This content originally appeared in The Wonder of Advent, you can order your copy here.
When shops are bustling and our Christmas to-do lists seem never ending, we must be intentional about taking time to slow down and dwell in the hope of the Advent season. Baking is always a great way to push pause. These gingerbread men cookies are a sweet reminder that God sent His Son for all people. Bake up a batch to share with others in anticipation of Jesus’s birth.

Supplies
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup molasses
• 1 cup shortening, melted and
cooled slightly
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup water
Directions
- Sift together the dry ingredients:
baking powder, ginger, nutmeg,
cloves, cinnamon, and flour. - In another bowl, mix the brown sugar,
egg, molasses, shortening, vanilla, and
water. Stir in the dry ingredients, until
they are absorbed. Take the dough
and divide it into 3 pieces, patting
each piece down to 1 1/2 inches thick.
Then wrap each piece in plastic wrap
before refrigerating them for 3 hours. - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
fahrenheit. Lightly flour your
workspace, then roll the dough out to
1/4 inch thickness. Use your favorite
cookie cutters, and place cut cookies
onto an ungreased cookie sheet one
inch apart. - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. When
the cookies are baked, they will be
soft to the touch. Allow the cookies
to cool on wire racks. Once cool,
you can decorate your cookies
however you like!

In The Wonder of Advent, spend a week considering each of the themes of Advent—hope, joy, peace, and love. Each week you’ll trace that theme throughout Scripture by looking at:
- An Old Testament prophecy
- A scene from the Christmas story
- A moment from Jesus’s earthly ministry
- A teaching of Jesus; and
- A promise from Revelation.
When your eyes are opened to these threads in Scripture, you’ll stand in awe of the glory and love of God, and you’ll be motivated to share the wonder of Advent with the world.
Pick up your copy of The Wonder of Advent today!