Yesterday I began my holiday baking. An army of gingerbread men have been baked and decorated and are all ready for my new book club's holiday cookie exchange tonight.
My secret recipe is actually an adaptation of the Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cake Mix that was published by the company years ago. To the box mix, add 1/4 cup hot water, 2 Tablespoons melted butter and 2 Tablespoons of all purpose flour. Mix together and roll out on a floured surface. Bake at 375 degrees for 6-9 minutes on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
I wanted to show you my "life imitating art, imitating life" photo above. This year I found a dollhouse-size baking gingerbread scene (in the mini section) at Michael's Craft and I have it nestled as a gift for Day 7 in my tin advent calendar. When I started rolling out the dough for this first batch of gingerbread men, I realized how great it would look next to the teeny-tiny version. Voila!
Do you bake gingerbread men?
(*I am reposting this because my favorite cookie tin (above) is now available at www.fancyflours.com! Get yours before they are gone!)
I have had this Gingerbread House cookie tin for at least ten years, maybe more. But last night it single-handedly proved my theory that "Cute is Forever."
I went to the Junior League of Birmingham's New Member cookie exchange with 3 dozen gingerbread men (yea!) and brought my gingerbread house tin as a means to carry the cookies I got at the exchange. The girls like the gingerbread men alright, but it was this cute tin that got all of the attention. When asked where I got it, I said that it had been at least 10 years and that I couldn't remember where I found it. Then I added, "But cute is forever."
***Update: November 2013: Fancy Flours is NOW carrying this Gingerbread Cookie Tin!
Now we can't buy everything we see, and I know that we can barely store what we have, but sometimes a standout item like this is too cute to pass up. And every time you pull it out, you'll love it all over again. When you work this hard on cookies, you need a worthy container.
I know it feels a bit early for Christmas posts, but frankly it is my job to inspire you and I think that part of having a successful holiday is preparation. A late night baking session on December 19th can exhaust anyone, so I propose that you bake a few key items ahead of time in the quiet of November and then freeze them. You and I will both be happy when we pull our homemade cookies out of the freezer, weeks from now, and all we have to do is decorate them.
Today I am spotlighting my grandmother's gingerbread men. Her men always looked just like this (a cookie from my tree last year) and hung all over her Christmas tree. We were allowed to take one off of the tree to eat every time we visited her house in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I loved it! She also made a ladder out of gingerbread that she leaned against the trunk. It was to help the elves reach the branches!
Nama's tried and true recipe (one that I myself have used for 21 years) is Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cake & Cookie Mix. Yes, a box mix. Trust me, these cookies always come out perfectly. Specific instructions are on the side of the box - simply add a bit of water, flour and melted butter to the contents of the package and mix well with an electric mixer. Roll dough out on floured surface. I recommend baking on parchment paper for easy release. Allow the cookies to cool and then freeze in Ziploc freezer bags or Tupperware containers, with waxed paper or parchment paper arranged between each layer.
If you aren't going to freeze them, then leave the gingerbread men uncovered for a few days to dry out before tying a ribbon around their necks.
When you are ready to decorate your gingerbread men (after they have defrosted or after a few days of drying out), make "glue" by mixing 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and a few drops of hot water. Attach chocolate chip eyes and buttons with a dab of "glue"and then attach a "red hot" candy for his mouth. Tie a ribbon around his neck and then slip an ornament hook into the ribbon and hang on the tree. Adorable!
My gingerbread men are quite popular (both eaten off the tree and on cookie platters) and to give myself a head start, I made 5 boxes worth of gingerbread men yesterday. I burned an entire tray, so I was glad that I had made extras. They are already in my freezer and I feel great. We will put up our Christmas tree on November 29 and by December 1st I should be having Gingerbread Men with my coffee in the morning. Happy Holidays!
I have had this Gingerbread House cookie tin for at least ten years, maybe more. But last night it single-handedly proved my theory that "Cute is Forever."
I went to the Junior League of Birmingham's New Member cookie exchange with 3 dozen gingerbread men (yea!) and brought my gingerbread house tin as a means to carry the cookies I got at the exchange. The girls like the gingerbread men alright, but it was this cute tin that got all of the attention. When asked where I got it, I said that it had been at least 10 years and that I couldn't remember where I found it. Then I added, "But cute is forever."
***Update: November 2013: Fancy Flours is NOW carrying this Gingerbread Cookie Tin!
Now we can't buy everything we see, and I know that we can barely store what we have, but sometimes a standout item like this is too cute to pass up. And every time you pull it out, you'll love it all over again. When you work this hard on cookies, you need a worthy container.
I am bringing an army of gingerbread men to a cookie exchange tonight! Yes, they are more work than a traditional bar or drop cookie, but isn't the cute worth it?
My grandmother always made gingerbread men to hang on her Christmas tree. A red ribbon around the neck (tied with a bow) was the perfect place to catch the wire ornament hanger. These boys hung all over her tree and we were "allowed" one as a snack when we dropped by. Picking a cookie off of a tree (like an apple!) was a thrill when I was eight. These edible ornaments continue to be a tradition in my house.
The trick is letting them dry out a bit - they need to harden up to be able to withstand the pressure of hanging. When you make your batch, don't roll them too thin. You are looking for a sturdy cookie. The recipe? "All you need is a red box (there is also a pouch, but I've never tried it) of Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cake and Cookie mix (plus a bit of water, flour and melted butter). The recipe is on the side of the red box and they come out perfectly every time. The cutter? I found this website and the "7 1/2 inch tin plated" gingerbread man looks a lot like the shape of mine.
This year if you are invited to a cookie exchange, instead of resorting to a bar cookie, maybe you can find time for the cute.
