Ingredients ~
4 cups of flour
2 cups Cinnamon
1/2 cup Ground Cloves
1/2 cup Ground Nutmeg
1/2 cup Ground Ginger
1/4 cup salt
1/2 cup Instant Coffee
Approximately 2 cups Hot Water.
Instructions ~
Add flour, cinnamon, cloves, Nutmeg, and Ginger to a large mixing bowl. In a large glass liquid measuring cup add the instant coffee and fill the hot water to the top. Let the coffee dissolve in the water.
Now… I know this isn’t exact, but I go by feel. Start by pouring the dissolved coffee into the dry mixture. Using your hands mix one cup at a time until you get a nice dough ball. You want it to come to a point where you can handle it but it does not stick to your hands and knead it for about a minute.
Move dough over to a pastry cloth with sprinkled cinnamon over it. Roll dough out as if you are making cookies. Or if you are using molds all you have to do is fill them.
You may use what ever cut out you like for what ever season. I usually roll dough out to a quarter inch thick. If you are making gingerbread men I use whole cloves for buttons. If your gingers are small whole peppers work great!
I bake mine on cookie sheets with parchment paper for best results. They slide right off.
Dough that is baked in molds I spray with non stick baking spray for them to release. Rubbing a little extra cinnamon on the molded ones with help the definitions out. See my photos for examples.
Bake in a 350 degree oven. Bake cutouts for approximately 30 minutes. Baking time is going to depend on the thickness of your cutout. Start checking at 20 minutes just to be sure. They are done when they feel hard on top. They will continue to harden as they cool as well.
Baking your molds will take longer but you just have to gauge it on how big and thick they are. I go by if they feel hard on the tops.
Lay your cutouts and molds on a flat surface to cool.
You are done!
Now if you would like to embellish them you may. I like to put scarves and bells on my gingers.
Be sure if you want holes to hang them by you do so before you back them. I use a straw.
In the photos I will show you all the molds I have so you can see what kind to look for.
I bought most of mine on eBay. You can still find new baking molds at household stores as well, but I wanted the antique kind. It’s up to you. You may even have some you already own.
If you have any questions be sure to let me know.
These decorations smell amazing for years! I have made thousands and thousands of these to sell in the past. I receive so many orders that I don’t have any time for anything else in November and December. I run behind every year and it causes me so much stress to get them out in a timely manner. That is why I will share my recipe now. I am retiring myself from making anymore to sell.
Now… if I had a factory… lol!
I kept this recipe secret for a long time. I came up with it by making them one way and developing ways to make them better. They are all natural and after baked become very strong.
The ones made from applesauce and cinnamon become brittle and break easily. That is why I love this recipe.
I hope you enjoy making them. It is a great project to do with children as well!!
Dana ~ 🤎
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