Hello my magical foodie fam! Today, we’re diving into one of my FAVORITE snacks from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida – the Ginger Newt! Found in the mystical corners of HoneyDukes in Hogsmeade and SugarPlums in Diagon Alley, these spiced gingerbread cookies are a wizarding twist on the classic gingerbread.
Soft, chewy gingerbread shaped like adorable newts, each with a thin, sweet sugar glaze that crackles just so. The warm spices pair perfectly with a cup of hot butterbeer, making them an essential treat. Honestly, they’re a 5/5 must-try item that I get EVERY TIME I’m in the wizarding world (which is a lot, because I have an annual pass)!
Ingredients:
These ingredients work together to help make a flavorfully spiced, soft and chewy gingerbread cookie!
Ginger Newt dough – Gingerbread Cookie Dough Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 TBS Ground Cinnamon
1 TBS ground Ginger
1/2 TBS Allspice
1/2 tsp salt
12 TBS butter, divided
3/4 cup dark molasses
3 TBS milk
Cookie Glaze Ingredients:
1 Cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
1 TBS Light Corn Syrup
1/2 TBS Vanilla
4 TBS Whole Milk
Kitchen Gadgets:
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- Bosh Universal Plus Mixer: Essential for mixing your Ginger Newt dough! While you are welcome to whisk and beat everything together by hand, this honestly just makes it so simple! The Bosh Universal Plus Mixer is our favorite because it can handle large batches of bread dough AND still make cakes and cookies!
- Rolling Pin: To evenly roll out your dough. Any Rolling Pin will do, but we love the Vinoil Rolling pin with thickness rings! The rings help make sure that you are rolling the dough evenly and to the correct thickness.
- Newt Cookie Cutter: To get that perfect newt shape we used this cookie cutter available on eBay.
- Mixing Bowls: To Mix the sugar glaze in. Any bowl will do, but if you’re in the market for a nice glass bowl set, we use this one!
- Silicone Whisks: For whisking together the glaze. Again, any whisk will work, but the silicone ones can be safely used in all your pans!
Instructions for Ginger Newts:
- Prep Work: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Dry Ingredients: In your stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, whisk together flour, dark brown sugar, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice.
- Like a Pie Crust: Next, add the butter, a tablespoon at a time to the dry ingredients, whisking between each addition, until it is crumbly and sandy. (This is just like what you’d do if you were making a pie crust).
- Switch & Add: Switch your stand mixer to the paddle attachment and slowly add in the molasses. Once fully combined, add in the milk a tablespoon at a time until the dough begins to form chunks (this will NOT look like chocolate chip cookie dough. This is more dry and more similar to sugar cookie dough).
- Freeze & Roll: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up. Then roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness using a rolling pin. Use your newt cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place them on parchment lined baking trays.
- Bake: Place on prepared baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Cool: Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Glaze: Mix all glaze ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Once the cookies are COMPLETELY COOL, you can either dip them in the glaze, or apply the glaze using a silicone pastry brush.
- Enjoy: Let the glaze set, then serve with a mug of hot butterbeer.
Recreating these Ginger Newts at home brings a touch of magic right into your kitchen. Share them with friends and family, or enjoy a solitary moment of wizarding bliss.
