Slightly less unhealthy gingerbread men decorations - help!

Not sure whether to post here or in the 'seasonal' food section....

I was thinking it would be nice for DS (19 months) and I to make gingerbread men ('people') together. He can help with the mixing, rolling, cutting out, and will help attach the features. He absolutely loves the story and has a couple of gingerbread man pictures in books - every time he sees them we have to say 'run, run, as fast as you can etc' and he has to have a little run through the house! Very cute ;) Anyway, back to the point....

I have found a reasonably low sugar gingerbread recipe that I am happy with DS eating as a special treat, but I was wondering how we could attach the sultanas for their buttons (no Smarties here, lol!) without using icing? I thought about cream cheese or peanut butter, but really wanted something sweet rather than savoury. And I was hoping to pipe on little eyes, noses and mouths. I am almost reconciled that a tiny amount of sugar on each one won't hurt, but if anyone else has any other suggestions, please let me know.

When I was a kid we pressed sultanas or currants into the biscuit mixture before baking. Only the sultanas usually get a big burnt LOL.

What about a good quality jam or honey? I know still sugary but a bit better than icing sugar mix.

Could you maybe make up a mix of cornflour and water that will harden when it dries out? I'm attempting a gingerbread house for Christmas so will be watching this thread (and a few others discussing Christmas baking!) for tips :) Good luck!

I'm not sure of your son's intolerances/allergies, but the stickiest thing i could think of was peanut butter too. I'm not sure about the sugar content in Nutella or the Chocolate Mud spread (with no nuts).
FWIW i tend to think of cream cheese as a sweet spread.

What about blending blueberries or raspberries in natural yogurt to pipe on for decoration? That would solve sticking sultanas on too (which have always made dd go hyper).

What about if you used dried fruit for the faces?? And decorate the gingerbread men before you put them in the oven?
To help stop them from buring turn the oven temp down and watch them for longer. That way you can avoid using anything sweet to glue them on.

All good suggestions ladies. I think I will try some with the dried fruit on before I bake. I would like to pipe a few features on too (you know, sleeves etc) but it needs to be something that will harden so the jams, blended fruit etc are out.

Glamourcide - I was thinking I might experiment with a mix of cornflour and a little icing sugar and see how that goes. It would need to taste ok too, or DS won't eat it!

Lenny - DS doesn't have any intolerances, but I do like to make sure that what he eats isn't full of crap, iykwim. That's why I'm ok with him having a little icing on top as a treat.

My only other thought was melted dark chocolate. I know it's got sugar in it, but it surely can't be as bad as pure sugar (aka icing sugar).

JLeigh, just wondering if you would mind sharing the recipe?? I love gingerbread and DD and I make it at Christmastime but I am trying to minimize our sugar intake.

Only if you don't mind... Ta :)

Of course n2l - it still has sugar in it but not as much as other recipes. And there's golden syrup too. I've never actually made gingerbread men before, so it's an untried recipe.... ;)

Christmas Gingerbread

1/3 cup brown sugar
125g unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
2 1/2 cups plain flour 1 tsp bi-carb soda
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tbs golden syrup

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg.
3. Sift flour, bi-carb and ginger into creamed mixture.
4. Stir in golden syrup. Mix well.
5. Turn dough onto a floured board and lightly knead for a few minutes. Cover in cling wrap and chill for 30 mins.
6. Roll out mixture to about 5mm.
7. Cut into Christmas shapes.
8. Bake on baking paper lined trays for 10 mins.
9. Decorate when cool.

Thanks :D

I may have to do a practice run before Christmas!! ;)

No probs!

Just out of interest - is 1/3 cup sugar what you'd call 'low sugar' for a recipe?? I know most cakes, bikkies etc use way more than that.

I would say it's pretty low sugar. Although, as you said, golden syrup is sugar too. It's all relative though!

DS and I made gingerbread men this morning! :dance: DS had a blast - he helped mix, roll the dough, cut the shapes and put the dried fruit on. He also 'helped' by eating a whole raw gingerbread man, then followed it up with a cooked one for morning tea!

I put the sultanas and peel on before I baked and they were fine.

n2l - the recipe says 180 degrees for 10 mins. I ended up reducing it to 170 degrees (fan forced) as I thought they looked a little burnt round the edges.

I will do a bit of icing on Mummy and Daddy's bikkies while DS is asleep (and maybe a nose and eyes for DS'!)