It wouldn’t be Christmas without home-made gingerbread men! Or gingerbread people, I should say.
This egg-free Donna Hay gingerbread cookie recipe is so simple to make and produces perfect results. I have been using this recipe for as long as I can remember and I am always happy with the results.
This year I tweaked the recipe by resting the dough in the fridge for a few hours before cutting and noticed it made a difference to how easy it was to cut out the shapes so I will definitely be adding this extra step from now on.
Miss 8 and 10 took over decorating duties and had a ball using edible glitter icing pens, Christmas coloured M&Ms and silver balls. Even when the gals were much younger they loved helping at every step of this child-friendly, simple Christmas recipe.
I highly recommend introducing this Christmas tradition to your holiday baking routine.
The decorated gingerbreads won’t last long – only a day or two – but there is every chance they will be eaten in the blink of an eye!
GATHER:
125g softened diced butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup golden syrup
2 ½ cups self-raising flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
LET’S GET TO IT:
Preheat oven to 190C, line two baking trays with baking paper.
Place butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer and beat until light and creamy then add golden syrup.
Add sifted flour, ginger and bicarb soda and stir to combine.
Knead lightly on a floured bench top to form a smooth dough, then flatten into a disc, wrap in cling film and place in fridge for a couple of hours.
Remove dough from fridge, allow to return to room temperature then roll dough between two sheets of non-stick paper until 5mm thick. Use cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
Bake for 12 minutes or so or until lightly golden.
Cool on trays and remove to racks – handle with care as it is easy to accidently decapitate or amputate these gingerbread folk!
When completely cold decorate with icing pens.
the hungry mum 
Awesome recipe. Must get mom to try this recipe. Although I have to admit that I got a good chuckle out of your Gingerbread men. Not that they weren’t wonderful and all but… all I could think of was this famous movie line, “Do you know the muffin man?…” Do you know it? XOXO – Bacon
Love these little gingerbread men, they are so adorable! If you can believe it, I’ve never made gingerbread cookies before. Something to add to my “to do” list this holiday season! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I hope you get to bake some this Christmas – they are so fun!
They look great! I was wondering, are the cookies nice and soft? Thank you! 🙂
Thanks! They are halfway between soft and crunchy, if that makes sense?!
It does! 🙂 Perfect, thank you!
Decorated gingerbread shapes, including people are part of my family’s Christmas tradition too. The beautiful smell of gingerbread in the house means it’s Christmastime. Deelish
Gorgeous little gingerbread people!! This is also a tradition in our house!!
Thanks for sharing
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
xx
I’m eating gingerbread right now!! It’s a Harry Potter gingerbread cookie mind you but still feels very festive in spirit 😀
Oooh, that’s a very creative gingerbread bickie!! Is it one of your amazing creations?
Super cute Mrs H.
Awww, ta Lisa! I do feel a bit guilty eating them!
Super cute!
awww, ta 🙂 Have a fab Chrissy.
And you! ❤
This is the stuff of which fond memories are made. Your girls will remember and smile.
you have such a lovely way with words. This comment is gorgeous.
Reblogged this on Marcey's Table and commented:
Gingerbread men as we called them were always part of our Christmas. They were store bought, hard, and I was afraid that I would break a tooth when I bit into them. These look perfect though! What a wonderful treat to make with your children.
Enjoy!
Marcey
Christmas wouldn’t be the same without an army of Gingerbread Men! Your recipe sounds delish and look super cute (your girls did a great job).
How adorable are these! I’ve never ever made Gingerbread cookies. I know they’re a holiday staple but not where I’m from so I’ve never really felt need to make them. Now I do! These are lovely.
Oooh, you have to make them! They are so fun to make and you can decorate them anyway you want. Do it 🙂
Beautiful gingerbread men! they all look so cute & yummy! 🙂 x
Gingerbread cookies are always on my holiday cookie table. Very cute! Refrigerating the dough also helps to keep the shape of the cookies so they don’t spread out.
They are adorable 😉
Thanks so much 🙂
Reblogged this on the hungry mum.