Method

• 1.
  Sift the flour, cocoa and ginger into a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until thick and pale. Fold through dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Divide dough into 2 portions. Enclose dough in plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours or until firm.
• 2.
  Preheat oven to 180°C. In batches, roll out 1 portion of dough at a time on a lightly floured surface until 3mm thick. Using cookie cutters, cut out cookies, re-rolling scraps. Place on 2 baking paper-lined baking trays, and bake, swapping trays halfway, for 8 minutes or until just firm. Cool completely on trays. Repeat with remaining 1 portion dough.
• 3.
  Meanwhile, whisk 1 eggwhite in a bowl. Place extra 2 tbs sugar on a plate. Brush thyme with eggwhite, then dust in sugar. Dry on a baking paper-lined tray for 2 hours.
• 4.
  For glaze, using a fork, whisk remaining 2 eggwhites, then stir in icing sugar to form a thick paste (if too thick, add 1 tsp water).
• 5.
  Dip cookies in glaze on one side, then place on a wire rack to allow excess to drip off. Decorate with lavender and thyme, then set aside for 2 hours or until set.