Gingerbread man

{{Short description|Cookie made from gingerbread in the shape of a human}}

{{about||the fairytale|The Gingerbread Man|other uses|Gingerbread Man (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox food

|name = Gingerbread man

|image = Gingerbread men.jpg

|image_size = 250px

|caption =

|country = England

|type = Cookie

|served =

|main_ingredient = Gingerbread

|variations =

|calories =

|cookbook = Gingerbread Cookies Frosted with Royal Icing

|other =

}}

A gingerbread man is a biscuit or cookie made from gingerbread, usually in the shape of a stylized human being. However, other shapes, especially seasonal themes (Christmas, Halloween, Easter, etc.), and characters are also common.

History

File:Gingy Cookie.jpg

File:Gingerbread Cookies on Table.jpg

Gingerbread dates from the 15th century and figurative biscuit-making was practised in the 16th century.{{cite book|title=300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles|first1=Linda|last1=Campbell Franklin|edition=4th|publisher= Books Americana|location=New York|year=1998|page=183}} The first documented instance of figure-shaped gingerbread biscuits was at the court of Elizabeth I of England. She had the gingerbread figures made and presented in the likeness of some of her important guests, who brought the human shape of the gingerbread cookies.{{cite web|url=http://www.fergusonplarre.com.au/History/Gingerbread-Men.html|title=A History of Gingerbread Men|publisher=Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses|access-date=4 January 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130807113922/http://www.fergusonplarre.com.au/History/Gingerbread-Men.html|archive-date=7 August 2013}}{{cite book|last1=Lach|first1=Donald F. |author-link=Donald F. Lach|year=2010|title=Asia in the Making of Europe, Volume II: A Century of Wonder. Book 3: The Scholarly Disciplines|page=442|publisher=University of Chicago Press}}

Characteristics

Image:Gingerbread landscape.jpg from Shrek) with his wife and dog in front of a gingerbread house]]

File:Gingerbreadmen salesman.jpg

Most gingerbread men share a roughly humanoid shape, with stubby feet and no fingers. Many gingerbread people have a face, though whether the features are indentations within the face itself or other candies stuck on with icing or chocolate varies from recipe to recipe. Other decorations are common; hair, shirt cuffs, and shoes are sometimes applied, but by far the most popular decoration is shirt buttons, which are traditionally represented by gum drops, icing, or raisins.{{Cn|date=March 2025}}

In world records

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the world's largest gingerbread man was made by the staff of the IKEA Furuset store in Oslo, Norway, on 9 November 2009. The gingerbread man weighed 1435.2 pounds (651 kg).{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-gingerbread-man|title=Largest gingerbread man|work=Guinness Book of Records website|access-date=24 December 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://tailgatefan.cbslocal.com/2013/12/24/gingerbread-house-takeover/|title=Gingerbread House Takeover|work=Tailgate Fan|first=Ali|last=Sands|date=24 December 2013|access-date=24 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419142709/http://tailgatefan.cbslocal.com/2013/12/24/gingerbread-house-takeover/|archive-date=19 April 2016|url-status=dead}}

References

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