my first attempt at gingerbread men!

17 years ago

Well, I made gingerbread cookies for the first time. I actually made the dough last night and refrigerated it until this morning. This was my first time working with molasses and baking with ginger. Also first time to make Royal icing... I could just kiss the person who invented disposable pastry bags (now if only I had the same 3 tips, one for each color, it would have been perfect).

I kind of had fun, but it started to become work. I learned that I do NOT like decorating at all... I'm not skilled, I don't have a steady hand, and it's messy and tedious. The reason I bake is to play with kitchen gadgets and enjoy and share the results... the rest of the process is work to me!

I used chocolate chips and a few red hots for the middle. I tried a few with raisins, but I ate them before decorating because I didn't think they looked good. I found it difficult to color the royal icing (which I used egg white powder for, not real egg whites)... I had to use almost a whole bottle of red food coloring (to about a half cup of icing) and I still got a dark pink instead of a vibrant red!

The one little guy who has a sad face is upset because he was one of the last ones I did and I didn't put much effort into him. I tried to switch from green to white icing, and I didn't clean the green out well enough so there his outline is minty green instead of white or green.

These will go nicely with the peppermint ice cream I just got... Played Christmas music while decorating (well, not on purpose, but it's the only thing on the radio!), so that kind of put me in a holiday mood.

Tracey, thanks for inspiring me to make them. Your beautiful pictures from December 3rd are what actually inspired me to do it! I used dark molasses, and I agree with you, I think light would make a better cookie. I also prefer mine softer rather than harder (watch it Jessy).

Can I ask some of you who have made gingerbread cookies before to have a look at the recipe I used? I'll link to it below. It didn't taste quite like traditional gingerbread cookies that I've had in the past, but I can't figure out what there was too much or not enough of. I'd appreciate any input on that!

Well, I'm off to clean the kitchen.... I'll be back when I'm done in FOUR YEARS.... ugh what a mess!!

Here is a link that might be useful: The recipe I used.

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Comments (21)

Tracey_OH
17 years ago
Oh Bobby, I love your gingerbread men! And no wonder you got tired-you used three different colors of icing! Thanks for your kind comments about my gingerbread me. I agree-it definitely gets tedious after awhile. I could only bake six at a time, so that's what consumed most of my time. If you are interested, my recipe is on the original thread. I think I had a few more spices and lemon juice in mine.

I'm so glad you posted this :)

Tracey
granjan
17 years ago
They are adorable. And yes decorating cookies is tedious!
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Terri_PacNW
17 years ago
Good Job Bobby!!!!!
Those are really cute..I can squeeze the icing bag for about 5 minutes then my grip aches!!!!! So I couldn't have even made it as long as you did!!! I used to love doing it, but now it's a pain, literaly!

I have a new to me recipe of gingerbread in the fridge for rolling and cutting today..(I don't have to decorate..my 3rd graders class will be doing that on Thursday!)
This recipe doesn't have eggs in it.....so we'll see....
craftyrn
17 years ago
Wow! you've been busy-- they sure came out adorable
deborah_ps
17 years ago
I'm sympathetic to your decorating challenges Bobby, as I too tried my hand at making and decorating gingerbread and sugar cookies for the first time. And you are sooo right about the amount of work they take.
I was discouraged right out of the gate with my "unsteady" outlines, but went online seeking any videos showing me an easier method and decided that by making my own small parchment bags I was able to control the tips better. And to thin the royal icing more than called for. I also used professional dyes rather than food coloring...the array of colors to choose from made it much more fun for me. I colored some of my own sugars by putting them in the processor and whizzing them around.
I started truly having fun with decorating the penguin cookies...the gingerbread men, snowflakes and stars not so much :)
And you're right about the stinkin' mess! LOL. Did you bake cookies one day and decorate another? If not, well you'd best get back in that kitchen and start cleaning....what do your floors look like? Mine had smushed dough all over LOL!
loagiehoagie
17 years ago
Oh nooooooooo.....it's Mr.Bill! LOL!

Seriously, they look great and you have more talent than you give yourself credit for.

Duane
shaun
17 years ago
Oh Bobby I think they're all so handsome!

I took a cake decorating class and learned that I hate decorating cakes. Too much clean up for me too.

Anyway I've never made a gingerbread man cookie before. Probably because I hate gingerbread! hahahaha!

But they are really very cute, I think you did a great job!
Lars
17 years ago
The recipe you used looks fine, except that I would use freshly grated ginger instead of dried - it makes a huge difference in the flavor. I generally use twice as much fresh ginger as dried, since much of the volume is liquid. I always use fresh ginger in baking instead of dried, and it especially makes a difference in pumpkin pie. I put a little cayenne in my gingerbread, using a recipe similar to ginger snaps. I would omit the vanilla.

I saw a gingerbread lady on TV this morning (CBS Morning News), and she also had a gingerbread man with a frown, although I don't remember her reason.

Your men all look very cute! BTW, I LOVE gingerbread.

Lars
artsyshell
17 years ago
I think you did a great job of decorating your little gingerbread men! But I do agree with you, decorating is alot of work.

Shelley
coconut_nj
17 years ago
I too think they look really cute. Decorating does make quite a mess and if you don't like getting messy it can be really aggravating. lol. I love the little frown guy, but I don't think he's frowning because of his color, I think he's frowning cuz his neighbor doesn't have a face..smiles. You did a great job. Just wait about five or ten years and you'll be ready to do it again. Hmm.. but if you don't finish cleaning for four years, you might have to wait a bit longer before you feel like tackling them again.
Cloud Swift
17 years ago
Bobby, they are very cute.

To get bright colors, the paste food colors work better. The liquid food colors aren't as concentrated. Or some people use dry colors. The paste ones are available at Michael's.

Steadiness comes with practice but a little wiggle just adds to the home made charm. I like the bow tie guy especially.
mitchdesj
17 years ago
I was going to post about the coloring paste also, the colors are deep; you swirl a toothpick in it to get just a bit.

Your guys look good, I must say.
homesforsale
17 years ago
They look perfect to me!

I have my little cutters..I am making some this week..Too cute.
shellm
17 years ago
Bobby those are fantastic,I would love some.Great job, Keep up the good work.I cant imagine the time and effort you put in to them.You should be very happy w/the results.

Shelley
jessyf
17 years ago
LOL Duane I spotted Mr. Bill too.

Bobby, ya done good. I'm tearing up right now at your efforts. You can decorate my cookie anytime you want heh heh.

Next batch please make some with rainbows and boas. Heck make them international.

Enjoy your work, keep it up!
dedtired
17 years ago
I thought of Mr. Bill, too! Bobby, maybe you are too young to remember him, although he's been making a comeback..
Your guys are a great looking bunch. That's a lot of work.
maggie2094
17 years ago
You dud good! They look great! Maybe the sad one knows his fate...:(
User
17 years ago
Wow Bobby, I'm so impressed. You did an amazing job. Can't believe that was your first time.

Ann
Marigene
17 years ago
Wow, I'm impressed...great job, Bobby.
lakeguy35
17 years ago
LOL Duane....the good ole days of SNL!

Bobby, I've yet to make a gingerbread man much less trying to decorate/frost them....and I'm way older than you! LOL You did a bang up job...they look great!!

David
vacuumfreak
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks everyone! I've eaten three of them already... it's hard to eat them though because they were so much work and they are like little people. I feel like a cannibal!

Deborah, I didn't have dough on the floor. I had frosting and flour EVERYWHERE. At one point a blob of frosting dropped on the floor, I stepped in it and almost slipped in it, then tracked it on the carpet. I ran one dishwasher load before work and am just about to start another... Also cleaned the floor and counters before work because I didn't want to attract ants. You can bet it will be a long time before I make these suckers again!

I didn't know who Mr. Bill was! I had to do a google image search to find out. I guess some of them do resemble him!

my first attempt at gingerbread men!

Comments (21)

Tracey_OH

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vacuumfreak
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my first attempt at gingerbread men!

Comments (21)

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