I’ve always wanted to make gingerbread men and finally got around to it this weekend. They were surprisingly easy to make and, once the dough is made, children of all ages would have fun rolling out the dough and cutting out the gingerbread men. The perfect activity for a spring break.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons golden syrup
75g caster sugar (about 3 oz)
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 1/2 teaspoon ginger
75g butter (about 3/4 of a stick)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
225g plain flour (8 oz)
Method
Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) Gently melt syrups, sugar, water an spices in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring well. Remove from heat, add butter and baking soda. Add enough sifted flour to make a firm dough. Sit aside to cool. Roll out dough and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Decorate with currants or chocolate bits as desired and bake for about 12 minutes or until golden and crisp
Source: www.foodlovers.co.nz
Shelley’s notes: The recipe made nine gingerbread men, although if I hadn’t kept nibbling at the dough, it would have probably made ten. I cooked mine for ten minutes, but if I made them again I think I’d cook them for eight minutes because my oven cooks fast. The final result was yummy, but I need more practice with my piping. Use raisins, currants, M & Ms or plain icing for decoration. You could even use something like dried cranberries. Your imagination is the only limit!
Have you made gingerbread men before?
March 30th, 2010 at 5:59 am · Link
Thanks for the recipe and Shelley, your Gingermen look exactly like the ones in our bakery here. Love them little guys.
Carol L.
March 30th, 2010 at 10:15 am · Link
We make sugar cookie men.
March 30th, 2010 at 11:38 am · Link
Thanks, Carol. They certainly tasted good. I think I’d decorate them differently the next time I make them, but I was pleased with the final result.
Nessa – they sound nice. I like cookies of any kind! I’m easy that way.
March 30th, 2010 at 1:05 pm · Link
Those look great! I usually cheat and make round circles instead of men. lol Glad to see you are a dough nibbler…num num num.
March 30th, 2010 at 5:46 pm · Link
How cute! We’ve made them before but haven’t recently–the kids are older now, and can help, so I ought to dig our supplies out again!
March 30th, 2010 at 6:44 pm · Link
It would be a great activity for spring break.
I think I’m a big kid because I had so much fun making them. Of course, eating them wasn’t so bad either.