Gingerbread and Candy Cane

      Since Christmas is a delicious time of year as well as a cheerful one, I have crafted this classic gingerbread-man nightlight. Gingerbread men are crunchy, sweet, and spicy little treats, but this one looks like too nice of a little guy to eat. However his icing does suggest a frosty flavor and his little red buttons do hint at that familiar hot cinnamon chew. He even holds a candy cane wrapped in a little bow; benevolent little fellow. He smiles at you with his button nose and his snuggly little scarf buttoned up with a hint of mistletoe; sure to make any room look cozy and sentimental of Christmastime. Gingerbread men represent family time and child delight. The taste always brings back memories of the vibrant season of Christmas that sends a warm flavor of cinnamon red and spicy ginger through the cold white winter. Colors can be customized free.

When I asked Ashley to write the description for this page, I was craving gingerbread men by the time I was through reading it! Here's a great spicy gingerbread man recipe to try:

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Red Cinnamon candies

White Icing

Directions

1. With a mixer cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the molasses and egg and continue to mix. Combine in a separate bowl the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Gently blend the dry ingredients into the previous mixture until just mixed. Cover, and chill for at least one hour or overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface or parchment, roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into gingerbread men with cutters. It's fun to use several sizes of cookie cutters. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet and bake around 8 to 10 minutes. Don’t let them brown or they will be too crisp when cool. Cool on a wire rack and decorate with icing and cinnamon candies when no longer warm.