Christmas cakes are all well and good, and we’ve got a fabulous Christmas cake icing idea in Herdyworld, but sometimes there’s nothing quite like that warming, cosy, and sweet deliciousness that Christmas gingerbread provides.

Herdy’s no stranger to a tasty gingerbread recipe. In the past we’ve made gingerbread biscuits with “muddy boots” as well as Christmas gingerbread cookies.

For this Christmas we’ve got a gingerbread man recipe that’s easy and sure to make you smile… but instead of a man, it’s Herdy!

This gingerbread “man” recipe makes approximately 12 large gingerbread Herdys.

What you need to make “Herdy Yan” gingerbread

  • 16 oz plain flour
  • ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 5 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 6 oz butter
  • 6 oz soft brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons golden syrup
  • Herdy Cookie Cutter

How to make “Herdy Yan” Christmas gingerbread

1. Melt the butter, sugar, and syrup in a pan until all the ingredients come together

Melting "wet" ingredients together to make Christmas gingerbread

2. Sieve the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Add the melted ingredients and mix together well until it forms a ball

Mixing the dry ingredients together when making Christmas gingerbread

3. When cool enough to handle, roll out (to 8mm thick) the mixture on a floured surface and use the Herdy Cookie Cutter as a gingerbread cutter to make biscuits

Roll out the mixture ready for cutting some Herdy Christmas gingerbread biscuits
Use our Herdy Cookie Cutters to cut out Herdy Yan Christmas gingerbread biscuits

4. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 160°C.

Prepping our Herdy Christmas gingerbread cookies on a baking tray

5. When baked, allow to cool on a baking rack

Leave your Herdy Christmas gingerbread to cool

6. Enjoy your Herdy Yan Christmas gingerbread plain if you want the ultimate gingerbread to dunk in your tea or coffee (remember: you need a proper fine bone china mug for that). Or…

7. Additionally, you can decorate your Herdy Yan Christmas gingerbread for a Christmassy treat! We used a Dr Oetker white chocolate pen to stick Asda snow sprinkles to Herdy’s body, creating a jazzy “Christmas Jumper” effect!

Decorate your Herdy Yan Christmas gingerbread however you like

8. Share and enjoy!

Your turn

Send us photos of your Christmas gingerbread with the hashtag #HerdyGingerbread; we know there’s some seriously talented bakers out there! Join the flock on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or email us.