gingerbread doll recipe for children

The following is a recipe written specifically for your children who are reading and want to spread their wings in the kitchen. Of course, as their parent only you can judge how much supervision is requried with respect to the operation of a stand alone mixer, a food processor, and the oven.  If you show them how to measure ingredients, they should not have a problem following the rest of the recipe.  Making the gingerbread “clothes” is a pure exercise in creativity, akin to playing with play-dough.   Pull several items out of your pantry (raisins, sprinkles, nuts, left-over Halloween candy, licorice, sprinkles, etc) and see how creative your children can be.

Je vous souhaite un bon appétit !

LM

gingerbread dolls

what you need:

gingerbread cookies

2 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Quatre épices
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into chunks
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup dark muscovado sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup light molasses (Grandma’s original, unsulphured)
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoon buttermilk, shaken

gingerbread clothing

rolled fondant icing
royal icing (see recipe)
food coloring (as needed)
decorative items to your taste and pantry (i.e., cinnamon bits, chopped candied ginger, chocolate chips, sugared flowers, dragées, colored caster sugar, crushed peppermint, candy belts and buttons, crushed cookies, crushed nuts)

how to:

MEASURE

Measure all of your ingredients and have them ready.

 

COMBINE

Use a large piece of parchment paper (or a large bowl) and pour all of the dry ingredients on it (flour, salt, spices, muscovado sugar, and dark brown sugar). Add the orange zest and butter to the dry ingredients.

 

ADD TO MIXER

Lift the parchment paper by grabbing the sides and pour the ingredients into the bowl of a mixer or a food processor (whichever one your parent says you can use).

 

COMBINE

Lock the mixer and turn the mixer on the low speed to mix the ingredients.

 

ADD LIQUIDS

While the mixer is mixing, pour in the liquid ingredients (the molasses, the melted butter and the buttermilk). Make sure to get  all of the liquid ingredients out of container (use a spatula).

DONE MIXING

You are done mixing when the dough comes together and is combined.

SQUARE

Unlock the mixer and remove the dough from the bowl. Form the dough into a large square (or circle). Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 hours.

ROLL AND CUT

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough. Put a little flour on the counter surface and on your rolling pin (or your dough will stick to the counter and your pin). Choose some cookie cutters and place in the dough.  Press down.

CHILL

Put your gingerbread boys/girls on a baking tray and put the tray in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

BAKE

Put the gingerbread girls /boys in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (make sure the oven was preheated). Let them bake for about 5- 7 minutes. Do not leave them in there too long.

COOL

Remove the cookies from the oven and let the gingerbread cool on the baking tray for 2-3 minutes. Remove cookies with a spatula and let them finish cooling on a wire rack.

 

DRESS

Make clothes for the cookies by rolling out fondant with a rolling pin (or you your hands). Make shoes, belts, hats, and sorts of things for your cookies with the decorations and goodies you have.

EAT

Eat some cookies. Share some cookies.