I love the smell of gingerbread! To me they smell and taste just like Christmas, giving off all sorts of warm and cozy vibes. I imagine they are perfect when paired with a mug of steaming hot cocoa (perhaps not so perfect for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere at this time of year but there’s nothing stopping us from indulging at other times!). I am a firm believer that anything that adds to the festive season gets a big tick; so this year, when I decided to make my annual Gingerbread Cookie recipe, I thought it was appropriate to turn them from Gingerbread Men into Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies. I also tend to think anything with the word cookie added to it sounds (and tastes) even better, don’t you?!? 
These Gingerbread Cookies are soft and chewy without being crumbly. And, come Christmas time they are a family favorite with everyone hanging out for them. I’m sure Steve is going to appreciate having cookies looking like reindeer for lunch this week 😀 The mix of Chelsea Golden Syrup and Chelsea Brown Sugar helps to balance out the ginger, which is important when you have kiddies.
Of course you don’t have to make your Gingerbread Cookies into Reindeer; you could totally use this recipe to make good ol’ Gingerbread Men (that’s what Sebastian did!). It’s the perfect all-year-round Gingerbread recipe and, as far decorating goes, the options are endless… You could decorate as I have done here with melted chocolate and lollies; decorate prior to cooking using M&M’s or chocolate drops (they hold their shape better); and / or ice and decorate once cool.
Pssst… Want to WIN a $50 Chelsea Prize Pack to get your 2017 baking started? Keep going, enter at the bottom of this post!
- 2 1/2cups Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1Tbsp Ground Ginger
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Chelsea Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Chelsea Golden Syrup
- 150 grams Butter, softened
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line baking trays with baking paper
- Cream butter and Chelsea Brown Sugar until light, fluffy and pale in colour
- Add Chelsea Golden Syrup and egg. Beat until mixed well.
- Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger together in bowl and stir. If necessary add a little more flour if mixture is too sticky. Roll into a ball and wrap in cling wrap before refrigerating for at least 30 minutes
- Roll out on lightly floured surface or between two sheets of baking paper (less mess) until 5 mm thick. Use gingerbread men cookie cutters to cut out shapes, place on lined baking trays. Ball and reroll leftover dough until all used up
- Bake for 8 - 10 minutes until cooked and golden. Remove and cool on a wire rack
- Once cooled flip upside down so they are standing on their heads and decorate with melted chocolate and lollies to look like reindeer
Your children will love getting in the kitchen and helping you whip up these Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies, and while it’s challenging fun, the look on their faces when they have made something to share is just priceless. Now, there is absolutely nothing to say that you have to have children to make Gingerbread Cookies, just embrace your inner child and creative side. Go on, you know you want too!
Personally, I think baking is the perfect pre-Christmas activity, it certainly puts me in a feel good mood – I mean who doesn’t like eating and receiving deliciously baked goods or treats? And thanks to Chelsea Sugar they have a range of sugars and syrups for every occasion. Why not check out their website for inspiration and recipes?!?
What do you reckon? Do you think these Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies are something you would make this festive season? If you do, I’d love to see them, so share your creations using #chelseasugar!
**Giveaway now CLOSED** Thanks, to the lovely team at Chelsea Sugar I have a $50 Prize Pack to give away, just in time for Christmas! To enter, simply comment with your ‘go-to Christmas recipe’. Pop on over to this post to like and comment for an extra entry or two or three. Don’t forget to like on Facebook too!
Giveaway closes Monday 19th December, at 8pm NZT. Winner announced Monday night. Terms and Conditions available here. Open to New Zealand residents only.
I make malt balls with cranberrys. Malt biscuits , butter, condensed milk , golden syrup and roll in coconut. Yum
Yum, must try these! Kids would love to make this!
I’m desperate to try and make my own gingerbread! This just kicked me into gear!
Of all the things I make for Christmas, the most popular one in our household has to be the ginger biccies, using a recipe I’ve been making since I was about 10 years old. Crispy on the edges, chewy in the middle, just the right amount of gingeriness. Perfect!
I’ve been using the Chelsea gongerbreadmen recipe the last few years.y other new go to us sugar cookies from the Martha Stewart website…so yum!!! They’re great as gifts, and Santa may get left a few cookies to munch on, too!
my go to recipe is my gingerale christmas cake make them for everyone sometimes cut a big one into smaller ones and ice them like presents for my kids to give away to teachers in the past.
Ahhh! SO creative. However, I would not feel guilty eating these cute little guys – ha! I wonder if Vegans (if they made the recipe vegan) still wouldn’t eat them because they are deers? 😉
white christmas slice
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup rice bubbles
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup mixed dried fruit
250g copha,(kremelta) (Ive used coconut oil) melted and cooled off
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the melted copha and vanilla and mix in.
Pour into a slice tin or baking tray lined with baking paper and press the mixture evenly into the tray.
Chill in the refrigerator till set and firm, about 2 hours.
Cut into squares to serve.
My favorite Christmas recipe is my great-great-grandma’s rum truffles!
I love love love rum truffles
Strawberry Ambrosia is my go to dessert covered in Cadbury Flake for Christmas along with a fresh vanilla creamed pav with boysenberries for the cuppas some home made shortbread.
Aww these are adorable! What a great way to repurpose gingerbread men cookie cutters. Thanks for sharing this idea with the Wednesday Showcase this week.
I use the Chelsea heart biscuit recipe, adapted for Christmas shapes, such a fail proof recipe. We madea dinosaurs in Santa hats (I have pictures) at the request of Miss 4! These are long gone and practice definitely needed! Hoping to attempt a gingerbread house, love the reindeer idea.
My kids would love to make these our go to Christmas recipe is Chocolate Chip cookies shaped in a star <3
Yummy! I have actually never made Gingerbread before. My kids would love these. As far as my go-to baking at Christmas, it usually consists of Christmas Tree Brownies, super easy to make or Christmas ‘puddings’ made with mallowpuffs and decorated with icing, mint leaves and red pebbles. Ha ha. I think my boys would really enjoy making these gingerbread reindeer.
My go to Christmas recipe for gifting is my 3 ingredient FruitCake. I make them in Texas muffin tins, and wrap 3 in a stack in cellophane. These make awesome gifts for neighbours and couriers/posties etc