Giant Gingerbread Kids
Giant Gingerbread Kids are festive, spiced cookies perfect for holiday celebrations, featuring warm ginger and molasses flavors, decorated with raisins for a charming, homemade touch.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Beat sugar, shortening, molasses, and water in a large bowl. Beat on low speed until blended.
- Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients except raisins.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Sprinkle a cloth-covered surface lightly with flour; turn dough onto the surface.
- Roll dough with a rolling pin until 1/4-inch thick.
- Cut with a 5 to 8-inch gingerbread cutter.
- Lift with a large spatula onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Decorate with raisins.
- Bake until set, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Let cookies cool for 3 minutes, then remove.
- Cool and decorate with frosting, if desired.
Tips & Substitutions
For a softer gingerbread, reduce the baking time slightly. If you don't have allspice, you can substitute with a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg. To enhance the ginger flavor, consider adding a bit of fresh ginger or using a higher quality ground ginger. Be sure to chill the dough thoroughly; this helps maintain the shape during baking.
Serving Suggestions
These giant gingerbread kids are perfect for holiday gatherings and pair beautifully with Hot Mulled Apple Juice. Serve them alongside a platter of assorted cookies or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a festive dessert. You can also decorate them with various frostings and candies for a fun and interactive treat.
Storage & Reheating
Store any leftover gingerbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you want to keep them fresh longer, consider freezing them. To reheat, simply warm them in the oven for a few minutes at 300°F, which will help maintain their texture.
Nutrition & Diet Analysis (per serving)
Each serving of Giant Gingerbread Kids contains roughly 390 calories, with 3g protein, 26g carbohydrates, and 32g fat. It is a good source of vitamin C (13% of the Daily Value). Note that it is relatively high in sodium, at 608mg per serving (26% of the Daily Value).
Estimated from ingredients & per-serving nutrition — verify against package labels for allergies or strict diets.
* % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA 2020).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the dough a day in advance. After mixing the ingredients, cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate. When you're ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling it out, which makes it easier to handle.
What can I use instead of shortening?
If you prefer to avoid shortening, you can substitute with an equal amount of unsalted butter or coconut oil. This will add a slight flavor difference, but it will still yield delicious gingerbread cookies.
How do I decorate the gingerbread cookies?
You can use royal icing or melted chocolate for decoration. For added fun, use colorful sprinkles, candy eyes, or other edible decorations to bring your gingerbread kids to life. Get creative with designs, and involve kids for a fun baking experience!
Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data and may vary with brand, portion and preparation — see our methodology. This information is for general educational purposes only and is not medical or dietary advice (disclaimer).