Stressed Out Gingerbread Men

More About This Recipe

• These misbehaving gingerbread men will add some laughs to this year's cookie platter! They're crazy silly and maybe even a bit naughty. But they'll be the life of the party! Blogger GourmetMom did these cookies for us a few years back and we loved them so much we just had to update them for this year! I think a long time ago, someone in charge of holiday cheer – probably Santa, or maybe Burl Ives – issued an edict that you must make gingerbread people this time of year. I happily comply for the aroma alone. But there is no law that requires you to make obedient gingerbread people. It only takes chopping off a leg or bending the arms a bit to make these folks a little sillier. A few holes or bite marks and a simple icing expression do the trick! While I take the gingerbread cookie edict to heart, I do balk at the inconvenience of making and decorating gingerbread cookies – what with all the spices and molasses and extracts and oh so many ingredients. I shall never hesitate again, because there is Betty Crocker™ gingerbread cookie mix. I bought three bags of it, and seriously considered buying the whole lot at the store. TIP: To find this limited edition cookie mix near you, check out the Product Locator. Between the cookie mix, the decorating icing and the decors (all found at the supermarket), these are so easy to make, I almost feel like I’m cheating. But these brought me holiday cheer – and fast, at that – so, mission accomplished! I already had the candy eyes on hand, but you can also pipe eyes with white and black decorating icing. Did you know gingerbread people bleed sprinkles? To attach the decors to the severed limbs, pipe a bit of icing on the edges and cover with the sprinkles. The red belly buttons are cinnamon dots.
• Equipment needed: Regular-sized gingerbread boy cookie cutter. For a fun serving idea, place cookies on a fresh piece of parchment paper and write silly captions beside them! Now that's a cookie plate giggle!