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Top 8 Free Gingerbread Bears

  • Author: Fork & Beans
  • Prep Time: 2 hours 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 12 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hours 42 mins
  • Yield: Approx. 2 dozen

Ingredients

Scale

For the cookies:

  • 1/4 c. aquafaba (the brine from a can of chickpea)* see notes below
  • 1/4 c. applesauce
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1/2 c. unsulphered molasses
  • 1 tsp. orange zest
  • 2 1/2 c. Enjoy Life Foods All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Tbsp. flaxseed meal
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 Tbsp. ground ginger
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

For the Bears:

For the Sugar Glue:

  • 1/2 c. powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. water

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, beat the aquafaba with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for approximately 1 minute, or until it becomes frothy.
  2. Add the applesauce and brown sugar and mix.
  3. Add the molasses and orange zest until just combined.
  4. Throw the remainder of the cookie ingredients into the bowl and mix on low until well-combined.
  5. Cover and chill for 2+ hours.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Roll the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper, lightly floured, until 1/4-1/8″ inch thickness. The thinner you roll them out, the crunchier the cookie and the less amount of time to bake. The dough is delicate so to prevent frustration of it getting stuck on the paper, don’t skip the light flouring of the bottom and top surfaces.
  8. Cut out bears with cookie cutters and place on the baking sheet. Freeze for 5 minutes while you repeat the process and place the cookies on another baking sheet.
  9. Remove the sheet from the freezer and bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned along the edges. Place the next sheet in the freezer while you wait for the cookies to bake.
  10. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
  11. Once cooled, mix the sugar glue together. It should be thick but able to squeeze out of a piping bag.
  12. Glue the mini cookies to the bear cookies.
  13. Place a large amount of sugar glue for the eye whites and place mini chocolate chips on top.
  14. Add the nose and belly buttons and allow to set.

Find it online: https://www.forkandbeans.com/2016/12/17/top-8-free-gingerbread-bears/