In the realm of festive baking, few treats evoke the spirit of Christmas like the classic gingerbread people. These delightful confections, with their warm, spicy aroma and ornate designs, have been a beloved part of holiday traditions for centuries. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, creating these edible works of art can be a joyful experience that brings family and friends together. In this comprehensive guide, we will embark on a culinary journey to discover the secrets of crafting perfect gingerbread people. From selecting the finest ingredients to mastering the art of shaping and decorating, we'll explore every step of the process to ensure that your homemade gingerbread creations are not only delicious but also visually stunning. So gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and let's embark on this sweet adventure!
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
GINGERBREAD PEOPLE
These soft, chewy cookies are favorites of my grandchildren. They love helping me decorate them. -Joan Truax, Pittsboro, Indiana
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 55m
Yield 2-1/2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, egg, vanilla and lemon zest. In another bowl, whisk flour, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until easy to handle., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 4-in. gingerbread man cookie cutter. , Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until edges are firm, 7-9 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate as desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 99 calories, Fat 2g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 12mg cholesterol, Sodium 88mg sodium, Carbohydrate 18g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
GINGERBREAD PEOPLE
Every child in the neighborhood has requested this recipe for their Mom. I haven't found a recipe that compares!
Provided by cdagirl
Categories Desserts Cookies Gingerbread Cookie Recipes
Time 1h30m
Yield 36
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and corn syrup until smooth. Beat in the egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and allspice; stir into the creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1/2 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
- Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until icing is stiff. Add food coloring if desired and pipe onto cooled cookies. This icing can also be used as a glue to affix candy decorations.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 142 calories, Carbohydrate 22.7 g, Cholesterol 18.7 mg, Fat 5.4 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 1.3 g, SaturatedFat 3.3 g, Sodium 112.4 mg, Sugar 15.2 g
GINGERBREAD PEOPLE FROM JELL-O
These cute little gingerbread people with butterscotch pudding in the dough make great tree decorations--and delicious snacks too!
Provided by JELL-O
Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips JELL-O Holiday
Time 1h30m
Yield 20
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Beat butter, sugar, dry pudding mix and egg in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Mix remaining ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness; cut into gingerbread shapes with 4-inch cookie cutter, re-rolling trimmings. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Use straw to make hole near top of each cutout.
- Bake 10 to 12 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 3 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate as desired. Insert ribbon through holes to hang cookies on tree.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 160.1 calories, Carbohydrate 22.4 g, Cholesterol 27.6 mg, Fat 7.3 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 1.7 g, SaturatedFat 4.5 g, Sodium 194.9 mg, Sugar 8.1 g
KAHLUA GINGERBREAD PEOPLE WITH KAHLUA ICING
I cut this out from my inlaw's newspaper. I found it to be a great dough to work with and it tastes great. Just remember the dough is easiest to handle if it is refridgerated overnight, so plan ahead.
Provided by Pamela
Categories Dessert
Time 18m
Yield 24 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Cream shortening, butter, and sugar together.
- Beat in egg until fluffy.
- Stir in molasses and Kahlua.
- Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and blend well.
- Cover and chill for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
- Roll out to 3/8 inch, on a well floured surface, a portion at a time.
- Keep remaining dough chilled.
- Cut with cookie cutter and place on lightly greased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
- Let stand for 1 minute to firm.
- Decorate with Kahlua Icing.
- For icing combine all ingredients and tint with food coloring if desired.
- Pipe icing as desired.
- to make icing spreadable add 1 or 2 tsp more Kahlua.
GINGERBREAD PEOPLE TRUFFLES
These no-bake treats, made from crushed gingersnaps, molasses and warming spices, have all the flavor or holiday gingerbread plus a rich chocolate coating.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories dessert
Time 5h45m
Yield 12 gingerbread men truffles, plus 12 truffle balls (optional)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- For the gingerbread truffles: Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with plastic wrap to extend over the sides by several inches. Combine the gingersnap crumbs, butter, brown sugar, molasses and pumpkin pie spice in a food processor and pulse to combine. (You may add a little of the cream to get the mixture more malleable.) Spread the mixture into the baking pan, cover with the overhanging plastic wrap and press it smooth with your hands. Refrigerate 4 hours.
- For coating and decorating the truffles: Set a wire rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using the plastic overhang as handles, remove the truffle mixture in one piece. Flip onto your work surface and remove the plastic so the smoothest side faces up. Use a 1 1/2-inch gingerbread person cutter to cut out 12 gingerbread men. (After cutting the gingerbread men, you may roll the extra truffle mixture into balls for round truffles, if desired.) Place the gingerbread men (and truffle balls, if making) on the rack and place in the freezer while you melt the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a medium bowl at 50 percent power in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until completely smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes total. Allow the chocolate to cool 20 minutes.
- Put a gingerbread man, smooth-side up, on a fork, and spoon the chocolate over, lightly tapping the fork to let the excess drip back into the bowl to achieve a smooth coating of chocolate. Return the gingerbread person to the rack and repeat with the remaining men (and truffle balls, if desired). Refrigerate while you prepare the royal icing for decoration.
- For the royal icing, combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, add the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water and mix until smooth, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and add about 1 tablespoon more water, a little at a time, to make an icing that drizzles slowly from a spoon dipped into the bowl. Increase the speed to high and beat until the icing is very smooth, about 1 minute. Spoon a third of the icing into a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip. (Alternatively, transfer to a resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner.) Divide the rest of the icing between 2 small bowls, using food coloring to color one red and one green. Transfer the icing to 2 more piping bags, fitted with small plain tips (#3 or #4) or resealable plastic bags. (You will have icing left over.)
- Decorate the gingerbread men (and truffle balls, if desired) with the royal icing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
SPLENDA GINGERBREAD PEOPLE
Steps:
- BEAT butter, Splenda brown sugar, dry pudding mix and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Combine remaining ingredients. Gradually add to pudding mixture, beating well after each addition; cover. Refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is firm. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch-thickness. Cut into gingerbread shapes with 4-inch cookie cutter. Place on greased baking sheets. Use a straw to make a hole near the top of each cookie to use for hanging. BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets. Cool on wire racks. Decorate as desired.
GINGERBREAD PEOPLE COOKIES
Steps:
- Blend butter and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in dark molasses.
- Sift flour with baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
- Add to butter mixture in three parts. Alternate with 1/3 cup water (may need a little extra).
- Roll out dough. Cut out shapes with cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 minutes or longer. Test doneness by pressing dough with finger.
GINGERBREAD PEOPLE
Categories Ginger
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Beat butter,sugar, pudding,egg together, add dry ing. chill dough for 1 hr. Roll 1/4 " thick, Cut with favorite cookie cutter,(nice to have the little miniture gingerbread men cutters Bake 350 10-12 min
Tips for Making Gingerbread People:
- To make the dough, combine flour, spices, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then beat in molasses. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until a dough forms. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut out gingerbread people shapes using a cookie cutter. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just beginning to brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To decorate the gingerbread people, use royal icing, sprinkles, candy melts, or other edible decorations.
Conclusion:
Gingerbread people are a classic holiday treat that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little creativity, you can make gingerbread people that are unique and festive. Whether you're making them with your family or friends, gingerbread people are sure to bring joy to your holiday season.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
#60-minutes-or-less #time-to-make #course #main-ingredient #cuisine #preparation #occasion #south-west-pacific #flat-shapes #breads #eggs-dairy #australian #oven #easy #microwave #refrigerator #beginner-cook #holiday-event #kid-friendly #rolls-biscuits #grains #eggs #dietary #gifts #christmas #brown-bag #toddler-friendly #pasta-rice-and-grains #to-go #equipment
You'll also love