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Gingerbread recipes for Christmas

A collection of festive gingerbread recipes for you to enjoy. We’ve got gingerbread people, gingerbread fruit mince tarts, gingerbread houses and even a gingerbread Christmas tree.
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Gingerbread is a classic part of Christmas for many people, whether it’s in the form of a decorated house, cookies or iconic gingerbread men (“people” as we like to call them in our vintage 1976 recipe). Here, we’ve brought together a collection of our most popular gingerbread recipes to make for the festive season, ranging from the very easy to more creative options. There are even a gluten-free mini gingerbread houses you can make to accommodate dietary requirements, and cute gingerbread gift boxes perfect as part of an edible gift!

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Mini gingerbread house
Baking
April 30, 1976

Mini gingerbread house

Use any scraps of pastry to make trees, people or other decorations and bake with walls. Candy canes and lollipops also make good decorations. Note
By Women's Weekly Food
christmas gingerbread biscuits
Quick & Easy
December 31, 2010

Christmas gingerbread biscuits

For bold icing colours, we used powdered food colourings, available from cake decorating shops and some health food stores. Mixing the powder with a small amount of hot water, before stirring into the icing, gives a better result; liquid colourings can be used for pale colours. Note
By Women's Weekly Food
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GINGERBREAD House
Baking
November 30, 1975

Gingerbread house

Gingerbread can be made up to a week ahead, store in an airtight container. The house can be assembled 5 days ahead, keep covered in a cool dry place. In hot humid weather, the toffee should be made on the day of serving. Note
By Women's Weekly Food

What is the significance of gingerbread at Christmas?

Gingerbread has been associated with Christmas for centuries and is made around the world at this time of year (as well as other times of the year). Actual gingerbread houses are thought to have originated in Germany during the 16th century, initially as biscuits shaped into walled houses. This was also around the time that Christmas markets were growing in popularity across Germany (although some date back even further).

In fact, one of the oldest still-running Christmas markets in Nuremberg is famous for its gingerbread. According to the Nürnberg Christkindlesmarkt website:”In Germany, when you think of Christmas, you think of Nuremberg Lebkuchen, the city’s famous gingerbread. These sweet and spicy treats have been baked for more than 600 years and are loved by young and old alike.”

While eating gingerbread at a Christmas market would be a treat, there’s also a lot of joy in making it yourself. If you never have before, here are two of the most popular options to start with.

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  1. Gingerbread cookies: When searching for gingerbread recipes, making cookies is a great place to start, especially when baking with kids. Pick up some fun cookie cutters – people, stars or Christmas trees, for instance – and have some fun with the kids or grandkids in the kitchen.
  2. Gingerbread houses: If you’re keen to take on a gingerbread house recipe yourself, you’ll find a few different versions in this collection. Or pick up a gingerbread house kit and have fun decorating!
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Women's Weekly Food

Trusted by home cooks for 90 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen and cookbooks hold a singular place in shaping home cooking within the Australian culinary landscape. Today, the AWW Test Kitchen in Sydney is a thriving hub for food content, connected to two bustling photographic studios where a talented team of Australia’s best recipe developers, art directors, editors and photographers create our world class food content. Our recipes are thoroughly tested and tasted and given the Test Kitchen tick of approval, guaranteeing you’ll get great results in your home kitchen.

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