Gingerbread stars to hang on your coffee mug.
Cookie on a mug
Smelling freshly baked gingerbread always puts me in mind of Christmas. In the past I have made a whole gingerbread hamlet. Don’t panic teens I will be making another one this year, just waiting for you to both be in at the same time so you can decorate them!
Having spent last Thursday icing gingerbread tree decorations with a Year 5 class, and very good at icing they were too, I suddenly remembered a project I’ve always wanted to try.
Hanging mug biscuits, or cookies. They seem the ideal candidate for gingerbreading.
I use a BBC Good Food recipe for the basic biscuit, I know it cuts cleanly, bakes to a reasonable crisp and tastes and smells divine. I have since discovered that you can buy cutters specifically designed for these types of cookies. However as I have a big drawer full of cutters, I decided it was just as easy, and a great deal cheaper to use a sharp knife and cut my own nicks.
How to…
Make the gingerbread dough as directed in the recipe above.
Rest the dough for 30 minutes.
Pre heat the oven to 180c
Roll out to a thickness of a pound coin.
Choose a Christmas cutter, stars or Christmas trees are a good choice.
Unbaked gingerbread dough
Place on a sheet of baking parchment on baking sheet and cut out a nick 1.5 cm by 0.5 cm in the base of the biscuit.
Place the biscuits back into the fridge and chill again for another 30 minutes. This helps prevent the biscuits spreading as they bake.
Baked gingerbread cookies cooling
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes and then place on a wire rack until cold.
Mix up a simple water icing and pipe on decorations. Simple is best I feel.
Simply iced hanging gingerbread cookies.
Pop on the kettle, make a mug of coffee and pop a star on the side.
Happy Christmas!
These are so easy to make with children so I’m adding this to the Family Foodies link up this month, it’s theme being Kids Christmas. It is being hosted this month by Eat your veg. and Bangers and Mash
I am also adding this to the December Tea Time Treats round up as this month is Festive Foodie Gifts. Hosted by What Kate Baked for the final time and superbly co hosted as ever by Karen at Lavender and Lovage. A cellophane bag of these in anyone’s Christmas stocking would be a treat.
Going to add these to English Mums Big Christmas bake off too. Find out more about that here.
mintcustard 
Love these. I think I could attempt these but not the fiddly 3D versions!
They are very simple and effective. Lovely to do with children.
That looks so cute, will definitely try it out one of the weekends to come!
These are brilliant! I’ll have to make some as they are less fiddly to make than mini gingerbread houses.
Thank you very much for entering TTT and Happy Christmas!
Another fabulous, fun and festive entry to Family Foodies! Good tip on cooling the dough before baking to prevent too much spreading, didn’t know this but now noted for next gingerbread baking session. Thanks so much for entering, Lou