
    December 4, 2020

    I don’t have a stand mixer. Is this recipe ok with just a regular hand mixer?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 4, 2020

      Hi Glenda, I have only made this with a stand mixer. If your hand mixer is strong enough, it may work, but I worry it may not work out. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.

      Reply

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