I thought it might be fun to publish some of the recipes I use only at Christmas time. This is the cookie recipe I use to put gingerbread cookies on my tree. This recipe doesn’t quite cover the tree so if you like the way they look I would suggest a double batch. I use four shapes on the tree but hope to add to that next year. A star, a church, a tree and a bell, these are cut from the dough and then I take a straw and cut a hole in the top of each one. Once they are baked and cooled they are stiff enough to add ribbon into the holes. This year I purchased a ribbon that was a little wide for the holes. I had to: a) Thread a needle with about 10 inches of thread pulling the lengths even at the end b) draw the needle through the back of the cookie/ornament leaving half of the thread on the back side of the cookie c) insert the needle and thread into one end of the ribbon and then back through the cookie d) using both the length of the thread left on the back of the cookie as well as what’s been drawn through pull the ribbon end through the hole of the cookie leaving half of the ribbon on each side of the cookie e) pull the needle and thread completely out of the ribbon and start again.
Eileen’s Spicy Gingerbread Men
www.allrecipes.com
“Spicy gingerbread men. This is the only recipe we have ever used. For best flavor, do NOT use blackstrap molasses.” Original recipe yield: 2 1/2 dozen.
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions:
In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. Cover, and chill for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Frost or decorate when cool.
You know what would be good for such a task? Those flosser needles you use when you have braces! Or you could make a similar thing out of a piece of wire so that its like a big needle threader. Of course, your way has obviously worked, but I bet next year you’ll make sure to have smaller ribbon on hand to save yourself the trouble.
Thanks for sharing.
Actually, I did have smaller ribbon on hand. But I liked the wide ribbon so much it was worth the work to me. I did end up running out of it and had to use some of the small ribbon, and it’s just not as pretty. The thread method, as opposed to a big needle threader of some sort (which I did consider), allowed me to only pull one width of the ribbon through the hole, putting less pressure on the cookie and minimizing the danger, or should I say devastation, of breakage.
They look great! So do the boys ever snag one and eat it?
Owen has been warned and seems to understand they are not to eat and Ivan is much more interested in the shiny glass ornaments than the cookies, so they are safe for now.
I considered there to be a possibility you’d purposely picked a wide ribbon. Yes, aesthetically, a much better choice! I really love that…we’ll definitely use Eileen’s recipe someday (maybe not this year- I seem to be up to my ears in paint, and cleaning these days)
Well they look yummy- now if I just had some mandarin orange cream cheese dip, mmmmm….