Spicy, bold, sweet, peppery: those are just some of the words we’d use to describe the one-of-a-kind taste of gingerbread. The cozy flavor can be transformed into just about anything, from baked goods and snacks to cocktails and milkshakes. And who could beat traditional gingerbread cutouts?! The crispy, crunchy treats are a fan-favorite, and no Christmas cookie table is complete without a plate full of them.

One of our favorite aspects about making gingerbread cookies from scratch is being able to decorate them after they cool. Sprinkles, icing, gum drops, mints, chocolates — you can use all these edible items and more to give your cookies their own unique personalities. Whether you make gingerbread cookies every December, or you're trying them for the very first time this year, you can't go wrong with these foolproof, festive and fun gingerbread cookie decorating ideas.

To start, make a batch of our perfect gingerbreads and plenty of royal icing. From there, you can cut out your cookies in whatever shape you like and design them as you please, using the instructions on the slides that follow as a guide. Happy Baking!

Roof: Attach green sour belts and pipe some snow. Use a black mini Chuckle for the chimney.

Lights: Pipe a light strand and attach candy-coated sunflower seeds.

Door: Attach trimmed red Fruit by the Foot and a green jumbo nonpareil doorknob. Pipe the door trim and snowbank, then sprinkle with white nonpareils.

Men and women aren't the only thing you can make out of your gingerbread dough — just look at these merry and bright Christmas trees! To decorate them, pipe a zigzag-styled "garland" across each one using homemade icing, then cover with some white sanding sugar. Rainbow-colored chocolate-covered sunflower seeds finish the trees off to give you the perfect colorful and joyful backdrop for the rest of your holiday cookies and desserts.

Roof: Attach Froot Loops; pipe the trim. Use trimmed pretzel sticks for the chimney.

Wreath: Attach a green gummy Life Saver and trimmed red pull-and-peel licorice for the bow.

Door: Attach a trimmed green sour belt and a red jumbo nonpareil. Pipe the frame.

Trees: Pipe the trees, then top with red star sprinkles.

Roof: Attach mini marshmallows snipped on the diagonal and silver sugar pearls, then add a red Sixlet for the peak. Attach silver nonpareils for the chimney.

Window: Attach a white Necco wafer and pipe the frame; add small silver and white sugar pearls.

Door: Pipe the trellis and door, then attach a large heart sprinkle and more silver sugar pearls.

These gingerbread people are a holiday classic—crisp, sweet and warmly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Decorating them is all about creativity: use royal icing, dragées and colorful candies to bring them to life. The icing dries hard, so these cookies are perfect for making ahead and gifting. They’re a nostalgic treat that makes the season feel magical.

Roof: Attach Frosted Mini Wheats and pull-and-peel licorice. Use Mike and Ikes for the chimney.

Window: Attach a trimmed green sour belt and pipe the frame.

Door: Attach an upside-down trimmed Kit Kat; add a red jumbo nonpareil for the doorknob. Pipe the trim.

Tree: Attach a spearmint leaf; add red jumbo nonpareils.

These holiday-themed cookies combine all of the fun and deliciousness of a gingerbread house without the assembly. Use a house-shaped cookie cutter to punch out your gingerbread dough, bake, then decorate as shown here — or in any fun way you choose!

Roof: Attach red banana candy. Pipe the roof trim, then attach a red Sixlet for the peak and a trimmed Kit Kat for the chimney.

Window: Attach a mini Charleston Chew and 4 mini yellow Starbursts. Pipe the frame; add sprinkles for snow.

Shrubs: Pipe shrubs and cover with green nonpareils and snowflake sprinkles.

Roof: Attach mini pretzel twists, then attach trimmed pretzel sticks for the chimney and pipe some snow.

Door: Attach a full pretzel stick for the landing and trimmed pretzel sticks for the door, then pipe the garland, doorknob and trim.

Tree: Pipe dots of icing, then attach one trimmed pretzel stick for the tree trunk.

Here's a fun twist on the gingerbread cutout: Turn your ordinary sandwich cookie into a wintry snow globe by filling the center with sprinkles. The glassy topper? That's easy with a bit of crushed up hard candies and a few extra minutes in the oven.

To create the next 8 sweets, start by making a batch of our Gingerbread House Cookies.

Roof: Attach peppermint candies and Skittles. Pipe icicles and the chimney.

Door: Attach green Chiclets, a red jumbo nonpareil for the doorknob and a small piece of candy cane for the landing.

Snowman: Attach mini marshmallows; add an orange sprinkle nose. Draw eyes and buttons with an edible marker.

Meringue powder, confectioners' sugar, water and nonpareils are all you need to decorate these ultra-modern and minimalist gingerbread trees. We choose to use white sprinkles here, but bright green or red would also add a really lovely touch.

Roof: Attach red mini Chuckles and a mini marshmallow at the peak. Use a chocolate bar piece for the chimney.

Gable: Attach trimmed pretzel sticks and pipe icicles.

Stone Wall: Pipe a snowbank, then attach Raisinets.