Mix cinnamon (I bought a big jar of it at a local dollar store) with a little applesauce, (using your judgement and adding it slowly) mixing with my hands until it's the consistency of pie crust. Too wet, add more cinnamon.
Sprinkle some cinnamon on a board and roll out the dough on it about 1/4 inch thick, cutting it with your cookie cutters. I use two sizes of straws to cut holes (as shown) one hole to hang the finished gingerbread man and one for eyes and buttons and punch them out.
Then you can let them air dry on a cookie tin by a wood stove, in an oven set at low or in a dehydrator. Times vary according to method used, of course.
Check that they are dry by looking at the back of them in the torso. The back should all look the same color and not darker indicating moisture.
Once they are totally dry, just use your ribbons, sequins, or buttons and decorate anyway you would like! I keep my very simple (see photo) since I like a "homey" look. I placed mine in little snack bags and tied them closed with ribbon to preserve the scent until opened, but the scent lasts quite long since they are made entirely of cinnamon!
Folks love them on gifts, on trees, etc. since they smell great, too. I end up hanging some all around the house and car as a scented decoration as well! They would make great craft projects for fundraisers too.
NOTE: They are not edible though, so make sure your recipients know that!
Total Time: 10 minutes, extra time to dry accordng to method of choice
Yield: You mix the combinations and can make one or dozens!
Supplies:
Just plugged in some amounts, but the choice of how much you use is up to how much you want to make! You can make one or many!
Steps:
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have received the MOST adorable gingerbread men cookies with them in various Yoga Poses. I DO NOT want to eat them. I would LOVE to preserve them. Anyone have ideas as to how this may be done?
Buy a clear laquer spray and coat both sides and they should last you a long long time!
Good Luck on these. I'd think a couple coats of shellac would do the trick. But just remember to store them in a container so children might be tempted to eat them, when not in use or decorating. Also, the shellac will not keep critters from eating them.
The best way to preserve gingerbread cookies or houses is in a cardboard container. NO plastic. Seal it well so critters don't get at it and store in a cool place, like the basement. They will look all right each year but won't taste very good. In about five years they will fall apart but that's okay, just make more!
My kids and I have already begun thinking Christmas. We started making Gingerbread Cookies. (Not the real kind).
I went to the craft store and bought a roll of cork. The kind that you would use to cover a door to make into a corkboard. I dug out the gingerbread cookie cutter and traced several gingerbread figures on the corks.
that is such a kewl idea....thanx for sharing it with us :0)
Couldn't the old or new mouse pads be used in this way?
This page is about making felt gingerbread man ornaments. These simple Christmas decorations can be created with the kids in your life.
