Gingerbread men

[muddygirl]

Does anyone have a really good recipe for gingerbread men? I have tried a few, but mine always turn out hard, and not lovely and soft as gingerbread should be. Or is it something I am doing wrong?? I have seen some wonderful gingerbread men on some December Daily pages. Please share your secrets

[lesvrolyk]

We used a recipe from "Yum for Kids" magazine to make our gingerbread men this year. I think they turned out sort of in between hard and soft. They definitely were firm enough to hold their shape, but did have a softer inside. Still a rather crunchy-type cookie, but I like this recipe because it didn't call for molasses, which I find very strong.

1c butter, softened
2/3c brown sugar
2/3c dark corn syrup
2tsp vanilla
1 egg, beaten
4c flour
3/4tsp baking soda
1T cinnamon
1T ginger

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter with brown sugar and corn syrup, and mix until smooth.
2. Add vanilla and egg and stir well.
3. Sift together dry ingredients and slowly add to the mixing bowl. Blend until a smooth dough forms.
4. Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
5. Roll out dough on a floured surface until 1/4in thick.
6. Cut dough with gingerbread man-shaped cookie cutter. Bake in a preheated oven at 375deg for 10-15min. (I baked mine only 10 min @ 350deg. I think they would have been way too overdone for longer than that.)
7. Allow to cool before decorating with icing and sprinkles.

[muddygirl]

Thanks Les, yours looked fantastic on your layout. I might give this one a go, I will just have to find our equivelent for the dark corn syrup.
Thanks for taking the time to post the recipe.

[dugarner]

Originally Posted by muddygirl

Thanks Les, yours looked fantastic on your layout. I might give this one a go, I will just have to find our equivelent for the dark corn syrup.
Thanks for taking the time to post the recipe.

Sam,

"If light corn syrup is not available, you can substitute a sugar syrup made with 1-1/4 cups sugar and 1/3 cup water, boiled together until syrupy. If your recipe calls for dark corn syrup, we’d suggest using a sugar syrup with a dash of dark treacle or unsulfured molasses, both of which are derived from sugar cane."

Hope this helps! A dash would probably be a teaspoon to a tablespoon, depending on how dark you want it. Or you could leave it out altogether and just use light syrup. They're interchangeable, the only difference is in the flavor.

[katrinak]

Here is our favorite recipe. They are vegan, but they are LOVED by everyone. Soft and yummy.

[muddygirl]

Originally Posted by dugarner

Sam,

"If light corn syrup is not available, you can substitute a sugar syrup made with 1-1/4 cups sugar and 1/3 cup water, boiled together until syrupy. If your recipe calls for dark corn syrup, we’d suggest using a sugar syrup with a dash of dark treacle or unsulfured molasses, both of which are derived from sugar cane."

Hope this helps! A dash would probably be a teaspoon to a tablespoon, depending on how dark you want it. Or you could leave it out altogether and just use light syrup. They're interchangeable, the only difference is in the flavor.

Thanks Sarah I was wondering if I could change it with golden sryup, or maple sryup ( that was in the last recipe I used), but maybe they are the wrong choice.

[muddygirl]

Katrina, that looks like a good recipe too, and I'm sure I could do some substitutions for the things I cant find here.

I always forget... All purpose flour, is that one with rasing agents in it or not??

[dugarner]

Originally Posted by muddygirl

Katrina, that looks like a good recipe too, and I'm sure I could do some substitutions for the things I cant find here.

I always forget... All purpose flour, is that one with rasing agents in it or not??

All purpose flour does not have the rising agents in it.

[cathieinoz]

Sam...if you use our "dark brown sugar" instead of the light one it will have the stronger flavour and colour that you might miss without the dark corn syrup. From memory (lived in the US 12 years) their brown sugar is light like our light one. I would probably substitute golden syrup for the 'dark corn syrup' too. All-purpose is the same as 'plain'. Have fun - and write down your final recipe - let us know if you come up with an Aussie masterpiece gingerbread man!

[cathieinoz]

Forgot to say, there's no 'golden syrup' there - although I think the Southern States can get a 'cane syrup' of sorts.

[muddygirl]

Thanks for that info Cathy. I might give a recipe a go today as the weather is so bad. Sooooo much rain!!!