Santa Claus Gingerbread Recipes

SANTA CLAUS CRANBERRY PUNCH

Steps:

• Heat a hot-glue gun.
• To make Santa belts, cut four 1 1/4-by-7-inch strips of black felt and round off one end of each strip. To make belt buckles, cut four 1 3/4-inch squares of aluminum foil. Snip 2 slits into either side of each square. Slide the rounded edge of a felt strip through the slits of one foil square, leaving a little overhang. Wrap the felt strip around the middle of a pint-size (16-ounce) mason jar and attach it to itself using a dot of hot glue. Repeat with the remaining 3 felt strips, foil squares and mason jars.
• To make Santa's face, make stencils from the attached templates and cut out 4 beards and 4 mustaches from white felt. Alternatively, cut 4 teardrops from white felt, each 3 1/2 inches wide by 5 inches tall. Cut a 2 3/4-inch hole in the end of each teardrop, leaving a narrow border. Cut out four 4 1/2-inch-wide Santa mustaches. Attach the mustaches with a dot of glue to the top of the beards. Set aside.
• Pour 1 1/2 cups of the lemon-lime soda and 1/2 cup of the cranberry juice into each decorated jar, then squeeze the juice from a lime quarter into each. Slip a beard over the mouth of each jar. Mound whipped cream on top of each drink and add a cherry. Insert a straw and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar snow if desired.

GOLDEN SANTA BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a small saucepan, heat milk, water and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Beat in eggs until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Preheat oven to 350°. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 2 portions, 1 slightly larger than the other. , Shape the larger portion into an elongated triangle with rounded corners for Santa's head and hat. , Divide the smaller portion in half. Shape and flatten 1 half into a beard. Place beard over face; using a sharp knife, cut deep slits to resemble hair. , Use the remaining dough for the mustache, nose, eyebrows, hat pompom and brim. Shape a portion of dough into a mustache; flatten and place on face over beard. Using sharp knife, cut slits to resemble hair. Place a small ball above mustache for nose. With scissors, cut 2 slits for eyes; insert raisins into slits. Form another small portion of dough into eyebrows; flatten and place above eyes. Roll out a narrow piece of dough to create a hat brim; position below hat. Fold tip of hat over and add dough ball for pompom. If desired, using scissors or sharp knife, cut small lines along edges of brim and pompom to resemble fur., In separate small bowls, beat each egg yolk. Add red food coloring to 1 yolk; carefully brush over hat. Brush plain yolk over remaining dough., Cover loosely with foil. Bake 15 minutes. Uncover; bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.

SANTA CLAUS SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, nutmeg and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. Santa-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets., Bake 8-10 minutes or until light brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in milk, vanilla and salt. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Pipe onto cookies and decorate as desired.