Recipe

Plan Ahead: Dough needs to rest overnight in fridge for best flavor, and glaze needs to set overnight.

Make Gingerbread

1. In bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, spices, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
2. In bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until just fluffy. Add egg and scrape down sides as needed, and beat until combined. Add molasses and corn syrup, and beat until uniform.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until dough is just combined. Use your hands to knead dough slightly until it’s uniformly moist.
4. Lay two pieces of plastic wrap on countertop and divide dough between them. Wrap balls and flatten into discs. Refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Working with one disc at a time, roll out dough on lightly floured surface until about 3 mm thick. Use 7.5 cm round fluted cutter to cut circles, then use 2.5 cm cutter to cut out center to make wreaths. Gather, chill and re-roll scraps as needed. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until bottoms of cookies are lightly browned. Transfer to rack and let cool.

Make Glaze & Donuts

1. Using handheld mixer, combine cream cheese and butter, and beat until uniform. Add icing sugar, vanilla extract, rosewater and salt, and beat until glaze is thick. Beat in lemon juice, then add enough water or milk to achieve desired dipping constancy. Glaze should be opaque and hold at edges of cookie without running off when dipping.
2. Glaze and decorate gingerbread as desired. Allow glaze to set and dry overnight before packaging or stacking.