Gingerbread Cookie Parting Treats: Easy Edible Garland Guests Can Snip and Take

Send guests home with a sweet little goodbye. This simple DIY turns gingerbread cookies into a pretty edible garland by wrapping each cookie, tying with ribbon, and hanging the strand by your front door. As friends head out, snip between the bows and hand them a treat for the road.

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Why you’ll love this idea

Festive and decorative for doors, mantels, or a kitchen window
Make-ahead friendly using homemade or store-bought cookies
Kid-approved sendoff everyone can take on the way out

What you need

Gingerbread people, stars, or festive shapes fully cooled and decorated
Plastic wrap or cellophane (food-safe)
Ribbon, yarn or baker’s twine
Small scissors for snipping at the door
Small hook or nail for hanging

How to make the edible cookie garland

Measure the strand. Pull out a long length of plastic wrap, a couple of feet longer than where you’ll hang it.

Place the cookies. Lay cookies face down about 6 inches apart along the center.

Wrap and tie. Fold the wrap over the cookies, then tie a ribbon above and below each cookie to make little packages.

Hang the garland. Make a loop with ribbon and hang from a small hook or nail. Add a bow at the top.

Send them off. Keep scissors handy and cut between bows as guests leave.

Tip: Frosted sugar cookies work too if that fits your theme.

Cookie options

Use your favorite gingerbread dough. If you do not have a recipe, there is a good one at the bottom of this post.
Store-bought cookies also work when you are short on time.

Royal icing

Use royal icing to decorate; it keeps details neat and dries firm.

Food safety notes

Wrap each cookie fully so it stays clean on the garland.
Hang indoors away from heat or direct sun.
Offer within 24 hours for best freshness.

Make ahead, storage, and freezing

Make-ahead: Bake and decorate cookies 1-2 days in advance, let icing dry, then wrap and tie the day you will host.
Storage: Keep extras wrapped in an airtight container at room temp up to 3-4 days.
Freezer: Undecorated gingerbread cookies freeze well up to 2 months; thaw completely before icing and wrapping.

FAQs

Can I hang the garland on the front door?
Hang indoors so cookies are not exposed to weather or insects.

How many cookies fit on a strand?
Plan 1 cookie per guest, spaced about 6 inches apart. Add a second short strand if needed for a fuller look.

What if I do not bake?
Use good bakery or store-bought cookies and still wrap and tie them.

Create a festive edible garland with gingerbread cookies. Wrap, tie, and let guests snip a sweet Christmas parting treat on their way out.

Giving your holiday visitors a sweet parting gift is a thoughtful gesture. Here is a way to send them home with a little something extra that is both tasty and decorative! This adorable idea came from my dear friend, Diana https://thenanadiana.blogspot.com/2015/12/take-me-with-you-yes-you-can-i-am.html

Attach a ribbon or piece of yarn to the handle of a pair of scissors (or keep a pair in a safe place near the front door) and cut the plastic wrap between each cookie.

Create a festive edible garland with gingerbread cookies. Wrap, tie, and let guests snip a sweet Christmas parting treat on their way out.

Gingerbread cookie dough: I use this recipe from Food.com and love the not-too-sweet flavor and sturdy cut-outs.

Gingerbread Cookie Parting Treats

Easy Edible Garland Guests Can Snip and Take Source: Food.com

Print Recipe

Equipment

Preheat oven to 375°

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cookie Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Royal Frosting Ingredients:

3 egg whites or 1/4 cup meringue powder combined with 1/2 cup of cold water in place of the egg whites. I like using meringue powder instead of the egg whites.
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
4 cups 1 pound un-sifted confectioner sugar
food coloring if desired

Instructions

Gingerbread Cookie Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
In a large bowl beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix.
Gradually stir in dry ingredients until incorporated.
Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours. (I chill the dough in the refrigerator)
Preheat oven to 375°.
Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon pad.
Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.
Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick, using additional flour as needed.
Cut out cookies with desired cutter. Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart.
Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies).
Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.
When cookies are cool, decorate as desired.
Yield: 24 5-inch tall cookies

Royal Frosting Directions:

In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy.
Sprinkle in the sugar gradually, whipping all the while. The more you whip the icing, the stiffer it’ll be and the faster it will harden up. If you want to “paint” with the icing, you can use food coloring to create different colors and thin the icing with a few drops of water so it will flow.

Notes