These gingerbread Christmas craft decorations make for the best gifts since they can be admired and then eaten!
They’re super easy to make – just start with the classic gingerbread recipe below and cut freestyle to your liking. Use granulated sugar to help keep the buildings in place and sprinkle with icing sugar for a snowy effect.
Gingerbread
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
¾ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar
1 large egg
½ cup molasses or golden syrup
1½ tsp vanilla extract
Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
2–3 tbsp milk
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Decorations
Assortment of sweets
Granulated sugar (for ground snow)
Icing sugar (for final powdery snow effect)
Method
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
In an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or alternately, you can use a hand mixer and a separate large mixing bowl), beat the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg, molasses or syrup and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
Form a ball with the batter, cover with cling film and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. When ready, preheat the oven to 175°C and line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
On a lightly-floured surface, divide the dough into 4 and roll one piece out to approximately 5mm thick. Cut out the facade of the buildings (only one side is needed) according to your building designs. Use a cookie cutter to make perfect trees or to include little gingerbread people.
Bake for 8-10 minutes (at 175°C) until golden and just beginning to brown around the edges. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling trimmings as necessary, until all the dough has been used.
Leave on the trays to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. In the meantime, get your icing ready. When the gingerbread has completely cooled, use the icing sugar as snow on top of each building and allow it to drip down. Also use the icing as glue to stick on the sweets. Note that the icing dries fast so it’s worth knowing what you’re going to do before you begin.
Use the granulated sugar to stick in the gingerbread and create your little scenes! Sprinkle icing sugar over the top to make it look like a powdery snow has just fallen.
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