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Hey everybody. It's been quite awhile since I asked for any suggestions on gingerbread men and as the holidays get closer here I thought I should probably summarize. There were some people who suggested places to call and order some and unfortunately those got deleted since at the time I was looking for something we could make at home. Here are the do it yourself ideas...

Recipe #1
Ginger Bread Men 

1/2 C Shortening 
2 1/2 C GF Flour ( I used Bette Hagman Four FLour Blend) 
1/2 C sugar 
1/2 C dark molasses 
1 egg 
1 TB vinegar 
1 tsp baking powder 
1 tsp ground ginger 
1/2 tsp baking soda 
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
1/2 tsp ground cloves 
1/2 tsp xantham gum 

In mixing bowl, beat shortening with mixer on med for 30 seconds. Add about 
half of the called for flour, all sugar, molasses, egg, vinegar, b.powder, 
ginger, b. soda, cinnamon, and cloves.  Beat till combined.  Add in 
remaining GF flour and add xantham gum. Beat till combined.  COVER and 
CHILL for 2-3 hours or till easy to handle.  (we let ours chill overnight) 

Once chilled divide the dough in half to work with, leaving remainder in 
refrig. Lightly flour work surface with GF flour, and roll dough to 1/8 
inch in thickness. (anything too thin will overcook and be too crisp). Use 
desired cut-outs. Place 1 inch apart on lightly GREASED cookie sheet.  Bake 
at 190 C (375 F) for 6-8 minutes, or till edges are lightly brown.  Let cool 
on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to wire rack to cool. 



Recipe #2
My 2 year old son liked these and they taste like gingerbread.  The   
recipe is from Incredible Edible Gluten Free Food for Kids cookbook.    
We did cut them about a 1/4 inch thick and they were not crumbly or   
break able. 

3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) margarine or butter 
1/4 cup molasses 
1 cup brown sugar 
1 egg 
1 tablespoon rice or apple cider vinegar 
1 teaspoon xanthan gum 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1 teaspoon ground ginger 
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 1/2 cup brown rice flour 
1 cup tapioca flour 
1 cup potato starch flour 
sugar to sprinkle on top (optional) 

1. In bowl, mix margarine, molasses, brown sugar, egg, & vinegar 
2. Add xanthan gum, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, & baking powder.    
Beat to combine.  Add the flours 1/2 cup at a time, beating after   
each addition. 
3. Cool dough in the refrigerator for one to three hours or until   
easy to handle.  Divide chilled dough in half. 
4. On a lightly rice-floured surface, roll half of the dough to 1/4   
inch thick.  Cut into desired shapes.  Place one inch apart on a   
lightly oiled cookie sheet or parchment covered sheet.  Sprinkle with   
sugar & decorated if desired. 
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 mintues. Immediately remove cookies   
to a cooling rack to prevent them from breaking. 
6. If desired, decorate with powdered sugar icing or decorative   
gluten free candies. 



Recipe #3 (This was the one we used - it worked great!)
This recipe comes from the book Special Diets For Special Kids by Dr. Lisa 
Lewis.  It is a simple, never fail, Delicious recipe that has become a 
family favorite.  The batches are small and only make about 6-8 4' 
gingerbread men but mmmmmmmmm delicious.  I use this recipe all year long 
and just use different cookies cutters and colored icing for the different 
holidays. Anyway here is the recipe: 

    Gingerbread Men 
   2/3 cup brown rice flour 
   1/3 cup sweet rice flour 
   1/3 cup tapioca starch 
   1 TBL Cinnamon 
   1 tsp. Ginger 
   2 tsp. Xanthan gum 
   1 tsp. Baking soda 
   1/2 tsp. salt 
   1/4 cup Sugar 
   1/4 cup Oil 
   1/4 cup Molasses 
   2 Tbl Water 

Combine dry ingredients in a bowland then add the oil, molasses and water. 

Mix well adding more tapioca startch or water as needed to make a soft dough 
that can be kneaded. 
Knead dough until soft and pliable (1 or 2 minutes usually is all I need). 

Roll out on a tapioca floured board to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut out with 
gingerbread people cutters, dipping cutters into tapioca startch after each 
use. 

Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven on ungreased cookie sheet for 10-14 
minutes. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes then place on a wire rack to cool. 

Personally I use parchment paper on my cookie sheets and freezer wrap shiny 
side down to cool the cookies. 

Every year my children invite a few friends over to make Christmas cookies. 
By popular demand all we have done the past two years is the ginger bread 
men. 



Recipe #4 (Frosting too)
GINGERBREAD
Cutout Cookies
**************
1 1/2 c dark molasses
1 c packed brown sugar
2/3 c cold water
1/3 c shortening ( I used golden crisco)
7 c Bette Hagman GF flour mix (rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch)
5 tsp. Xantham gum
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
  Decorators Frosting
 
Mix molasses, brown sugar, water and shortening.  I put these in the bowl
and turned on the mixer while I mixed the rest of the ingredients.  Mix in
remaining ingredients except frosting.  Cover and refridgerate at least 2 hours.
 
Heat oven to 350. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on floured board (I used sweet
rice flour).  Cut with floured gingerbread or any cookie cutters.  Place
about 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake until no
indentation remains when touched, 10 to 12 minutes.  I was finding I was
taking them out at about 9 minutes.  Cool.  Frost or decorate with frosting.
Makes about 2 1/2 dz. 2 1/2 inch cookies.
 
Regular Cookies
***************
Decrease flour to 6 cups.  Roll dough 1/2 inch thick.  Bake about 15 minutes.
 

DECORATORS FROSTING
*******************
 
2 c powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp water
 
Mix adding 2 tbsp water and the third one as needed.  Should easily go into
decorators tube or hold shape.
 
I just split it 6 ways into little cups and colored them.  Put a butter
knife with each bowl and let the kids go to it.  We ended up with some very
colorful rainbow gingerbread men, santas, angels, trees, reindeer, etc. and
they had fun.

 




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