When you make gingerbread cookies they should be strong, stand up for what they believe in, and have just the right amount of kick. These Princess Leia of Alderaan cookies are the treats you’re looking for this holiday season.
Made out of sweet, snappy gingerbread, the cookies are decorated to resemble Leia’s A New Hope dress. The addition of her iconic hair buns make these irresistible. Whether these sweets are hung on the tree or served up with a glass of blue milk, if cookies are all that you love, then that's what you'll receive.
Princess Leia Gingerbread Cookies
You’ll need:
1 gingerbread girl cookie cutter
1 straw
silver sprinkles
ribbon
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons molasses
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Icing ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons milk, as needed
3 teaspoons corn syrup
brown food gel dye
black food gel dye
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg , baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter and brown sugar until combined.
Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla, then slowly add in the dry ingredients just until the dough comes together.
Split the dough into two and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill until you are ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Flour the cutter, then cut out the shapes and transfer onto the prepped baking sheets. Take two very small pieces of dough and add it to the sides of the head. This will form the base for the hair buns once the cookies are baked.
Take another small ball of dough and add a loop at the top of the head. Use a straw to make an opening. This is where the ribbon will be strung.
Bake for 10 minutes, let cool on a wire rack.
Start the icing. In a small bowl stir together the powdered sugar, milk, and corn syrup until a thick but manageable consistency.
Scoop out ¼ cup of the icing into a small bowl and dye with brown food gel dye for the hair. Add a little more powdered sugar for a slightly thicker consistency.
In a third bowl scoop out 1/8 cup to dye with black food gel dye for the eyes.
Scoop the white icing into a piping bag and with a #5 tip, pipe the edges of the dress onto the cookie. Go back in and flood the rest of the area with icing, using a toothpick to reach all the edges.
With a #3 tip pipe the hair onto the head, then use a #2 tip for the eyes. Use a toothpick to flick out the edges to form eyelashes. Let the icings dry.
Once the icing is dry, go back in with the white icing and pipe a line across the dress for the belt. Sprinkle the piped line with silver sprinkles. Let dry completely.
When the cookies are dry, tie ribbons into the holes at the top and hang on the tree to decorate.
Princess, general, and now a cookie. Enjoy!
Jenn Fujikawa is a lifestyle and food writer. Follow her on Twitter at @justjenn, and check her Instagram @justjennrecipes and blog www.justjennrecipes.com for even more Star Wars food photos.
