I know , I am a bit late for this post but no worries new year is coming so why not give it a try to cherish our new year celebrations. Anyhow there is no particular time to gobble up your favorite cookies , isn't it☺️. I tried this recipe using my mix and match of ingredients and it turned out definitely superb. This is so easy to prepare and have tendency to fascinate not only kids but elders too. I was always thinking to try this atleast once but after tasting it in a mall at Christmas celebration , I started craving for it. And finally tried and succeeded to , not exactly replicate, but near to the original one. Step wise recipe is given below, hope you will try it and let me know , how it turned out for you😊.
Recipe inspiration: spiceupthecurry
EGGLESS GINGER BREAD MEN COOKIES
Yield: 18-20 cookies
Time: 30 mins ( leaving chilling time)
Ingredients
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup butter/ margarine ,at room temp.
2 tbsp oil
1/3 cup brown sugar or jaggery
1/4 cup molasses or honey or maple syrup or dates syrup
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 pinches baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1/8 tsp nutmeg powder
1/8 tsp clove powder
For icing:
1 tbsp hot milk
1 tsp sugar
3-4 tbsp milk powder
1/4 tsp molten butter/ghee
2-3 drop vanilla essence
Edible colors ( optional)
Method:
First of all take butter/ margarine, oil and brown sugar/ jaggery in a deep bowl and beat till nice fluffy.
Now add molasses/ substitutes and again beat to incorporate all well.
Now in a separate bowl add all dry ingredients together and mix well or sieve together.
Now add flour mix to butter mix in batches and keep mixing. When all flour is mixed , it will look like bread crumbs.
Now using your finger make dough without applying much pressure. Now roll the dough in 1/2 cm thick chapatti.
Cut cookies using cookie cutter. If you find your dough delicate to handle then let it chill for 30 -60 mins in fridge then roll and cut. In this way cut all the cookies by repeatedly rolling , cutting and collecting scraps.
Now place cookies in a baking tray lined with butter paper. Keep all cookies at some distance as they expand a little while baking. Now cover it with cling wrap or plastic sheet to avoid drying, and keep it in fridge for 2-3 hrs or in freezer for 30-40 mins before baking. Now bake it in preheated oven at 180degree C for 8-12 mins. Keep an eye on it after 8 mins , as soon as its edges start to change color,keep it out and cool on a wire rack .
If you like more crunchy cookies then let it bake for little longer as mine are little soft yet crumbly, the perfect texture for ginger bread men cookies. Let it cool completely before icing.
For icing :
Mix sugar in milk and stir till dissolve. Now add essence,butter/ ghee and stir. Now add milk powder little by little and stir to mix properly and without lumps. Use as much milk powder as needed to form a smooth batter that can be piped easily, neither too runny nor too thick .
Add desired color and mix well ( I skipped). Now fill the icing in icing bag and with thinner nozzle make designs of your choice.
Let it dry for atleast 1/2 - 1 hr, then store in an airtight container.
Your yummy kids friendly cute ginger bread men cookies are ready to serve.
You can use any substitute mentioned in recipe but then it may make a difference in taste, but be sure in every way it will taste great. I used jaggery and dates syrup in my recipe.
If you don't like spices , then substitute it by cocoa powder to get chocolate flavored ginger bread men cookies. As small kids generally don't like spicy flavours in their cakes and cookies, like my younger one😐.
Though these cookies are Christmas special delicacy but you can make and enjoy these any time and at any occasion specially at kids birthday party, as kids love to relish on these beauties any time.
Hope you all will give it a try and definitely love it. Please pour your valuable comments and suggestions here, they meant a lot.
Happy cooking....
