Who says gingerbread men are just for Christmas? Not these guys. These gingerbread men cookies have put on their vampire costumes for Halloween!I wish I could take credit for this clever idea ... but alas, I cannot.
These Halloween dudes were inspired by Southern Supreme Gourmet Specialties, a mail-order gourmet food company located in middle-of-nowhere, North Carolina (a teeny town called Bear Creek, to be exact.) My Mom and I visited their showroom a few weeks back and spotted their cute and clever little Halloween gingerbread vampires (which aren't available on their website ... showroom only item). I decided I needed to try that myself!
So I came home and whipped up a batch.
To create these ghoulish vampires, make your favorite gingerbread cookies just like you always would ... here's my favorite gingerbread cookie recipe, if you need one. Then use a dab of black frosting or royal icing to make eyes, buttons, and a straight across mouth ... add a smidge of white for fangs ... and pop three red mini candies or sprinkles on top of the black frosting buttons. I used red x's from a Valentines' Day hugs & kisses sprinkles mix, but you could also use cinnamon redhots, mini M&Ms, or any other small red candy. Voila! Halloween vampire cookies.
Now, in the spirit of full and honest disclosure, these little guys were not quite as easy to produce as I had expected. But part of that was because I was being lazy. See, I used that frosting-in-an-aerosol can stuff you can buy at the grocery store. You know, the stuff that sprays out kinda like Easy-Cheez? Well ... let me just tell ya ... that stuff is not easy to control when trying to make small squirts!!
So, if like me, you're afraid to try to make your own black frosting (I didn't think I could get it dark enough! ... hence the reason for the purchase of Easy-Cheez-type frosting) ... I suggest possibly dispensing the aerosol can frosting into your own piping bag first so you'll have better control.
If you choose to go straight from the can like I did, here are two suggestions:
1. Practice on waxed paper or a plate first.
2. Use toothpicks. Toothpicks became my best friends! Get a bit of frosting where you want it to be, and use a toothpick to coax it into the 'formation' you want. And to clean up any 'oops.'
Once you get your little guys ready, serve up a little platter as a special vampire Halloween treat.
Of course, if you get too frustrated making these little guys ... which you won't ... you could always do what my hubby suggested ... Bite their heads off and turn them into The Legend of Sleepy Hollow headless horseman gingerbread cookies!
Not nice, Mark. Not nice. But still appropriate for Halloween, I suppose.
I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon! Gingerbread Vampire CookiesSource: Inspired by Southern Supreme Gourmet Specialties
One batch baked gingerbread men cookiesBlack frostingWhite frostingSmall red x sprinkles, mini M&Ms, or cinnamon redhots
Pipe small dots of black frosting onto each gingerbread man for eyes and buttons. Pipe a small staight line of black frosting as the mouth. Carefully place a red sprinkle or mini candy into the button frosting dots; gently push down slightly with a toothpick. Pipe a small amount of white frosting below the black mouth line to create fangs. Use a toothpick to taper the fangs to be thinner at the end farthest away from the mouth line. Set aside to let the frosting harden. Store in an airtight container, carefully stacked. (Check the 'hardness' of the frosting prior to stacking to avoid smudging and smooshing.)Enjoy!
This post is linked with Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Sweets for a Saturday, Think Pink Sunday, Sundae Scoop, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Your Great Idea Party, Sunday Showcase Party, On the Menu Monday, Mangia Mondays, Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff, Thursday Treasures, Kitchen Fun & Crafty Friday, Share Your Creations Thursday, Pin It Thursday, Inspiration Friday, Foodie Friday, Weekend Wrap Up Party, Weekend Potluck, Weekend Bloggy Reading, I'm Lovin It, Tip Me Tuesday.
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