A Gingerbread Kind of Day

Each year I make our family a giant batch of gingerbread waffles as soon as December hits. Much like our pumpkin waffles, these are a treat that our family looks forward to each year. It is a recipe worth doubling or tripling and enjoying with a mug of cocoa to warm your belly before beginning your busy day.

This year I decided a perfect pairing would be a gingerbread house making day. To be honest, I had never made a gingerbread house growing up. What a fun and special tradition to start in our house and the kids couldn’t wait to attempt decorating their houses for the first year as a family.

These houses were the miniature size and were perfect for my little helpers. I found them for $8.99 each on Amazon although I did see them for comparable prices at the craft store. Once again though, I used the Swagbucks to put towards these and saved them until we drew our gingerbread house day from our Advent Calendar.

Although I haven’t been completing official Notebook Experiments, we have still been doing a lot out of the Notebooks each week. The idea to use hot glue to hold the gingerbread houses together from The Idea Room was perhaps one of the most brilliant ideas ever. Although it wouldn’t fly in a Food Network competition, it worked perfectly for two impatient children who were ready to decorate their houses as soon as they were pulled from the box.

I had saved a sturdy deli tray from a sandwich order that we had place for party and used that to display our gingerbread house. A little shake of confectioner’s sugar over the top and the addition of our $1.99 lighted tree from The Christmas Tree Shoppe and it looked like an adorable little snow village on our thrifty budget. The kids admired their handiwork and I took a picture with the year on it so we could see how our houses evolve over the years.

Once we were done decorating it was time to mix up a big batch of our gingerbread waffles. There are few things I love during the holidays more than a giant gingerbread waffle. I found this recipe from Rachael Ray about four years ago and it has been a family tradition every year since then.

It incorporates all of the holiday flavors I love- molasses, ginger, cinnamon, brown sugar, pumpkin, and nutmeg. What more can I say?

The only downfall to this recipe… you can’t eat just one! I hope this recipe can grace your holiday table and be a family tradition for you too. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Gingerbread Waffles (courtesy of 30 Minute Meals)

3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, eyeball it
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 l
arge eggs
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter, plus some to butter the iron
Syrup, whipped cream or fresh fruits for topping, to pass at table

Preheat waffles iron. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in pumpkin, milk, molasses and melted butter. Stir the wet into dry until just moist. Do not overstir the waffle batter. Brush the iron with a little melted butter and cook 4 waffles, 4 sections each. Serve with toppings of choice.