Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Inexpensive DIY Holiday Gifts + recipe

Making our Molasses-free Gingerbread (We made 3 batches and it made enough for about 20 Tins/Baskets) 

RECIPE; 

 Cookies;
  • 1 c. Butter/Magerine 
  • 3/4 c. Brown Sugar 
  • 3/4 c. White Sugar 
  • 1 egg 
  • 2 1/2 c. Flour 
  • 2 tsp. Baking Soda 
  • 2 tsp. Cinnamon 
  • 2tsp. Ginger
  • 1 tsp Clove & 1/2 tsp Nutmeg (I Substituted both for 1 1/2 tsp Allspice) 
~Cream Together Sugars and Butter/Margarine
~Beat in Egg 
~In Separate Bowl, Combine  all remaining ingredients including spices  
~ Combine two bowls, mix evenly and pat into ball 
~flatten slightly and chill (3 hours in refrigerator or overnight)
~Preheat oven to 375
~roll out to 1/8 of an inch and cut out with cookie cutters (or roll into og and slice into 1/8 inch circles) 
~bake for 6-12 mins on lightly greased baking sheet


Faux (Marshmallow) Royal Icing
  •  2 cups powdered / confectioners  sugar
  • 1 tbs Corn Syrup 
  • 2 1/2 tbs Hot water 
  • 1 tsp Vanilla 
  • 2 C Mini Marshmallows (Melted)


~Mix first 4 ingredients until smooth.  
~ Melt marshmallows (until they puff up) in the microwave (15-30 seconds) 
~ Combine and blend on High for 2 min.s - Until smooth 
**Icing can be refrigerated - add a few drops of hot water and blend again if necessary **



Our Materials, Decorating, and our baskets full o' goodies


 Beautiful once wrapped, This was 
Big T's Christmas gift to his Teacher

These gifts are perfect for unexpected guests, people you don't know well enough for personal gifts and people such as Doctors, Teachers, Mailman, Bosses etc.

9 comments:

  1. Those look fantastic! I loved the way you wrapped them up in the basket. I'm sure whoever receives these will love them :)

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  2. thanks for the follow, following you back!

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  3. OK, Krystal, I'll try these, BUT I have NEVER been successful with cut-out cookies! The cookie never comes off the floured surface without tearing. But I really want to make them successfully sometime!!!

    Thanks so much for joining Flock Together this week and following Mom’s Best Nest . I am now your happy follower and look forward to reading your posts.

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  4. Love this post! I am thinking of using the ideas for Valentine's day gifts for my kids' teachers. Thanks for sharing and thanks for visiting Three Boys and an Old Lady blog.

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  5. Thanks Vanessa and Thanks for the follow Kathryn
    Mikki, I gotta admit, these were SUPER sticky ... I'd say you can add a bit more flour (after you get it to the chilled ball state) so the dough is a bit more thick ... you could also just roll out a log and cut the slices? (Maybe make Happy Faces?)
    Thanks for the follow back Three boys :)

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  6. OH! mikki! Another think you can do is try rolling out the dough on the pan before cutting out! :)

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  7. Cute gifts! The cookies sound super yummy. ^.^

    -:¦:- WW: Myrtle Beach Skywheel -:¦:-

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  8. Hi Krystyl, I'm your newest follower. I found you on Homemaker on a Dimes, Creative Bloggers Party and Hop. Those pictures you posted of cutting out cookies reminds me of a couple days ago my 4 yr old daughter and I made sugar cut out cookies and it was a disaster, they looked terrible but they still tasted great and she had a blast being able to do it herself.
    Happy Holidays.
    Michelle

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  9. Looks yummy! Thanks for following! I am now a follower of you and hope to link up tomorrow! Happy New year!

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