“Run, run, run as fast as you can, you can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man.”
The story of the Gingerbread Man was much loved by our young children. So, we had to make our own gingerbread men. But not all recipes for gingerbread are equal. Some are difficult to roll out, dry and crumbly. Others are better for creating hard, sturdy pieces that will become a gingerbread house rather than a tender cooky. And many are overpoweringly strong tasting.
This gingerbread recipe has been a favorite for many years now. It is a winner for producing cookies which are gently flavorful with molasses and other spices. They also remain tender when baked. The chilled dough warms up and submits to a rolling pin nicely which makes the job easy.
Our favorite story book advised us to use “raisins for eyes, a currant for the nose and red candy buttons”. Depending on the size of the dried fruit, you may want to cut it into pieces to better represent the features. You don’t want two raisins to take over the entire head.
Lining up baked and cooled cookies to add icing details is a must. Smiles, noses, hair and hints of clothing add to the cuteness factor and add a touch of sweetness. The sample you see here was well received by the children attending the neighborhood bonfire we hosted.
Whether you’re making gingerbread men just for the cookies, or creating a story/baking/eating experience for young ones, I hope you’ll find this recipe perfect for the results you want.
Gingerbread Men
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup butter soft
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp buttermilk or milk
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, buttermilk and molasses. Stir dry ingredients together. Then mix into wet ingredients. Chill dough for at least one hour.
- Divide dough into two portions. Roll the dough to 1/8” thickness, on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Cut with cookie cutters. Place pieces on a baking sheet, not touching each other.
- Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. Longer baking times produce darker, crisper cookies.
