Okay Whovians, let’s do the math.
Able to overcome limitations of time and space? Check.
Has appeared in varying “versions” of himself for different generations? Check.
Has a completely badass-yet-unlikely form of universal transportation? Check.
It’s official — Santa is a Time Lord.
How about leaving him at treat worthy of this title? Time Lord Gingerbread Men!
This is just a matter of taking your ordinary gingerbread men and jazzing them up a bit…something that becomes a pretty fun parent/kid holiday activity, particularly if you like to eat frosting.
Step One
Okay, since this is more about the decor than the flavor, I’m not going to commit you to any new and revolutionary gingerbread recipe. Find your favorite gingerbread (or sugar cookie) recipe, as long as it’s one intended for shaped cookies. I’ve used plain old Betty Crocker gingerbread mix for the little Whos shown in the picture above, but any brand will work for this.
Tip: When I’m in the mood to be more “authentic” I like to use the cookie and icing recipe Ray Keim (remember the Haunted Dimensions guy?), uses for his fantabulous gingerbread homes.
Step Two
Take plain old gingerbread man cookie cutter and get your 11 Time Lords cut out. Leave a little dough left over to cut out a rectangle for a Tardis. You can’t leave out your Tardis, after all.
Step Three
Plan out your designs while your cookies bake. Now, since these are cookies, we’re not going to get too elaborate, but simply give some “hints” to each Doctor’s distinct look. I’ve included some templates the geeklings and I cooked up, but feel free to outdo us in imagination! That’s what it’s all about. Don’t forget to leave some cookie scraps to make simple accessories like the Eleventh Doctor’s Fez or Seventh Doctor’s umbrella, you can attach with icing once they are done.
Step Four
Once your cookies are out of the oven, wait until they are completely cool before icing. This is the hardest part for my kids (and, yes, for me too). Pre-colored cookie frosting works best if you are dealing with kids, since they often come packaged with easy-to-use tips for designing.
Tip: Mix your own food coloring into plain royal icing for more specific colors (like that Willy Wonka-mated-with-the-Easter Bunny’s mutant offspring get-up the Sixth Doctor wore. Seriously, what even is that?) or create your own! Most basic icing recipes are as simple as mixing about a half pound of powdered sugar with one egg white.
Our favorites turned out to be, not surprisingly, the Fourth Doctor’s awesome scarf and Tenth Doctor’s red sneakers, but aren’t they the two best Doctors anyway (debate your own favorites among yourselves, here).
Step Five
Want to go beyond cookies? Lightly poke a hole in the cookies and string them together to make edible ornaments! Or place them out for Santa and see if bring his sonic screwdriver with him, because I’m betting he has one.
Want to create these for your friends for the holiday season? Share your photos with us on Twitter @SubCultured!