Gingerbread Men

March 17, 2012 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

Run, run, run as fast as you can
You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man…

Everyone has their own recipe for Gingerbread Men – ours uses Date Molasses and Muscovado sugar. The dough is quite sticky and hard to work, so be sure to chill it well before rolling out.

500g plain (AP) flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), sifted
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon mixed spice (we use one from Herbie’s Spices)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
250g unsalted butter
160g Muscovado dark brown sugar
1 large (59g) free range egg
160g date molasses
100g icing sugar mixture, sifted
2 – 3 teaspoons water

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and bicarbonate of soda. Stir in the sea salt, mixed spice and ginger.

2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the egg and date molasses.

3. Beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate the dough until well chilled and firm – at least a couple of hours and preferably overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 160C with fan. Lightly spray two large sheets of parchment paper with oil. Additionally, line two baking trays with ungreased parchment paper.

5. Using a third of the dough at a time, roll it out between two sheets of greased parchment until approximately 5mm thick. Remove the top sheet and, using well floured (or oiled) cutters, cut out the Gingerbread Men. Transfer carefully to the lined trays. The leftover dough can be gathered up, re-chilled and used to make more cookies.

6. Bake the cookies for 10 – 13 minutes, or until just firm – do not overbake. Allow to rest on the trays briefly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. To prepare the icing – sift the icing sugar mixture into a large bowl, then gradually whisk in the water to firm a thick, spreadable mix. Transfer to a small piping bag and decorate the cooled cookies as desired.

This recipe made two dozen large Gingerbread Men, and kept all the big and little kids on the street very happy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

Posted in Recipes | Tagged date molasses gingerbread, gingerbread man recipe | 38 Comments

38 Responses

on March 17, 2012 at 4:34 am niasunset

Oh dear Celia, these are so lovely and so delicious… reminds me my memories… Thank you, have a nice weekend, with my love, nia
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:48 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Nia, so glad you liked them! :)
on March 17, 2012 at 5:32 am Sally

Yep -you’re right I do have a gingerbread recipe – everyone needs one. I must have made gingerbread more than any other baking item over the years. Never made it with date molasses though – thanks for the recipe
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:50 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Sally, I’ve only discovered date molasses in the last couple of years, and have been using it constantly ever since. I love the flavour! The Lebanese eat it with tahini on bread…
  - on March 18, 2012 at 1:09 pm Sally
    
    As you can imagine, it’s available in abundance where I live!
on March 17, 2012 at 5:33 am Lizzy (Good Things)

I love a good gingerbread person, Celia! I baked them last Christmas for the first time in a decade or more… and dear they were delicious! I gave them away in individual packages as little gifts. Nice post, have a lovely weekend.
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:50 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Lizzy, I’m sure yours were amazing! I think it would be a lovely gift to receive!
on March 17, 2012 at 5:57 am ceciliag

how wonderful, it is years since i made these.. i love the molasses in them! c
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:51 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Celi, I’ve been using the date molasses in place of golden syrup ever since I found it – it makes a subtle difference, and it’s quite lovely! I’m sure you could make a whole farm’s worth of gingerbread animals!
on March 17, 2012 at 6:42 am teawithhazel

what dear little gingerbread men you’ve made celia..they are so cute that i want to bite one..x
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:52 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Jane, they were great fun to make!
on March 17, 2012 at 7:24 am trialsinfood

very cute gingerbread men! love the hearts on the feet!
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:52 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thank you! I still had icing in the bag after faces and buttons, so I was trying to use it up! ;-)
on March 17, 2012 at 8:26 am lambsearsandhoney

Very sweet gingerbread men, Celia, and beautifully decorated, too. I haven’t made anything like this for ages.
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:53 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Amanda, I must admit that I’m not a great rolling and cutting person, so I tend to do a few batches of something like this in a flurry and then not make it again for ages!
on March 17, 2012 at 10:21 am Heidi Fodor

These are so cute!
My recipe uses molasses and honey- yours sounds good- I’ll try it next time.
(I just threw away my gingerbread house today. It is too hard to eat when it needs to stand up for competition!)
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:54 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Heidi, molasses AND honey, that IS unusual! I’m going back to look at your recipe more carefully now…
on March 17, 2012 at 11:18 am hotlyspiced

Those are so perfect looking and so very cute. I love how you iced them – very individual looks you have given them too. Have a great weekend and may the rain stop! xx
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:54 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Charlie! And I’ve just been outside, thank goodness the rain finally stopped!
on March 17, 2012 at 12:26 pm cityhippyfarmgirl

You’re right, big and little, EVERYone loves gingerbread men… especially to dunk head first into a milky coffee… oh maybe that’s just me.
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:55 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Hehe…I just had another friend say the same thing last week, Brydie. He said he always ate the head first, as it seemed the kind thing to do.. ;-)
on March 17, 2012 at 7:07 pm thecompletecookbook

Love a good gingerbread biscuit – love the way you have decorated your men Celia – very cute.
:-) Mandy
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:55 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Mandy! They were fun to make!
on March 18, 2012 at 1:46 am promenadeplantings

So cute!! I like the one with the eyebrows :)
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:56 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Claire, I was trying to use up all the icing! I wonder why I didn’t think to give them noses? :)
on March 18, 2012 at 1:49 am Just A Smidgen

I always read this rhyme to my kindergarten students.. and I love gingerbread cookies.. you’ve made them so pretty!! You know I love those little hearts:)
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:56 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Smidge, I was feeling like an old hippy, piping hearts on their legs.. ;-)
  - on March 18, 2012 at 3:35 pm Just A Smidgen
    
    Hahaha, I like being an old hippy.. probably why it caught my attention!
on March 18, 2012 at 2:46 am bakecakecrumbs

They’re so pretty Celia – I love the ones with the little heart on their foot. I do love gingerbread, and ginger cake, and ginger chocolate – there’s a theme here ;-)
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:57 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  C, thank you! They were fun to make – Pete is finally happy with the flavour, he doesn’t like them when there’s too much cinnamon or cloves in the recipe, so it’s taken a bit of fiddling to get it right!
on March 18, 2012 at 3:15 am marilynscottwaters

There’s nothing like the smell of gingerbread. It’s a rainy day here so cookies just my be on the to make list. :-)

Hugs, Maz
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:58 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Maz, they really do smell amazing! I was astonished how strong the aroma was!
on March 18, 2012 at 6:36 am Choc Chip Uru

These gingerbread men are so totally perfect :D
Yum!!!

Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:58 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thank you! I’m glad you like them! :)
on March 18, 2012 at 9:17 am Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide

So fun to see these at this time of year!
- on March 18, 2012 at 12:59 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Oh that’s right, we’re meant to make these at Chrissie! I tend to cook things at all sorts of odd times.. ;-)
on March 21, 2012 at 6:57 am Choclette

Oh yes, date molasses – I like it. And I like your cheery little gingerbread men too.
- on March 21, 2012 at 11:06 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Thanks Choc! I’m a little hooked on the date molasses.. :)