This traditional gingerbread recipe is easy to make, perfectly moist, and features a delicious blend of honey and warm spices. It is a butter-free and egg-free recipe, making it ideal for the holidays.
Every holiday season, I bake my favorite cinnamon holiday cookies and Spritz shortbread, which are a tradition in my home. This year, I am also adding a year-end holiday essential: gingerbread !
The best traditional gingerbread recipe
It's safe to say I am completely obsessed with Christmas recipes! And when you talk about holiday recipes, you automatically talk about gingerbread. If you love it as much as I do, it will be part of your Christmas recipe list (just like this delicious chocolate Christmas cake). This is a fragrant and moist recipe based on honey and Christmas spices, enhanced with orange zest.
No matter how you prepare it, its scent will fill your home and it keeps for a very long time.
Allez à la recette
There are many variations: from the dark caramel version, intensely flavored with ginger, to the honey version, which is lighter and delicately flavored with a hint of brown sugar and spice. My recipe, a traditional honey gingerbread, is perfectly balanced thanks to my signature mix. I love these Christmas flavors 🎅.
To ensure perfect measurement, I opt for a store-bought spice mix. It's an economical and practical solution that is easily found in supermarkets.
Making your own spice mix
If you wish to make your own spice blend, you will need the following spices:
- 20g cinnamon
- 10 coriander seeds
- 7g green anise
- 10 cloves
- 2 star anise (2g)
- 1g ground ginger
- 1g nutmeg
Mix all the spices, then blend everything very finely for your gingerbread. This recipe will give you extra spices that you can store in an airtight container for several months.
Ingredients
Here is the list of ingredients you will need to make this recipe:
- Flour: I use T65 flour, which is recommended for this type of cake. An interesting option is to mix it with T55 flour and whole wheat flour (T150) for a more rustic flavor. These flours are ideal for giving body to the gingerbread.
- Honey: Acacia or flower honey will work perfectly. If you are looking for a more pronounced and full-bodied taste, chestnut honey is the ideal choice.
- Sugar: White sugar or brown sugar.
- Spices: Ginger, cinnamon, coriander seeds, anise, star anise, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Options: This gingerbread is delicious on its own, but you can also add toppings such as: candied oranges, a glossy honey glaze, a cream cheese frosting, or whipped cream.
How to make traditional gingerbread
Mix the ingredients
Add all the ingredients in a bowl.
Transfer in the baking pan
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes.
Brush with honey immediately after removing from the oven, let cool, then slice. Enjoy on its own or with a dusting of icing sugar, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.
Note
🎄 This traditional gingerbread is also popular served with foie gras during the holidays. 🎄
Advices
You can replace star anise with green anise. Note that it is not essential to have this spice to make good gingerbread.
To make gingerbread, you will need: cinnamon, coriander seeds, green anise, cloves, star anise, ground ginger, and nutmeg.
Do not overbake the gingerbread; monitor the cooking, and cook at a lower temperature for a longer period. The gingerbread will be more moist.
Storage (Conservation)
You can also freeze it by wrapping it in plastic wrap, either whole or sliced, and then placing it in a freezer bag. It can be frozen for 3 months.
Store the gingerbread in a cool, dry place away from light for 4 to 5 days, preferably in an airtight container.
And if you're looking for more french Christmas recipes, try my pear caramel yule log recipe.
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My Traditional Gingerbread Recipe
Plat : Dessert, Bread, HolidayCuisine : GermanDifficulté : Easy10
slices10
minutes45
minutesThis traditional gingerbread recipe is easy to make, perfectly moist, and features a delicious blend of honey and warm spices. It is a butter-free and egg-free recipe, making it ideal for the holidays.
Ingrédients
250g T65 flour (or mix of T55 and T150)
100g sugar (white or brown)
13g baking soda
25cl milk
200g honey (Acacia or flower honey)
- For the Honey Glaze (Topping)
2 tablespoon melted honey
1 teaspoon orange extract (or freshly squeezed orange juice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease and flour a loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
- In a saucepan, gently warm the milk and honey together until combined.
- Add the warm liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes, monitoring the oven (a knife or toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean).
- Remove the gingerbread from the oven but leave it in the pan.
- Prepare the honey glaze : Gently heat the honey in a container and add the orange extract/juice.
- Using a pastry brush, generously glaze the entire surface of the still-warm gingerbread. This will make it shiny and infuse it with the honey/orange aroma.
- Let the gingerbread cool completely in the pan before turning it out and slicing.
- Storage: Keeps for 4 to 5 days in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Equipment : Loaf pan, Pastry brush, Gingerbread spices.
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