- 14 Ingredients
- 6 Method Steps
14 Ingredients
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Melted Devondale Unsalted Butter, to grease
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125g Devondale Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
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100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
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125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
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1 egg, separated
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375g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour
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1 tbsp ground ginger
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1 tsp mixed spice
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1 tsp Coles Bicarbonate Soda
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Plain flour, to dust
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150g (1 cup) pure icing sugar, sifted
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8-10 drops red liquid food colouring
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8-10 drops green liquid food colouring
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Smarties, to decorate
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Select all ingredients
6 Method Steps
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Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush 2 baking trays with melted butter (Melted Devondale Unsalted Butter, to grease) to lightly grease.
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Use an electric beater to beat the butter (125g Devondale Unsalted Butter, at room temperature) and sugar (100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar) in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the golden syrup (125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup) and egg (1 egg, separated) yolk and beat until combined. Stir in the flour (375g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour), ginger (1 tbsp ground ginger), mixed spice (1 tsp mixed spice) and bicarbonate (1 tsp Coles Bicarbonate Soda) of soda. Turn onto a lightly floured (Plain flour, to dust) surface and knead until smooth. Press dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
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Meanwhile, place egg white in a clean, dry bowl. Use an electric beater to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add icing sugar (150g (1 cup) pure icing sugar, sifted) and beat until stiff peaks form. Divide icing among 3 bowls. Cover 1 bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Add red colouring (8-10 drops red liquid food colouring) to 1 bowl and stir until combined. Add green colouring (8-10 drops green liquid food colouring) to remaining bowl and stir until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
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Place the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Use a 9cm gingerbread man cutter to cut out shapes. Place on trays about 3cm apart. Repeat with any excess dough.
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Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven. Transfer to a rack to cool.
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Place prepared icings in small plastic bags. Cut a small hole in a corner of each bag. Pipe icing over gingerbread men to decorate. Finish with Smarties (Smarties, to decorate).
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Recipe Notes
What goes into the best gingerbread cookies or biscuits?
To make the best gingerbread dough for optimal chewy gingerbread cookies or biscuits, we use brown sugar (or dark brown sugar) and golden syrup for a molasses-y depth, and ensure our gingerbread cookie dough is soft and chewy, and chilled before we roll it out with a rolling pin onto the prepared baking sheets. There are few things more delicious than soft gingerbread cookies, and to make these, chilled cookie dough is required. This helps ensure you get the perfect gingerbread men shapes from your cookie cutters.
What's the best thing to use as glue to decorate gingerbread?
While many people use royal icing (made with icing sugar) to stick Smarties and decorative flair on their gingerbread men, our Food Director recommends using melted white chocolate (specifically Nestle) because melted white chocolate dries quickly and sticks well to your gingerbread cookie or biscuit. That makes it perfect for gingerbread houses. or christmas tree gingerbread. Let the lightly golden biccies cool completely on a wire rack before you ice them too. You can use a small piping bag fitted with a nozzle if it makes things easier for you. This really is a simple gingerbread recipe that our community of cooks love (which is why it consistently gets rated 5 stars).
Can you freeze gingerbread men?
Yes! Although gingerbread men are most delicious when they're fresh, you can freeze the baked gingerbread men for a few months in an air-tight container. Or, you can keep the cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for a week, or in the fridge for two weeks. If you'd like to get ahead, you can also freeze the gingerbread dough for up to three months. To freeze gingerbread dough, create small flat discs of dough balls and wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap. Then thaw them at room temperature until they're able to be easily rolled out.
Can I use this gingerbread recipe to make other shapes?
Of course! You can use any cookie cutter, be it Christmas-themed or otherwise, to make gingerbread. Many people wonder how to decorate gingerbread, but when it comes to this fun-filled baking activity, there are no rules. You can use icing or icing pens, sprinkles, lollies and more to dress your gingerbread biscuits.
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