Gingerbread people are more than just cookies; they’re little edible friends that bring warmth and joy during the holiday season. The spicy aroma of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves wafting through your kitchen can instantly transport you to a cozy winter wonderland. Making these delightful treats is not only fun but also a wonderful way to create lasting memories with family or friends.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- 310g all-purpose flour (2 ½ cups)
- 2.5g baking soda (½ teaspoon)
- 3.75g salt (¾ teaspoon)
- 5g ground ginger (1 teaspoon)
- 2.5g ground cinnamon (½ teaspoon)
- 1.25g ground cloves (¼ teaspoon)
- 1.25g nutmeg (¼ teaspoon)
- 110g softened butter (½ cup)
- 100g sugar (½ cup)
- 125g molasses or syrup (½ cup)
- 60ml water (¼ cup)
- 3.5ml vanilla extract (1 ½ teaspoons)
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step One: Prepare Your Dough In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices—ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg—creating an aromatic blend that will make your taste buds tingle in anticipation. In another bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy before adding in the molasses or syrup along with water and vanilla extract. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until well combined into a smooth dough. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour; this helps firm up the dough for easier rolling later on.
Step Two: Roll Out & Cut Shapes upon removing from refrigeration, flour your work surface lightly before rolling out half of your chilled dough to about half a centimeter thick. Use cookie cutters shaped like little people to cut out figures—you can even get creative by using different shapes! Place them on parchment-lined baking sheets about two inches apart as they will spread slightly while baking.
Step Three: Bake Them Up! bake at preheated oven temperature of around 175°C/350°F for approximately ten minutes, keeping an eye on them so they don’t overbake!ꀀ They should be golden brown when done; let cool completely on wire racks afterward because hot cookies can break easily! after cooling comes my favorite part...
Decorating Your Gingerbread People:
after letting those adorable shapes cool down, it’s time for decoration! You could use royal icing colored with food dyes as glue for attaching candies like mini chocolate chips or colorful sprinkles onto their cheeks—and why not give each one its own personality? A sprinkle here,ꀀ some candy eyes there—it’s all about having fun! a bit of creativity goes a long way toward making each cookie unique; you might find yourself laughing at how silly some turn out!
Enjoying Your Creations:
once decorated,ꀀ gather everyone around to admire their handiwork before indulging in these sweet creations together—their spicy flavor paired with soft chewiness makes every bite feel festive! Whether enjoyed fresh from the oven or saved as gifts wrapped carefully within boxes adorned beautifully,ꀀ sharing homemade gingerbread people spreads cheer far beyond just flavors alone.