My daughters preschool class is going to decorate gingerbread men. I have volunteered to make 32 gingerbread men - I need a recipe. Hopefully one that is shamefully simple.
Help me dopers!
The following recipe makes what I call “industrial strength gingerbread” It is ideal for making ornaments, gingerbread men, and is the recipe I use when I make gingerbread structures for display. While edible, it is not all that good for eating, unless rolled out paper thin. Decorate your gingerbread men, and when finished spray with a finishing agent, and they will keep as ornaments for a long time, when wrapped. It has no leavening agents, so it pretty much keeps the shape it was cut to.
6-3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups light corn syrup*
1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar*
1 cup margarine
Combine corn syrup, brown sugar and margarine in a saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat until margarine is melted. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients. Mix using hands untild dough becomes stiff. Chill dough until it is ready to handle. Roll out to desired thickness(1/8 to 1/4 inch) on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes. Bake on papered pan for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. If air bubbles appear when baking poke them with a toothpick. Slide figures onto a cooling rack, making sure they all lie flat
*Dark brown sugar or dark brown corn syrup may be substituted and will result in darker dough.
If you use this recipe, and have any questions, shoot me an email
Royal Icing- to use in decorating
1 pound powdered sugar
3 room temperature egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Stir sugar and cream of tartar into the eggs whites. When it is all mixed in turn mixer on high and heat mix until thick and *very * white. Mix should hold peaks, and mixing will take at least five to seven minutes, possibly more. Keep it covered as the surface will dry out quickly. This icing is what is used to hold gingerbread houses, of all types, together. It’s an excellent binder. It can be tinted. The icing dries quite firmly.
What about an edible recipe?
I think she wants the kids to be able to eat them after they decorate them.
I shall find out for sure tomorrow - thanks a ton Baker!
I haven’t made this recipe, but it’s from Betty Crocker and I would guess it’s reliable. The caption in the book calls them fat and puffy, and the picture shows them nicely decorated. It depends on the size of your class, but the recipe doesn’t look big, so I will give the original amounts, and follow with that tripled.
1/3 cup shortening(1 cup)
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed(3 cups)
1-1/2 cups dark molasses(4-1/2 cups) *
2/3 cup cold water(2 cups)
7 cups flour(21 cups)
2 tsp soda(1/8 cup)
1 teaspoon salt(1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon allspice(1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon ginger(1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon cloves(1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon cinnamon(1 tablespoon)
Mix shortening, sugar and molasses thoroughly. Stir in water. Blend flour and rest of dry ingredients, stir in, Chill. Heat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes and place far apart on lightly greased(or papered) baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until no imprint remains when touched lightly. Ice and decorate cooled cookies.
*I have found that when a cookie recipe calls for one of the syrups(molasses, honey, light or dark corn syrup) that they are all pretty much interchangeable as regards baking. What makes the choice is flavor and color. I substituted honey for molasses in a cookie recipe when I was out of the latter, and got an excellent cookie that was lighter in color that the original.
I made the gingerbread cookie ornaments recipe on Martha Stewart’s website just last week. The gingerbread turned out quite hard–good for ornaments–but is fine for eating, too. It’s a big recipe that makes about 24 gingerbead men, I think.
Post it!
Baker you are wonderful. I think I am going to make a trail batch this weekend with my kids to see how they turn out. I need have the 32 at school on December 16th.
Did you get the trial batch made? How did they turn out?
i made the trial batch and they turned out ok - I have discovered that I really do not like gingerbread. I am sure the majority of kids will take one bite after they decorate them and throw them away.
Well, have them make my “tough” recipe for ornaments, but have some regular sugar cookie dough to decorate too. They could even be the same shape.
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup(two sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon flavor(vanilla, almond, or lemon are good)
Cream butter and sugar, add eggsand flavor, and blend well. Mix flour, baking powder and baking soda, stir into sugar/egg mixture until dry material is evenly absorbed. Chill until moderately firm. Roll out on floured surface. A slightly thicker cookie will still taste good, and will have the strength to stand up to the decorating. Bake at 350 degress Farenheit until they are just starting to turn golden. It’s hard to say just how long this will take, so keep a close eye on them.
The above recipe makes a tasty cookie. And if you added some brown food coloring paste(same as cake decorator use) you would have an “imitation” gingerbread cookie!
Let me know how the event goes!
I took the cookies to school today. They had a good time decorating them and eating them. My daughter said she didn’t like the cookies, but some kids did.
The teacher sent me a very nice thank you note for taking the time to make the cookies for the class. So, in turn, I want to thank you for giving me the recipe.
Thanks!