Originally a popular wooden children’s toy, the Dala horse has become a symbol of Sweden as well as Christmas. This holiday season, celebrate the history of Sweden with your own special gingerbread Dala horse cookies!
Materials
â—† Gingerbread ingredients (see below)
â—† Horse-shaped cookie cutter
â—† Royal icing or decorating frosting (can be found at your local craft store)
â—† Frosting bags (zip-top bags also work)
â—† Toothpick
Gingerbread Cookie Ingredients
â—† 3 cups all-purpose flour (384 grams)
â—† 1/2 tsp salt
â—† 1 Tbsp ground ginger
â—† 2 tsp ground cinnamon
â—† 1/4 tsp ground cloves
â—† 6 Tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
â—† 3/4 cup brown sugar
â—† 1 egg
â—† 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
(don’t use blackstrap molasses)
â—† 2 tsp vanilla
Cookie Baking Instructions
◆ Preheat oven to 375° F.
â—† With a hand or stand mixer, mix butter and sugar until combined.
â—† Add egg and mix until combined.
â—† Add molasses and vanilla.
â—† Slowly mix in salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and flour until dough starts to form.
â—† Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Use horse-shaped cookie cutters to cut into shapes. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8-9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let cool before decorating.
Dala Horse Cookie Decorating Steps
Spoon your frosting into a bag and tie it off at the top. Squeeze to warm up. If your frosting is too thick, you can heat up for a few seconds in the microwave to get the right consistency before placing it in the bag.
â—† Cut off a small tip on the corner of your bag. Start small! You can always cut it bigger if needed.
â—† Practice making lines and circles on a piece of paper before you start your cookies. Press into the cookie at the start and end of each line or dot.
â—† Look up Dala horses for design inspiration (or check out our picture!) and decorate your cookies with fun patterns.
â—† Tip: You can use a toothpick to move your frosting if it goes off course a little, or completely wipe it off and try again!
â—† Set aside and let frosting set until hard to touch (usually a few hours).
â—† Share your Dala horse cookies and enjoy!
*Recipe inspired by The Kitchen Paper
This DIY Dala Horse cookies recipe appeared in the November/December issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!
