Gingerbread Recipe

Every December, Bethanie Bell became a holiday legend in her neighborhood—not because of her singing carols (though she did that too), but because of her magical gingerbread cookie decorations.

This year, she decided to go big. She pulled out her grandmother’s old cookie recipe, rolled the dough just right, and baked it to the perfect golden brown. But Bethanie didn’t stop at simple icing and sprinkles—oh no. She turned each cookie into a tiny masterpiece. One wore a scarf made of red licorice, another had gumdrop boots, and one particularly sassy gingerbread lady sported frosting sunglasses and a candy cane handbag.

Each cookie told a story—there was the snowman who fell in love with the cocoa cup, the gingerbread reindeer who got lost at the cookie swap, and the cookie kid who “accidentally” ate half the frosting before making it to the tray.

By the time she was done, Bethanie’s kitchen looked like a scene from a holiday fairy tale. The neighbors came over, eyes wide, and left with cookies, laughs, and just a little bit of powdered sugar on their noses.

And every year after, people didn’t just ask for cookies—they asked for Bethanie’s stories in sugar.

(Made by Bethanie Bell for In The Kitchen Contest)