No Molasses Gingerbread Men

 

      Every holiday season I find myself wanting to make gingerbread men. It is a conundrum because I don't really like the taste of gingerbread. I am not sure what it is but have suspected molasses is the culprit. Call me childish but I think the flavor is too strong. So when I found this recipe for gingerbread men that did not call for molasses, I had to try it. I was very pleased with the result. It is a mild gingerbread cookie with a very kid-friendly taste while still reminding me of Christmas. And I got to decorate cute gingerbread men!

Recipe Source

Ingredients:

1 (3.5 oz) package butterscotch pudding mix

½ C butter

½ C brown sugar

1 egg

1 ½ C flour

½ tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

 

Directions:

 In a medium bowl, cream butterscotch mix, butter, and brown sugar. Stir in the egg. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl; stir into the pudding mixture. Cover and chill until firm (1 hour).

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets. On a floured board, roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness, and cut into desired shape. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies are golden at the edges. Cool on wire racks.

I used regular cake icing in a plastic bag to pipe on the decorations.

Ranch Dressing

 

       Just a warning before you make this: YOU WILL NEVER GO BACK. This is amazing homemade ranch dressing. Don't make it unless you want to never be satisfied with the Hidden Valley stuff again. So yummy! Credit goes to my sister Katie for the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 C. Mayo
1 1/4 C. Buttermilk
1/2 TBS onion powder
1/2 TBS Accent (you can omit if you don't have)
1/2 TBS garlic salt
1/2 TBS pepper
1/2 TBS parsley flakes
1/2 tsp onion salt (note that's 1/2 teaspoon!! Don't put too much in or it will be gross)

Directions:

Mix together and enjoy. You can half the recipe if you don't go through ranch dressing very fast.