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Gingerbread House Icing Recipe

A fluffy gingerbread house icing that works as the “glue” to keep the house together! This is our go-to recipe and it works perfectly every time. It’s soft and easy to pipe, but strong and holds so well. This icing is also great for m…

A fluffy gingerbread house icing that works as the “glue” to keep the house together! This is our go-to recipe and it works perfectly every time. It’s soft and easy to pipe, but strong and holds so well. This icing is also great for making a graham cracker gingerbread house and adding decorations to a […]

The post Gingerbread House Icing Recipe appeared first on Sugar and Charm.


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Gingerbread Martini

The Gingerbread Martini is a creamy and spiced holiday drink! It’s the ideal festive Christmas cocktail for parties. Need a…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

The Gingerbread Martini is a creamy and spiced holiday drink! It’s the ideal festive Christmas cocktail for parties.

Gingerbread Martini

Need a festive Christmas cocktail? Try this Gingerbread Martini! This creamy cocktail is absolutely irresistible: just sweet enough and packed with cozy cinnamon, allspice and ginger. It tastes like a gingerbread cookie, but even better: with a little intrigue on the finish. It’s only 3 ingredients and the perfect festive cocktail for holiday entertaining. Here’s how to make it!

What’s in a Gingerbread Martini?

The Gingerbread Martini is an festive spin on the flavored vodka martini. It’s infused with big flavor from one homemade ingredient: Gingerbread Syrup! It’s an ideal Christmas cocktail or holiday drink anytime in December. You’ll need just three ingredients for this Gingerbread Martini recipe:

  • Vodka
  • Half and half (or heavy cream)
  • Gingerbread syrup

These three simple ingredients make magic in the glass: mostly because of the heavily spiced syrup! But it’s easy to make at home: here’s how!

Making homemade gingerbread syrup (and a substitute)

This Gingerbread Martini has the best cozy flavor because of the homemade gingerbread syrup! It’s a brown sugar syrup infused with fresh ginger, allspice berries, and cinnamon sticks. All you do is simmer the ingredients for 20 minutes. Give it a taste, and the flavor pops with an intensely spiced kick!

  • Homemade gingerbread syrup has the best flavor here! It takes just 20 minutes and we highly recommend it. Go to Gingerbread Syrup.
  • Purchased gingerbread syrup also works, but every brand has a different flavor and sweetness. Here’s a link to buy gingerbread syrup online.
Gingerbread Martini

Rimming the glass: a few options!

The most fun part of a signature martini? The glass rim! Aside from a festive look, they also add a hint of flavor and texture to the beginning of each sip. For this Gingerbread Martini we decided to rim the glass in festive sprinkles, which almost make it look like a wreath! Here are a few options for the glass rim:

  • Festive sprinkles: we used a mix of red and green Christmas sprinkles
  • Brown sugar: looks beautiful with a lovely golden brown color
  • Crushed graham crackers or gingerbread cookies: For these you’ll need a heavier bonder than water to get them to stick to the glass. Pour a bit of gingerbread syrup on a plate and dip the glass rim in that, then into a plate of finely crushed cookies.

Gingerbread martinis for a crowd

Are you making this Gingerbread Martini for a party? You’re in luck! You can make up to 4 martinis at once in a cocktail shaker. Simply prep all the glasses first, then shake up 4 drinks at a time. It works like a charm (no need to shake them each individually).

Gingerbread Syrup

Make it dairy free or vegan

Want to make this Gingerbread Martini dairy free? Substitute full-fat coconut milk for the heavy cream! The coconut fat stands in beautifully for the dairy fat. It does lend a coconut flavor, but it’s not overwhelming.

And that’s it! Let us know what you think of this Gingerbread Martini in the comments below.

More festive Christmas cocktails

This Gingerbread Martini is one of our favorite Christmas cocktails for the holiday season! Here are a few more that work well as signature holiday drinks:

Print
Gingerbread Martini

Gingerbread Martini


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 drink
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

The Gingerbread Martini is a creamy and spiced holiday drink! It’s the ideal festive Christmas cocktail for parties.


Ingredients

  • 1 ounce* Gingerbread Syrup (homemade or purchased)
  • 1 ½ ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce half and half (or heavy cream or coconut milk, for vegan)
  • Sprinkles or brown sugar, for the rim (optional)**

Instructions

  1. Make the syrup: Make the Homemade Gingerbread Syrup in advance (or use purchased syrup).
  2. Prepare the rim: Place the sprinkles or sugar on a plate. Wet the rim of the glass, then roll the rim in the sprinkles or sugar until evenly coated.
  3. Shake the drink: Place the gingerbread syrup, vodka, and half and half in a cocktail shaker. Add a handful of ice and shake until cold. Strain the drink into the prepared martini glass.

Notes

*To convert to tablespoons, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons. You can make up to 4 martinis at once in a cocktail shaker.

**Or, use crushed graham crackers or gingerbread cookies for the rim (dip the rim in a plate of gingerbread syrup to adhere them).

  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Shaken
  • Cuisine: Cocktails

Keywords: Gingerbread martini

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.


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Trader Joe’s Cookie Mug Hangers, reviewed

Trader Joe's Cookie Mug Hangers, reviewed
The holiday season is all about cookies, and as much as I love other desserts, I’m always looking for new cookie recipes to bake and new cookie treats to try. I couldn’t resist Trader Joe’s Cookie Mug Hangers when I spotted them while out shopping. These adorable gingerbred people are cut to fit …

The post Trader Joe’s Cookie Mug Hangers, reviewed appeared first on Baking Bites.

Trader Joe's Cookie Mug Hangers, reviewed
The holiday season is all about cookies, and as much as I love other desserts, I’m always looking for new cookie recipes to bake and new cookie treats to try. I couldn’t resist Trader Joe’s Cookie Mug Hangers when I spotted them while out shopping. These adorable gingerbred people are cut to fit over the rim of most mugs, accessorizing your coffee, tea or hot cocoa with a sweet and friendly holiday face.

The cookies are sold in a package of 16, which is plenty for most gatherings. That said, you’re probably going to want to keep a box for yourself because these cookies are absolutely delicious. The gingerbread people are very crisp, but very tender. They have a great balance of sweet and spice, with nice punches of cinnamon and mace over a molasses backdrop. The spacers where they are designed to slip over the rim of a mug are generous, so they should fit over all but the chunkiest of handmade mugs. I found that they were particularly delicious with hot cococa topped with whipped cream or marshmallows, but I also enjoyed them with plain black coffee in the mornings. I’m not exaggerating when I say that their smiling faces were a fun holiday pick-me-up with my morning coffee!

In short, these are excellent cookies that look great and taste even better. This isn’t always the case with gingerbread people – nor with cookies that have a decorative purpose. I’ll be stocking up on a few extra boxes to enjoy into January.

The post Trader Joe’s Cookie Mug Hangers, reviewed appeared first on Baking Bites.

Cozy Gingerbread Waffles

Make a batch gingerbread waffles for cozy winter mornings! They’re sweet and spiced, topped with powdered sugar and a drizzle…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

Make a batch gingerbread waffles for cozy winter mornings! They’re sweet and spiced, topped with powdered sugar and a drizzle of syrup.

Gingerbread waffles

Ready for the best winter tradition? Make up a batch of these Gingerbread Waffles! There’s nothing cozier than the smell of ginger and cloves wafting through the kitchen. We’d rather eat our treats as breakfast than in cookie form, so we created this fun recipe which has turned into a December tradition. Slather them in almond butter and top with a little powdered sugar and maple syrup as a deliciously cozy breakfast treat!

Ingredients in gingerbread waffles

These gingerbread waffles are similar to our Perfect Waffle recipe, with a few added ingredients to bring in that gingerbread cookie flavor. They’re just sweet enough: the ideal sweetness for topping with another drizzle of maple syrup. Here’s what you’ll need to bring it all together:

  • All purpose flour and whole wheat flour: Whole wheat flour makes a light and crispy texture, so make sure to grab it at the store
  • Baking powder and baking soda
  • Sugar
  • Spices: ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cloves
  • Molasses: this is the kicker; molasses gives warmth and depth to the gingerbread flavor
  • Butter
  • Milk of choice, either dairy or non-dairy like oat milk or almond milk
  • Eggs
Gingerbread waffles

Belgian waffles vs standard

You can use this gingerbread waffles batter to make either Belgian or standard waffles. Of course, it simply depends on your waffle iron! Our personal preference is Belgian waffles, since they’re thicker and look more impressive. (Here’s the Belgian waffle iron we use.) What’s the difference?

  • Belgian waffles are twice as large as regular waffles. They’re 1.5 inches thick with a deep grid pattern. One serving size is half of a Belgian waffle, since it’s double the size of a standard waffle. When serving, we like to break them apart into wedges.
  • Regular waffles, aka American waffles are about 1/2-inch thick. If you’re making a standard waffle, the serving size is 1 waffle.

Tips on cooking gingerbread waffles

For these gingerbread waffles, we tried a new method for cooking them that makes ruffled edges. We love the look of these: and you can make more waffles in a single batch! This may be our new favorite method moving forward. Here’s how to do it:

  • Ruffled edges: Simply use a little less batter in your waffle iron: about 2/3 cup for a Belgian waffle maker or ⅓ cup for a standard waffle maker.
  • Full circular waffles: Use a heaping 1 cup for a Belgian waffle maker or a heaping ½ cup for a standard waffle marker.

Of course, these quantities depend on the waffle maker: so eyeball it and adjust quantities as necessary.

Gingerbread Waffles

Toppings for gingerbread waffles

One thing we like about these gingerbread waffles? They’re just sweet enough but not overly saccharine. Make sure to add a drizzle of real maple syrup, required to accentuate the sweetness. We like to top them with nut butter to bring some protein to the breakfast and balance out the sweetness. It really makes them stick! Here’s how we recommend serving them, and then a few other ideas:

Gingerbread Waffles

More Christmas breakfast ideas

And that’s it: we hope you love these gingerbread waffles! Here are a few more treats that would work as Christmas breakfast ideas:

This gingerbread waffles recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Print
Gingerbread waffles

Cozy Gingerbread Waffles


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Make a batch gingerbread waffles for cozy winter mornings! They’re sweet and spiced: topped with powdered sugar and a drizzle of syrup.


Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons each ground ginger and cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 1 cup milk of choice
  • 3 eggs
  • Powdered sugar, maple syrup, and almond butter (optional), to serve

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, mix the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and kosher salt until thoroughly combined.
  2. In another bowl, whisk the melted butter, molasses, milk, and eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until the batter is smooth.
  3. Preheat your waffle iron, then grease or butter it. Add the batter to the center of the waffle iron: use about 2/3 cup for pointed edges* or a little over 1 cup for a full waffle in a Belgian waffle maker, or use ⅓ cup or a little over ½ cup for a standard waffle maker.
  4. Cook according to the waffle iron’s instructions until golden brown: about 3 to 4 minutes depending on your waffle iron. Remove the cooked waffles and place them on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet without stacking. Make the waffles to order, or place cooked waffles in a 250°F oven to keep warm.
  5. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup; it’s also great with a slather of almond butter or other nut butter.  Makes 2 to 3 large Belgian waffles (which can you can break into pieces for serving) or 4 to 6 standard waffles.
  6. Storage info: We prefer the flavor of these waffles the day of making, but cooked waffles can be frozen if desired. Place them in a plastic bag and remove the remaining air with a straw before sealing. To reheat, remove from the freezer and lightly toast in a toaster.

Notes

*Using less batter makes a waffle with ruffled edges like the ones you see in the photo. Use more batter to make a full circular waffle. The amounts listed are approximate and depend on the waffle iron.

  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Waffles
  • Cuisine: Waffles

Keywords: Gingerbread waffles

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.


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Double Dark Chocolate Ginger Cookies

Dark chocolate meets spicy gingerbread in this intensely satisfying holiday cookie. Studded with chunks of even more dark chocolate and bits of crystalized ginger that only adds to the appeal. Part chocolate cookie, part brownie, part gingerbread… and entirely delicious. These unique and intensely flavored cookies are sure to be a hit this holiday season! […]

Dark chocolate meets spicy gingerbread in this intensely satisfying holiday cookie. Studded with chunks of even more dark chocolate and bits of crystalized ginger that only adds to the appeal.

Part chocolate cookie, part brownie, part gingerbread… and entirely delicious. These unique and intensely flavored cookies are sure to be a hit this holiday season!

Rows of Double Dark Chocolate Ginger Cookies on a wire rack, with bowls of chopped chocolate and candied ginger.

I’m determined to make chocolate and ginger a more popular holiday combination, because it’s a seriously underrated pairing that deserves all the love.

And much like my gingerbread brownies or chocolate-filled gingerbread thumbprints, these cookies pair the sultry spice of gingerbread with the robust bitterness of dark chocolate, and the results are out of this world.

If you love rich, intensely dark chocolate, and you love extra spicy gingerbread, and you’ve been known to pop pieces of candied ginger straight from the bag… well, these cookies are made for you and you alone.

I realize not everyone loves dark chocolate or ginger as much as I do (my husband included… he has some weird aversion to ginger in desserts, and yet, he still managed to eat more of these cookies than he’s willing to admit), but for those like me, you will gobble these up.

Double Dark Chocolate Ginger Cookies on natural parchment, one cookie broken in half to show gooey interior texture.

The cookie itself comes together more like a brownie than a cookie, starting with melted butter and chocolate that’s then beaten with the sugar and egg until lightened in color.

While the proportions are very similar to other chocolate cookies I’ve made in the past, simply changing the process results in a chewy, ultra-fudgy cookie that somehow combines the best of both brownies and cookies in one delightful package that stays moist and chewy for days (you can thank the molasses for that!)

(more…)


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Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies are the essence of the holidays and are deeply flavored with spices and molasses. Decorate with royal icing and enjoy them for dessert or on your Christmas tree! Continue reading “Gingerbread Cookies” »

Gingerbread Cookies are the essence of the holidays and are deeply flavored with spices and molasses. Decorate with royal icing and enjoy them for dessert or on your Christmas tree!

Continue reading "Gingerbread Cookies" »


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Claudia Fleming’s Stout Gingerbread

I could probably name about a dozen people who could be called baking legends. One of them is Claudia Fleming, who was the pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern, and whose book, The Last Course, became a cookbook classic. Claudia was known for desserts that managed to balance seasonal fruits, as well as chocolate, spices, herbs, grains, and even vegetables, not by using fancy techniques, but…

I could probably name about a dozen people who could be called baking legends. One of them is Claudia Fleming, who was the pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern, and whose book, The Last Course, became a cookbook classic.

Claudia was known for desserts that managed to balance seasonal fruits, as well as chocolate, spices, herbs, grains, and even vegetables, not by using fancy techniques, but by presenting them with contrasting or complementary ingredients. The Last Course is a compilation of some of her best desserts, which came out in 2001. (My copy, above, is a first edition and I’m proud to say I was one of the first people to buy it.) As books do, this one eventually sailed out of print and used copies went for steep prices. I held on to mine, resisting offers to sell it. But I’m happy to report that The Last Course is back in print, and available to all.

Continue Reading Claudia Fleming’s Stout Gingerbread...