Gingerbread People

5Dec2025
 

Welcome, December! Christmas is just around the corner, and many are busy preparing festive meals, baking treats, and buying gifts for loved ones. This year, I’ve decided to do something different. Instead of purchasing presents, I’ve baked gingerbread people to share with the children.

But what is Christmas really about? Is it only the tree, or Santa Claus? No—Christmas is about Jesus, the greatest gift God has given to everyone. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

He is the Word made flesh, who came to live among His people. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

In Him alone we find true peace.

Without Jesus, there would be no Christmas. A Christmas without Him is not Christmas at all. 

So, how do you plan to celebrate this season? As for me, I’ll be baking and sharing with others, hoping this small gesture brings joy to their hearts and a smile to their faces.

This is how I make my gingerbread people....

Ingredients:
130g butter

450g plain flour

2 tsp ground ginger powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

50g golden syrup

115g dark brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

To decorate
currants 

glace cherries

85g icing sugar

3-4 tsp water

 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Prepare the dry ingredients: Sift together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and bicarbonate of soda.

3.Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, syrup, and sugar. Mix well with a spoon until smooth. Add the egg and blend thoroughly. (Original recipe: place butter, syrup and sugar in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted. pour into dry ingredients then add egg

4. Combine: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms.

5. Roll and shape: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 3 mm thick. Use cutters to stamp out gingerbread people shapes. Place them on the prepared tray. Gather the trimmings, re-knead, and re-roll to cut out more shapes until all the dough is used.

6. Decorate (optional): Add currants for eyes and small pieces of cherry for mouths.

7. Bake: Place in the oven for 15–20 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned.

8. Cool: Remove from the oven and leave on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. Icing decoration: Mix icing sugar with a little water to form a thick paste. Spoon into a small Ziplock bag, snip a tiny hole in one corner, and pipe buttons or clothing details onto the cooled biscuits.

This is after baking 

Decorated 

I’d love to know which country you’re reading this from. And if you found this post helpful, please leave me a note—it truly encourages me to keep sharing more in the future.

Dried Shrimp Cookies

2Feb2019

Finally today I baked something savory which i had wanted to bake several years ago😁. It tastes very yummy yummy..成功!

As i was putting them into container, there were another 2 hands (husband and daughter's hands) taking and packing into their stomach.. Both daughter and husband said "once started can't stop..." "will finish before CNY" . It left half the quantity one hour after baking. I am delighted. Finishing fast😁. This really crunchy and taste very good. Can't stop eating...

Read a recipe "dried shrimp cookies" in dailydelicious.blog several years ago. Since then had wanted to bake this cookies as I also like savory stuffs😁

I have made some modification on the ingredients. I have replaced some plain flour with top flour just to finish the stock that I have. I have also increased the amount of flour to make it possible to roll by hands rather piping. 

Though i had reduced the sugar and replaced with icing sugar, still I find it is too sweet for my taste. Next time I will increase the salt and reduce sugar by further 10g.

The original recipe owner has caution that if the dried shrimps that you are using is very salty, then will have reduce or omit salt. For mine dried shrimps was not so salty so I need to add more salt. I have a preference of saltier taste and less sweet stuff. So, i will reduce sweetness and add more salt. 

Ingredients ( 85pcs)

75g dried shrimp

165 plain flour (I used top flour)

45 plain flour (extra flour added)

75g  sugar (I used 70g icing , will reduce to 60g)

115g unsalted butter (I used 125g)

1/2 tsp of vanilla

1 egg

A dash of salt(will increase to 1 tsp salt next time)

A dash of pepper(not in orig recipe)

Oven Temp 170°c with fan, or 180°c without fan

Method:

1.Place flour and shrimp in food processor and blend them till fine.

2.Add butter and sugar and vanilla and salt blend them well.

3.Remove into a large bowl. Add egg and combine them well.

4.Roll them into small balls and use a fork to press in it to make pattern.

5.Bake in pre heat oven with fan function 170°c for 12-15min or 180°c without fan for 12-15min

Happy Baking.