Showing posts with label gingerbread cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gingerbread cookies. Show all posts

Saturday, November 11, 2017

National Gingerbread Cookie Day Review

Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread Cookies (source: Pixabay)
November 21st is National Gingerbread Cookie Day.  There is no real reason for the establishment of this fun food holiday, except perhaps the approaching Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays around which these rolled cookies have become favorites.

Gingerbread cookies are traditionally made in shapes such as flowers, hearts, and trees.  They can be made in different sizes and can be iced and decorated. 

The Gingerbread Man shape probably goes back to the time of Queen Elizabeth I.  History tells us that her palace baker during her reign (1558 to 1603) baked and decorated gingerbread men in the likenesses of important court visitors for Her Majesty to present to them.

The tale of Hansel and Gretel of Grimm’s Fairy Tales (1812) increased the popularity of gingerbread cookies and other treats. Later, Gingerbread men and animals became popular Christmas tree ornaments.



Gingerbread Cookie Recipes


There are lots of gingerbread cookie recipes online.




For a different and a bit unusual Gingerbread Cookie recipe, I found this one in a gingerbread crafts leaflet:



Gingerbread Cutout Cookies 

by Shelly Vaughan

Gingerbread cut out cookies
Source: Pixabay


Touch of Pineapple Gingerbread People Cookies


Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup dark molasses
  • 1 cup pineapple juice or more as needed
  • 5 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Miniature candy-coated chocolate candies (M&Ms) and/or raisins

Icing:

  • 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoons pineapple juice:

Instructions:

  1. For cookies, combine shortening, sugar and molasses in large bowl.  Stir in pineapple juice.  In another bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.  Gradually stir into molasses mixture until thoroughly incorporated (Dough will be stiff.)  Cover and chill for 2 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray once.
  3. On floured surface, roll dough out 1/3 inch thick.  Cut into desired shapes with floured cookie cutter, using gingerbread people cutter or other cutter.  Place cookies 1"-2" apart on prepared cookie sheet.  Decorate with candies and/or raisins as desired.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until light finger indentation springs back.  Cool completely.
  4. Store cookies in single layer in airtight container, or layer cookies with waxed paper separating layers.

*Makes 3 dozen.



Decorating Gingerbread Cookies

Decorated Gingerbread Cookie
Source: Pixabay

Decorating Tips



  • Gently press decorating candies or other items into cookies before baking.
  • Pipe icing onto warm cookies with a small decorating tip.
  • Icing is quick and easy to make. If you prefer convenience items, however, you may use tubes of decorating icing with decorating tips.
  • If you would like to add some color to your cookies, lightly spinkle colored sugars, sprinkles, nonpareils or flaked coconut over wet icing.  Gently shake off excess, if necessary.


Gingerbread People Parts


It's fun to personalize your gingerbread people.  When baking with children, this is the part they like the best.  Here are a few suggestions:

  • Eyes -- raisins, dried blueberries, miniature M&Ms.
  • Noses -- cinnamon red-hot candies, M&Ms, dried cranberries.
  • Buttons -- raisins, cinnamon-coated raisins or golden raisins, small jelly beans, decorating stars, miniature M&Ms, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, walnut pieces, pecan pieces, macadamia nut pieces.
  • Mouths -- licorice strings, almond slivers, red or pink decorating icing.

Gingerbread Crafts book cover
Currently Available on Etsy

*The gingerbread cutout cookie recipe and decorating tips are by Shelly Vaugham and was printed in the craft leaflet "Easy Gingerbread Crafts" published by House of White Birches in 1999.  Available on Etsy on sale at the present time.

And, in addition to the above recipe, Coletta Teske of Review This! included a yummy looking gingerbread cookie recipe in her blog post food review of Simple Snacks for Santa.



Other Forms of Gingerbread Cookies


Besides edible gingerbread cookies, other forms of this  cookie have become popular.


Gingerbread toys are fun too

 
Gingerbread Cookie Doll in handmade crochet
Plush Gingerbread Cookie Doll

Adorable gingerbread man plush doll handmade in crochet. He measures about 8 inches high.

He will look great with your holiday décor or in your kitchen year!

Created by Jackie of Pittsburgh, PA and available in her Etsy Shop Jackie Draz Art. 





Gingerbread Holiday Decor 


Gingerbread Cookie Beverage Coasters - handmade
Gingerbread Cookie Coasters


Add to the decoration of your home for the holidays with this set of Gingerbread Cookie Coasters.

This is a set of 4 drink coasters with a gingerbread cookie design. Two coasters have a gingerbread boy with a candy cane. Two coasters have a gingerbread boy with a heart.

Gingerbread Cookie Coasters are handmade in needlepoint using acrylic yarn and plastic canvas.  They measure
3.5 x 3.75 inches.


Gingerbread Cookie Playset


Gingerbread Cookie Playset

Christmas Gingerbread Men Cookies Playset 

This Miniature 18 inch doll playset includes 3 Gingerbread Cookie Men with a Lovely Silver Tray! This is the Perfect set of cookies for your 18 inch Dolls; American Girl Dolls, Baby Dolls or any other toy around that size! Each Cookie is approximately 1 3/8 inch (3.5cm) across! 










Gingerbread Holidays Throughout the Year


November 21st isn't the only gingerbread holiday.  Besides this 'cookie' day, we have:

  • National Gingerbread Day on June 5.
  • Gingerbread Decorating Day on December 9.
  • Gingerbread House Day on December 12.






Happy Gingerbread Cookie Day!





Gingerbread Cookie Plush Doll


(c) Wednesday Elf 11/21/2017






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Food Review: The Best Simple Snacks for Santa

decorated gingerbread cookies
When Santa stops at your home, treat him nice with some special treats. Find a food that will please in this food review of the best simple snacks for Santa.


During the holidays, Santa is one busy person. Going from home to home, visiting all of the good girls and boys can sure work up an appetite. When Santa stops at your home, show him your hospitality and offer Santa a snack to warm him from his frosty nose to his icicle toes.

These snacks are made with real foods and can be served to unexpected visitors in just a few minutes. With a little advance preparation, these snacks can be heated up quickly to give you more time to spend with friends and family. And Santa, of course!

Offer Santa something hot to drink


After being out in the cold and snow, Santa will enjoy this delicious Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe. Dash to the pantry for some milk, cocoa powder, honey, and coconut oil. Then, turn on the stove and warm up the whole mix. In five minutes, you'll have a hot chocolate that's sure to bring Santa back next year.

This simple snack for Santa is so much better than the pre-made packaged hot cocoa mixes. The best part about his recipe is that you control the amount of sugar in the hot cocoa.

Set out a plate of Christmas cookies


Santa loves cookies and he'll be looking for that plate of cookies near the fireplace. Cookies give Santa a jolly feeling. This year, give Santa a traditional Christmas cookie made from real foods and made by hand.

These White Chocolate Dipped Chewy Gingerbread Cookies (www.jamhands.net/2013/12/white-chocolate-dipped-chewy.html)from Jam Hands will have Santa coming back for more. And, he may want to take the whole cookie jar home with him. These cookies aren't the hard and stale gingerbread men that stand guard over the gingerbread house decorations. These cookies are moist and chewy. And, the cookies can be dipped in white chocolate or almond bark for added flavor.

Send Santa on his way with a handheld snack



Santa has a busy night ahead of him and he'll need something hearty to fill his belly before he heads back out into the cold. Send Santa up the chimney with a savory snack that he can hold in one hand and eat along the way. Savory meat and vegetable pies will surely keep Santa from getting hungry as he makes his rounds all around town.

This Mushroom, Gorgonzola, and Caramelized Onion Hand Pies Recipe (www.10thkitchen.com/2013/11/mushroom-gorgonzola-caramelized-onion-hand-pies-recipe) can be made in advance and frozen until you're ready to feed Santa his Christmas feast. If you're afraid of making pasty dough, this recipe has an easy crust recipe that uses sour cream as the secret ingredient.

If you don't want to fuss with a crust, try these Crustless Mini Quiches (www.wickedgoodkitchen.com/crustless-mini-quiches-gluten-free-self-crust/) from Wicked Good Kitchen. These mini quiches are so easy to put together. Just pour the ham, bacon, cheese, and whipped eggs in muffin tins and bake. These quiches can be made in advance, stored in the freezer, and warmed up when you're ready to serve this simple snack for Santa.

Simple snacks for simple holiday pleasures


Be prepared for visitors this holiday season. Keep your refrigerator and pantry stocked with ingredients that can be mixed up and heated up quickly. Fix a few hearty handheld snacks in advance to keep dish washing to a minimum. Keep your holiday foods and beverages simple. You'll have more time to enjoy the season.





Posted by Coletta Teske
Coletta Teske

About This Contributor

Coletta Teske writes reviews on books, business management, writing, crafting, cooking, and gardening. She is also an avid recycler and shares her tips on recycling. She delights in upcycling an old object, recycling or transforming discarded items into a new treasure.




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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