It’s holiday time, and you might be ready to fire up your oven for that quintessential staple of Christmas baking: gingerbread men. We’ve got you covered with an enticing take on this holiday classic, but that’s not all. We’ve also got plenty of other options to spice up your gingerbread repertoire (no house assembling required…I mean, unless you really, really want to). So get ready to harness your flour power and dazzle your family with these seven creative twists on classic gingerbread desserts at Christmas.
GINGERBREAD MEN COOKIE
We’ll start with a gingerbread cookie recipe that gives you exactly the nostalgic taste you’re craving, with its classic blend of McCormick spices, including ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. However, don’t let the name fool you…gingerbread “men” is just a suggestion. Your finished masterpieces can be people, dogs, dreidels, or even the challenging gingerbread house if you’re feeling crafty. Let your imagination run wild
GINGERBREAD CAKE
Let them eat cake. Gingerbread cake, that is. We get it. Sometimes you just want to mix, bake and eat — no rolling, cutting, shaping or decorating required. This delightful alternative to the expected gingerbread cookie recipes gives you the same old-fashioned gingerbread flavor, pairing ginger and cinnamon with a full cup of delicious molasses, but only takes 15 minutes of prep time to whip up.
GINGERBREAD MEN PANCAKES
Move aside, cookies. You’ll flip for these gingerbread pancakes, an inventive seasonal treat that lets you surprise your family with a dash of holiday cheer at breakfast. With a short five-minute prep time, you can even stir them up on a school day and watch your kids come clamoring as the spicy aroma wafts through the house. Because why should desserts at Christmas have all the fun?
ALMOND GINGERBREAD COOKIES
Take your gingerbread cookies to the next level with these gourmet gingerbread cookies that are a touch more sophisticated with the crunch of toasted almonds. But don’t worry that will require an extra step. You just need plain ol’ sliced almonds that will toast themselves in the oven while the cookies bake.
WHITE CHOCOLATE KISSED GINGERBREAD COOKIES
Quick, name the top two best flavors out there. Did you say ginger and chocolate? (All hands raised.) Well, hold on to your taste buds because with this recipe we’ve combined them to reinvent a holiday favorite on a couple levels. First, you’ll replace the classic “thumbprint cookies” peanut butter blossom dough with this delectable ginger take. Then you’ll top them with a kiss-shaped candy that features the one-two punch of white and milk chocolate.
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD
Oh wait, you thought the two types of chocolate in the thumbprint cookies above was luscious? We see that delectable duo above and raise it one with this triple-chocolate extravaganza. The rich flavor comes together in a snap when you combine chocolate cake mix, chocolate pudding mix and mini chocolate chips. Then to keep it from being just another ordinary chocolate cake, you’ll mix in a tantalizing blend of ginger, cinnamon, allspice and molasses to make this killer cake everything any dessert lover could want.
GINGERBREAD COOKIE BUTTER
Gingerbread flavor you can spread!? Take a gander at this amazing cookie butter, which takes pureed gingerbread cookies (you can use store-bought cookies; we won’t judge) and spices them up with cinnamon and ginger so you can infuse gingerbread magic into even the most pedestrian of foods, like plain toast or apples, or give brownies or ice cream even more pizazz. That is, of course, if you can wait that long. Eating it by the spoonful is encouraged, especially since it takes mere minutes to whip up another batch.
