Gingerbread is traditionally associated with Christmas but there is literally no good reason not to enjoy it all year round. And Easter gingerbread is definitely a thing (at least I and several other bakeries have decided it is!) Instead of the traditional festive reds and greens, think chocolate-covered confections adorned with lots of pastel pinks, greens, blues and yellow with an abundance of mini eggs.
These are just some of my favourite things to do with gingerbread in between the chocolate munching and the Easter egg hunts.
Easter Gingerbread House
I have recently fallen in love with the idea of an Easter gingerbread house because it actually combines my two favourite things – Gingerbread and chocolate. There’s so much scope to create beautiful spring-inspired houses with lovely pastel colours and Easter-themed decoration. Check out these awesome houses from The Solvang Bakery in California. And of course, I think my own creations are pretty cool too!
Easter Gingerbread Cookies
If a house seems like a bit too much effort, cookies are a fabulous thing to make during the Easter holidays. You can use a traditional gingerbread recipe to make your Easter gingerbread cookies or you can use a lighter plain cookie recipe and spice it up with a teaspoon or two of ground ginger.
There are hundreds of cookie cutters available and some lovely Easter ones too – bunnies, Easter eggs, flowers, bonnets etc. – which look great decorated with a little coloured royal icing and some pastel sprinkles or sweets. Why not give them a go and see what you can create.
Easter Gingerbread Egg Hunt
Easter wouldn’t be Easter without an egg hunt but you can switch out the chocolate and use gingerbread Easter egg cookies for a change instead. These lovely decorated biscuits look super cute arranged in an egg box and can be easily hidden around the house for the kids (and adults) to find.
Easter Gingerbread Bunny
Somewhere between a house and a cookie is the Easter gingerbread bunny. Choose a template online, blow it up to the size of an A4 sheet of paper and cut it out of your rolled gingerbread. It’s a lovely alternative if you don’t want to go to the trouble of constructing an entire house. Decorate it with royal icing, chocolate and lots of sweets.
Simnel Cake
Strictly speaking Simnel cake isn’t gingerbread, but it is worthy of a mention as a traditional Easter treat. Simnel cakes have been given since medieval times and were originally given as a gift on Mothering Sunday. The 11 balls of marzipan that normally sit of top are said to represent the 11 apostles minus Judas.
Simnel cake is a light fruit cake similar to Christmas cake with a layer of marzipan on top and some baked in the middle. Sometimes Jesus is represented too with a ball of marzipan in the middle. I personally am not a big fan of marzipan so why not switch out the marzipan balls for some chocolate gold eggs like these chocolate Galaxy eggs.
Five things to do with gingerbread this Easter
Gingerbread is traditionally associated with Christmas but there is literally no good reason not to enjoy it all year round. And Easter gingerbread is definitely a thing (at least I and several other bakeries have decided it is!) Instead of the traditional festive reds and greens, think chocolate-covered confections adorned with lots of pastel pinks, greens, blues and yellow with an abundance of mini eggs.
These are just some of my favourite things to do with gingerbread in between the chocolate munching and the Easter egg hunts.
I have recently fallen in love with the idea of an Easter gingerbread house because it actually combines my two favourite things – Gingerbread and chocolate. There’s so much scope to create beautiful spring-inspired houses with lovely pastel colours and Easter-themed decoration. Check out these awesome houses from The Solvang Bakery in California. And of course, I think my own creations are pretty cool too!
If a house seems like a bit too much effort, cookies are a fabulous thing to make during the Easter holidays. You can use a traditional gingerbread recipe to make your Easter gingerbread cookies or you can use a lighter plain cookie recipe and spice it up with a teaspoon or two of ground ginger.
There are hundreds of cookie cutters available and some lovely Easter ones too – bunnies, Easter eggs, flowers, bonnets etc. – which look great decorated with a little coloured royal icing and some pastel sprinkles or sweets. Why not give them a go and see what you can create.
Easter wouldn’t be Easter without an egg hunt but you can switch out the chocolate and use gingerbread Easter egg cookies for a change instead. These lovely decorated biscuits look super cute arranged in an egg box and can be easily hidden around the house for the kids (and adults) to find.
Somewhere between a house and a cookie is the Easter gingerbread bunny. Choose a template online, blow it up to the size of an A4 sheet of paper and cut it out of your rolled gingerbread. It’s a lovely alternative if you don’t want to go to the trouble of constructing an entire house. Decorate it with royal icing, chocolate and lots of sweets.
Strictly speaking Simnel cake isn’t gingerbread, but it is worthy of a mention as a traditional Easter treat. Simnel cakes have been given since medieval times and were originally given as a gift on Mothering Sunday. The 11 balls of marzipan that normally sit of top are said to represent the 11 apostles minus Judas.
Simnel cake is a light fruit cake similar to Christmas cake with a layer of marzipan on top and some baked in the middle. Sometimes Jesus is represented too with a ball of marzipan in the middle. I personally am not a big fan of marzipan so why not switch out the marzipan balls for some chocolate gold eggs like these chocolate Galaxy eggs.
For a great Simnel cake recipe look no further than the delectable Nigella but if marzipan really isn’t your thing then try this lemon, almond and ginger alternative from Tesco.