When Lexi was very little I used to take her to a toddler yoga class. She’s a very strong-willled, energetic child and so I thought that taking her to yoga would be a great way to teach her to harness her energy and calm her. BUT I used to have to bribe her! With gingerbread men.
The restaurant downstairs from the yoga studio had the best gingerbread men. So, after yoga Lexi would get a gingerbread man (if she met certain criteria). And that is how her love of gingerbread men was born.
Over the years I have looked at various different gingerbread recipes and I was always a bit intimidated. They often called for strange ingredients or had a long list of steps. This recipe is perfect! It’s easy (for adults and kids) and it is not too gingery.
Gingergbread Men
Ingredients
- 3 Tbs firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 Tbs golden syrup
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 4 Tbs butter, cubed
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 ⅛ cups all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (340°F) and lightly great two baking sheets.
- Put the sugar, syrup, cinnamon, ginger and 1 tsp of water together in a large saucepan and heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from the heat, remove the cinnamon stick, and stir in the butter and bicarbonate of soda.
- Gradually stir in the flour to make a smooth, pliable dough.
- Wrap in clingfilm and chill until firm (about 30 minutes).
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 3mm and cut out the gingerbread men.
- Use the end of a small, clean paintbrush to press out eyes, a nose, a mouth and buttons.
- Place the cookies 5cm apart on the baking sheets, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the biscuits feel firm when lightly pressed with a fingertip.
- Cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled decorate with icing and jelly tots, smarties, or other candies.
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