Gingerbread People in Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Tubs Recipe

This Gingerbread People in Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Tubs Recipe is a whimsical and spiced recipe, which features classic gingerbread cookies and molasses-infused hot cocoa. It’s the cutest holiday activity, ready in about 3 hours (including chilling and setting time).

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Gingerbread People in Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Tubs Recipe Ingredients

Gingerbread People

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 large egg

Royal Icing & Decoration

• 8 ounces (about 1 2/3 cups) confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup meringue powder
• 3 tablespoons water (plus more if needed)
• Food coloring (gel is best)
• 8 gumdrops (to create the “drink” prop)

Gingerbread Hot Chocolate

• 6 cups milk
• 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 7 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, chopped
• Whipped cream and mini marshmallows (for bubbles)

How To Make Gingerbread People in Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Tubs Recipe

1. Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
2. Make the dough: In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Beat in the molasses until combined, then add the egg. (Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled). Lower the speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture until a sticky dough forms.
3. Chill: Divide the dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (up to overnight) to firm up.
4. Roll and Cut: Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll one disk of dough out on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Use a 4-inch gingerbread man cutter to cut out shapes. Crucial Step: Check if the cutter fits inside your mugs. If the legs are too wide, gently push the legs of the dough cut-outs closer together so they will fit into the “tub” later.
5. Bake: Transfer shapes to parchment-lined baking sheets. Freeze for 15 minutes to firm up (this helps them keep their shape). Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until slightly firm but not brown. Cool completely on a rack.
6. Make the Icing: Beat the confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, and water until thick and pure white. If it’s too bubbly, let it rest and stir vigorously with a spatula to smooth it out. Tint with food coloring as desired.
7. Decorate: Use piping bags to draw bathing suits and sunglasses on the cookies. To give the cookie a “drink,” pipe white icing on the wide end of a gumdrop (to look like foam). Pipe a dot of icing on the cookie’s hand and press the gumdrop onto it. Let set for 1 hour.
8. Make the Hot Chocolate: In a saucepan, whisk the milk, cocoa powder, sugar, molasses, and spices. Cook over medium heat until steaming and dissolved (do not boil). Whisk in the chopped chocolate until smooth.
9. Assemble: Pour hot chocolate into mugs. Top with whipped cream and mini marshmallows to look like bath bubbles. Insert a gingerbread person so their arms rest on the rim of the mug.

Recipe Tips

• The Mug Check: Before baking your entire batch, test one raw cookie cutout against the mugs you plan to serve them in. The dough spreads slightly, so the legs need to be narrower than the mug opening.
• Meringue Powder: Using meringue powder creates a safe, shelf-stable royal icing that hardens perfectly, allowing you to stack the cookies or stand them up without smudging.
• Dutch-Process Cocoa: This type of cocoa is less acidic and darker than natural cocoa, providing a smoother, mellower chocolate flavor that pairs beautifully with the spices.
• Molasses: Use “Unsulphured” molasses (like Grandma’s brand) for baking. Do not use Blackstrap molasses, as it is too bitter for these cookies.
• Re-rolling: You can re-roll the scraps of dough, but try to do it only once or twice. Overworking the dough makes the cookies tough.

What To Serve With Gingerbread People in Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Tubs Recipe

This is a standalone treat, but you can enhance the “Spa Day” theme.

• Peppermint Bark: Served on the side.
• Cinnamon Sticks: Use as stirrers in the hot chocolate.
• Shortbread: Simple butter cookies contrast well with the spice.
• Candied Ginger: For an extra spicy kick.

How To Store Gingerbread People in Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Tubs Recipe

• Cookies: Store the decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Ensure the icing is completely dry before stacking (separate layers with parchment).
• Hot Chocolate: Store leftover liquid hot chocolate in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove, whisking to re-emulsify the chocolate.
• Dough: The raw dough disks can be frozen for up to 1 month before rolling and baking.

Gingerbread People in Gingerbread Hot Chocolate Tubs Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 450
• Total Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Cholesterol: 45mg
• Sodium: 150mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 65g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 45g
• Protein: 8g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving (1 mug + 1 cookie).

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