Gingerbread Men Recipe – Baking with Kids

lifeatthezoo | October 26, 2012 | Baking, Christmas, Cooking with Kids | 5 Comments

Oooh now I do love a good Gingerbread Man! And Baking with Kids at Christmas, always involves Gingerbread Men for us! I have been baking this Gingerbread Men recipe for well over 8 years – well before having children and we love still. It keeps well and makes for great little visiting gifts throughout the Christmas season. We love making the traditional Gingerbread men (approx hand size), as well as smaller “Gingerbread Families”. Again, the families are a cute present for visiting friends – making sure that the children’s genders and number are reflected in our baking!

This of course is NOT an Austrian recipe (where you get a similar Lebkuchen, but often in card, heart or house shape), but as I like to blend the best of Austrian and British traditions for my family, these are my perfect addition to our Christmas Baking Ideas.

Ingredients:

I measure these straight into a saucepan:

3 oz (75 g) soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tablespoon black treacle (like molasses)
1 level teaspoon cinnamon
1 level teaspoon ginger
1 pinch ground cloves
finely grated rind ½ orange

And keep these ready to hand for adding:

3½ oz (95 g) butter or margarine
½ level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
8 oz (225 g) plain flour

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C).

Method:

1) Place sugar, treacle, syrup, spices and orange peal in a large pan on the cooker and heat slowly. Keep stirring and bring to boiling temperature. Remove from heat.

2) Stir in the butter and bicarbonate of soda.

3) Stir in the flour. You will have a stick dough.

4) Let cool for 20-30mins, which will help make the dough less sticky and easier to roll.

5) Dust your work area with flour and roll out your dough. Get cutting.

6) Bake for 10-15min or until firm to the touch/ turning darker.

7) Remove and let cool.

Decorate to your hearts content!

As we had already gone crazy with the icing and sprinkles for our Zombie Cookies and Monster Cookies, the kids surprised me by enjoying just adding silver balls and Smarties!

The perfect treat to go with a “night in movie“!

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Tags:baking, Christmas, cookies, cooking, cooking with kids, Gingerbread cookies

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lifeatthezoo

5 Comments

Julie October 31, 2012 Reply

My Little Mister loves gingerbread! I would love for you to add this to my weekly Mom’s Library Weekly Link-Up.
http://heymommychocolatemilk.blogspot.com/2012/10/moms-library-link-up-3-for-me.html

Thanks and Be Blessed,
Julie
Kylie December 19, 2012 Reply

I have just made this! Different to my normal recipe but really delicious. Might leave out the treacle next time and up the golden syrup, just for a change.
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