Back by popular demand...

          I used to make these little Gingerbread Boys with Chocolate Pants every holiday season; by the hundreds.  The past few years I've taken a break from baking them -- gingerbread boy burn-out.  I continued to make the cookie dough, but in the shape of snowflakes instead, and covered in blue and white powdered sugar icing studded with silver French dragées.
          But this year I decided it was time to resurrect the little boys with chocolate pants.  I have never been a fan of soft, thick gingerbread cookies.  This recipe makes a nice, crisp cookie if the dough is rolled thin.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounce bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter plus additional if necessary
• Cinnamon Red Hots
• Powdered sugar icing -- made by mixing powdered sugar with milk or cream

1.  In a large heavy saucepan, mix together butter, sugar and molasses with the vinegar.  Bring to a boil.  Cool.  Add egg.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger.  Add the salt.  Add dry ingredients to the molasses mixture.  Mix well and chill.  Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness.  Cut out shapes.  Bake at 375˚F for 8 to 12 minutes.
2.  In a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the chocolate chips with the butter.  You want a consistency similar to heavy cream.  Dip cookies into the chocolate and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Drop a "cinnamon red hot" onto the chocolate.  If a face is desired, mix together powdered (confectioners') sugar with a little milk or cream and using a tiny (#2) piping tip, make a face with dots and hair with a squiggle ;-)
 


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Comments

12/15/2012 12:27pm

Lederhosen Gingerbread Boys! :-)

Reply
Eileen
12/15/2012 12:30pm

Yes! Lederhosen ;-)

Reply
12/15/2012 6:51pm

My husband was wearing vanilla pants tonight, and I made him take them off and put chocolate ones on!!!! xo

Reply
Eileen
12/15/2012 8:23pm

Haha ;-)

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Kate
12/16/2012 8:09am

I've got to get back to my habit of stopping in at your blog every morning. Posts keep getting by me. I totally missed the Tomato Tarte Tatin! WoW! It looks great and winter tomatoes can now be off the "B list" and welcomed into our kitchen ;-). This would be a grand appetizer in my world.
So... onto these cute little boys! You are so clever, seriously clever and an artist.. your boys are adorable. I have to send your link (yet another) to my two girls. They will love these, and our daughter in France has yet to bake her gingerbread men.
She may have to bookmark these for next year... their baby girl was due to arrive yesterday! :0

Reply
Olivia Charlton
12/18/2012 5:20am

I will make these tomorrow!

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